Creamy, Cheesy Dauphinois Potatoes
Got plenty of potatoes in that pantry stash of yours? Looking for that perfect comfort food? This recipe for Creamy, Cheesy Dauphinois Potatoes will quite possibly become one your favorite potato recipes. I know that it’s at the top of my family’s all-time favorites.
Literally heavenly bliss on your plate, this super-easy, French classic recipe is the creme de la creme of potato recipes. Made with creamy layers upon heavenly layers of thinly sliced potatoes, cream, butter, garlic, and cheese . . . with a kiss of thyme! Sublime simplicity!
With Easter just around the corner, Dauphinois Potatoes are notches above your everyday scalloped potatoes . . . so luxurious and totally indulgent.
This very special, rich, and elegant recipe is from one of my classic, retro ’80s cookbooks that I still cherish to this day, “The Vegetarian Gourmet”.
What are Dauphinois Potatoes?
Like many French dishes, Dauphinois Potatoes (pronounced dough-fin-whah) is just a fancy name for scalloped potatoes or potatoes au gratin, yet differs slightly in preparation and ingredients. Whatever floats your boat in what you like to call it, we can agree on the scrumptiousness of potatoes baked in a ooohhhhhh, sooooooo yummy, garlicy, buttery cream sauce!
It’s simply a French dish of sliced potatoes baked in a creamy butter sauce. Basically, taking the simplest of ingredients and elevating them to a delicious, euphoric level!
If you’re wondering what the difference is: scalloped potatoes are made with a flour-butter-milk roux, whereas Dauphinois Potatoes are made with 100% indulgence: cream, butter, and cheese. No flour whatsoever.
So I ask? Scalloped Potatoes or Dauphinois Potatoes?
No contest, my friends! Cream-based sauces beat out flour-based sauces ANY. DAY. Dauphinois Potatoes for the win!
Ingredients for making Dauphinois Potatoes
It’s so amazing how only a few ingredients can turn into something so decadently, rich, and luxurious. You can NEVER go wrong with cream, butter, cheese, and garlic! All the good stuff, even if totally fattening, star in this show!
- Potatoes
- Milk
- Cream
- Garlic
- Butter
- Cheese (Gruyere, Cheddar)
That’s it! Don’t you just love it? It couldn’t be more simple!
How To Make The Perfect Dauphinois Potatoes
This is not a complicated or difficult recipe at all, so don’t let the fancy, posh French name scare you away. It’s simply a gratin of thinly sliced potatoes layered with a creamy, garlic and thyme sauce. Thyme adds a bit more flavor, but it’s not necessary if you don’t have it. The garlic flavor is what you want to shine anyway.
This very basic recipe can be easily adapted. Change the cheese and/or herbs to please your taste preferences and create your very own individualized version.
- Thinly slice potatoes to the same size, about ¼″ thickness.
- Slowly heat milk, cream, butter, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper.
- Rub a baking dish with butter and garlic.
- Layer potatoes in the baking dish and sprinkle either freshly minced garlic or garlic powder.
- Pour on part of sauce and cheese. Repeat again.
- Bake for 1 hour until bubbly.
- Sprinkle cheese all over and bake 10 minutes more for a lovely golden brown topping.
Simple right?
What are the best potatoes to use?
Oh my gosh, this is such an important issue in preparing this recipe! The type of potato you use will literally make or break a successful dauphinois.
For Dauphinois potatoes, the recipe must consist of firm potatoes that can withstand a long period of baking in a hot oven. They should also hold their shape when served. The right kind of potatoes won’t collapse and disintegrate into mush . . . and you don’t want that. If that happens, you might as well beat them up and mash them at that point!
You can use either starchy or waxy potatoes in a Dauphinois potatoes, but this recipe turns out perfectly with starchy potatoes.
Some recipes (including this one) use a drier, starchy potato variety that tends to break down and become soft, yet holds its shape under a lovely golden cheese topping. For starchy potatoes, use:
- Idaho Russets
- Sebago (in Australia)
- King Edward or Maris Piper (in the U.K.)
Other recipes state that yellow or red waxy potatoes hold up their shape better when baked in the hot oven. However, waxy potatoes are the kind used for potato salads, in my opinion. Waxy potatoes to consider:
- Yukon Gold
- Charlotte
- Jersey Royals
- Baby/mini potatoes
- Red potatoes
Tips for the Best Dauphinois Potatoes
- Make sure all the slices are the same thickness so they cook at an even rate.
- Use layers of potato and sauce to ensure a full coverage of cream on the potatoes.
- Use HEAVY cream only.
- Heat the milk, cream, and butter sauce on a very low, simmering temperature so it doesn’t burn or curdle.
