Air Fryer Baked Potato & Cheese Gratin with Bacon — Step-by-Step

Why this air fryer version?

This classic potato & cheese gratin gets a speed and texture upgrade in the air fryer: the edges become nicely crisp while the interior stays creamy. It’s ideal when you want the indulgence of a gratin but have less oven time (or don’t want to heat the whole kitchen).

Yields: 6 servings
Prep time: 15–20 minutes
Cook time (air fryer): 33–42 minutes (covered + uncovered)
Total time: 53–72 minutes (prep + cook + rest).
(If you want the quick math: prep 15–20 min + covered cook 25–30 min + crisp 8–12 min + rest 5–10 min = 53–72 min.)

Ingredients

• 6 medium potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1/8″ / 3 mm thick)

• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

• 1 cup heavy cream

• 1/2 cup milk

• 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

• 2 tablespoons butter, sliced or dotted on top

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives (for garnish)

Optional add-ins / swaps: pinch of nutmeg in the cream, 1/2 cup grated Gruyère for nuttier flavor, or add sautéed mushrooms or spinach for a vegetarian swap (omit bacon).

Equipment & sizing notes (important)

• Air fryer oven (preferred): If your air fryer is the oven-style that fits a 9×13, you can use the regular dish. Times below apply.

• Basket-style 5–6 quart air fryer: A 9×13 won’t fit. Use two 7–8 inch round or 8×5 inch loaf pans and divide the recipe, or use an 8-inch deep round pan if it fits. Cook in batches if needed.

• Use an oven-safe dish that fits your air fryer. Cover with foil (or use an air-fryer-safe lid) for the covered phase, then remove for browning.

Preparation (quick)

1. Preheat your air fryer to 180°C / 360°F.

2. Slice potatoes very thin — about 1/8″ (3 mm). Uniform slices cook evenly.

3. Cook bacon until crisp, drain and crumble. (You can cook bacon in the air fryer first — about 8–10 min at 200°C / 400°F — then drain; but be careful not to overcrowd.)

4. In a small saucepan, warm the heavy cream, milk and minced garlic until steaming (do not boil). Season with a little salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg if using. Remove from heat.

Air Fryer Method — step-by-step These instructions assume thin potato slices (3 mm). If yours are thicker, add extra covered time.

1. Grease your air-fryer-safe baking dish with butter.

2. Layer 1: Arrange half of the potato slices in a single overlapping layer. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

3. Add bacon & cheese: Sprinkle half the crumbled bacon and half of both cheeses evenly over the potatoes.

4. Pour cream: Drizzle half of the warm cream mixture over the layer so it settles between slices.

5. Repeat: Make a second layer with the remaining potatoes, season, then add remaining bacon and cheeses. Pour the rest of the cream over the top.

6. Dot the top with the 2 tablespoons of butter (small slices distributed across the top).

7. Cover the dish tightly with foil (or an air-fryer-safe lid). Covering helps the potatoes steam and cook through without burning the top.

8. Air fry (covered) at 180°C / 360°F for 25–30 minutes. This steams and cooks the potato slices.

9. Check tenderness: Carefully remove foil (watch for steam). Pierce center potato with a fork — it should nearly slide through. If not, recover and cook another 5–8 minutes covered.

10. Brown & crisp: Once tender, remove foil and increase air fryer temp to 195–200°C / 385–400°F and air-fry uncovered for 8–12 minutes, or until the top is bubbling and golden. Watch closely — cheese and crumbs can brown quickly in the air fryer.

11. Rest: Let the gratin sit 5–10 minutes before serving so it sets slightly. Sprinkle with parsley or chives and serve.

Tips & troubleshooting

• Too dry? If the cream absorbed too quickly, stir in 2–3 tbsp extra milk and briefly reheat in the air fryer covered for 3–5 min.

• Potatoes not tender? Slices were probably too thick — either par-boil slices for 3–4 min or microwave layered potatoes for 3–5 min before assembling. That reduces air fryer time.

• Basket air fryer crowding: Don’t block airflow. If you must, cook in two smaller pans and rotate for even browning.

• Extra-crisp top: Sprinkle 2 tbsp breadcrumbs + extra 1/4 cup cheese on top before the final high-temp step.

• Make-ahead: Assemble and refrigerate (covered) up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature 20–30 minutes before air frying, or add 5–10 minutes to the cook time if cooking cold.

• Storage & reheating: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3–4 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 160°C / 320°F for 6–10 minutes until warmed through and crisped.

Quick variant ideas

• Vegetarian: Omit bacon; add sautéed mushrooms and spinach.

• Herby: Add a tablespoon chopped fresh thyme or rosemary between layers.

• Spicy: Sprinkle red pepper flakes between layers or add a thin layer of diced jalapeño.

• Gourmet: Swap cheddar for Gruyère + Parmigiano-Reggiano.

enjoy!