- Spread soft butter all over the inside of the baking dish before layering the potatoes. Not only does the butter help cook the potatoes better, but the butter also enhances the dish with an irresistible buttery flavor!
- Instead of adding crushed garlic, you could either rub garlic cloves or sprinkle garlic powder all around the gratin dish before adding the potatoes. Any of these methods works as well as the other.
- Keep a close eye on the potatoes after they bake for 60 minutes. When they get brown, immediately cover the baking dish with aluminum foil.
- Bake low and slow: A Low oven temperature is critical, and baking for a long time. This keeps the cream from becoming a horrible mess!
- Insert a knife into the potatoes to check whether they are cooked through. Not only should they have a good, soft texture, but the top should be golden, and most of the creamy mixture should be reduced and absorbed into the potatoes.
What to Serve With Dauphinois Potatoes
These potatoes make a superb side dish for any roasted meat, whether roast beef, pork tenderloin, baked ham, alongside a delicious steak, or paired with many other entrees. When the oven is hot, you can use it for both the potatoes and your main dish!
Dauphinois Potatoes pair beautifully with:
Grilled Basil Buttered Chicken
Garlic-Buttered Blackened Redfish
Always serve with a simple green vegetable such as peas, broccoli, or asparagus, as the potatoes are very rich.
FEED YOUR POTATO OBSESSION WITH THESE RECIPES:
Italian Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Potatoes
The Creamiest, Dreamiest Perfect Mashed Potatoes
Twice-Baked Potatoes with Fontina Cheese
REMEMBER TO PIN FOR LATER!
Here is this delicious classic potato gratin recipe for you!
Dauphinois Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
- 6 Tbsp. butter
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 4 large cloves garlic, minced
- 9 - 10 medium Idaho potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- thyme, optional
Instructions
- Butter a 9" baking dish.
- Gently heat the milk and cream in a saucepan, add the butter, salt and pepper.
- Rub the inside of the baking dish with the garlic or sprinkle the bottom with garlic powder.
- Arrange a layer of potatoes in overlapping layers in the baking dish.
- Sprinkle with garlic powder or more minced garlic
- Pour half of the milk/cream sauce over the potatoes.
- Sprinkle half of the cheese on top.
- Arrange a second layer of potatoes in overlapping layers in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining half of the milk/cream sauce over this second layer of potatoes.
- Bake in a preheated 350 F degree oven for 60 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked and well-golden browned on top and the milk has become a creamy sauce. Cover with aluminum foil the moment that the potatoes begin to become golden (you will uncover to brown them in the next step).
- Sprinkle the grated cheddar cheese on top of the hot, baked potatoes and bake for another 10 minutes.
Who wrote the vegetarian cookbook that you love–“The Vegetarian Gourmet”?
What year was it published? Thank you.
Hi FoodieChick,
This wonderful cookbook was written in 1985 by Paul Southey. I included the link above for you.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I do or more!
Ciao,
Roz
Perfect for Easter! I need to pick up some cheese and I’m set!!
Roz,
This decadent potato dish looks amazing. I love that it is gluten free where scalloped potatoes are not. I bought a 5 pound bag of red potatoes to keep so we don’t have to go to the store as often. I left them in the bag in my dark pantry. I don’t know what happened but I went to use them today after about 10-12 days and they were really bad and starting to smell.. any suggestions how to keep my potatoes.. thanks
I love that kind of cheese never really had it in anything but melted on soups before I cant wait to try these potatoes with it. They look out of this world. HOpe your doing well.
100% indulgence – how can one resist that!? These look scrumptious! I just want to take a fork and dig in. Really, how can something made with potatoes, HEAVY cream, and butter not be absolutely delicious? What a great recipe Roz! BTW – I sent you an email just now from my icloud account. If you don’t get it, check your spam folder. For some reason, emails from that account end up in in SPAM at times.
That’s a fancy and delicious potato gratin!
Hi TanWhiratchada….I’m so glad to have helped you. Next to Italian, I crave Thai food the most. It is simply one of the best cuisines created.
Once I have try this for lunch at “Modesto’s” restaurant in Singapore and really delicious. Unfortunately cannot remember dish name. But now I have found again from your blog. I will try them at home for sure.
Thank you for sharing this and I will always see what your posted from my blog.
Best Regards,
Tan.(Thai Kitchen)
Thanks Jen for the compliment! Food Buzz has been really fun to be able to meet ‘foodies’ all around the world! I’ll read your blog posts and your yummy recipes too!
Cheers and Bon Appetito!
~ Roz
How delicious! Thank you for the friend request on FoodBuzz :)Your pictures make me want to try all of your recipes! Well done :)-Jen