Potatoes au Gratin – forget scalloped potatoes, THIS is the creme de la creme of all potato recipes!! Also known as Dauphinoise Potatoes, this French classic is adapted from a Julia Child’s recipe. With layers upon layers of finely sliced potatoes baked in, cream, butter and cheese with a hint of fresh thyme, it’s luxurious and thoroughly indulgent.
Bonus: It’s the ultimate make ahead potato side dish! And next time, try Brie Dauphinoise…
Potatoes au Gratin
Potatoes au Gratin? Or Scalloped Potatoes?
If you’re wondering what the difference is between Scalloped Potatoes and Au Gratin Potatoes, scalloped potatoes are made with a flour-butter-milk roux, whereas Potatoes au Gratin are made with 100% indulgence: cream, butter and cheese.
So I ask you again: Potatoes au Gratin? Or Scalloped Potatoes?
There’s no contest. Cream trumps flour Every. Single. Day. 😂
Potatoes au Gratin for the win!!!
All the essential food groups present
I was going to say that it’s quite remarkable how so few ingredients can make something so luxurious. But the reality is, it’s pretty hard to go wrong when potatoes, cream, butter and cheese are involved.
We’re working with all the good stuff today!
Best kind of potatoes for au gratin
This is the sort of potato dish where we want the potatoes to breakdown and become lovely and soft under that golden cheesy crust, so we need to ensure we use starchy potatoes. Australia – I use Sebago (those dirt brushed potatoes). America – Russet is perfect, and for those of you in the UK, King Edward or Maris Piper are perfect. Or any other starchy potatoes – Dutch creams, King Edwards or red delight.
To be honest, as long as you do not use a waxy potato then it’s going to work great – I’ve used all sorts over the years. Waxy potatoes are the kind used for potato salads and if used in Potatoes au Gratin, the layers sort of slip apart and you’ll have paper-thin-potato UFO’s flying all over the place.
Been there, done that. Not good, my friends.
How to make potatoes au gratin
Thinly sliced potato is layered with a cream-butter-garlic mixture, sprinkled with thyme and the mandatory cheese in every layer. Bake covered for 75 minutes (yes really, it takes that long), then uncovered just to make the cheese on top lovely and golden.
While it might seem daunting to thinly slice 1 kg / 2 lb of potatoes, this is the sort of task where you’ll quickly get into a rhythm. By the 3rd potato, you’ll be slicing like a pro!
Though having said that, a mandolin will make short work of it….
I am yet to meet a form of potato I don’t like. And of all the ways to cook potato, this is my favourite. (UPDATE: Though the newly invented Brie Dauphinoise version is also a hot contender!).
Sure, sometimes I stray and get excited by my latest obsession. I went mad for Ultra Crispy Smashed Potatoes, and crazy over Parmesan Crusted Potatoes. I thought Twice-baked Stuffed Jacket Potatoes were the ant’s pants.
But Potatoes au Gratin are a classic that I’ll love forever and ever. First made using Julie Child’s recipe which then evolved slightly over the years to what it is today. A slightly more streamlined assembly process, the addition of garlic and… I upped the cheese.
Do you think Julia would approve?? 😂 – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Potatoes au Gratin (Dauphinoise)
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cream , full fat (Note 1)
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter , melted
- 1.25 kg / 2.5 lb starchy potatoes , Russet, Sebago, Maris Piper (Note 2)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 1/2 cups gruyere cheese (colby, cheddar, havarti or tasty), freshly grated yourself (Note 3)
- 2 tsp thyme leaves , fresh (optional – but highly recommended)
Instructions
- Cream Mixture: Place butter, cream and garlic in a jug. Mix until combined.
- Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F (both fan and standard ovens).
- Slice potatoes: Peel the potatoes and slice them 1/8"/3 mm thick. Or use a slicer!
- Layer 1: Spread 1/3 of the potatoes in a baking dish (Note 3), then pour over 1/3 of the Cream Mixture, scatter with 1/3 of the salt, pepper and thyme. Sprinkle with 3/4 cups cheese.
- Layers 2 & 3: Repeat for the 2nd and third layer, but do not finish with cheese on the top layer (will add later).
- Cover & bake: Cover with lid or foil, and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the potatoes in the middle are soft (use knife to test), it might take 1 1/2 hours. (Note 5)
- Top with cheese, bake again: Remove foil, top with cheese. Bake for a further 10 to 15 minutes until golden and bubbly. Stand 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Au Gratin Potatoes recipe originally published December 2014. New photos, recipe video and updated post in December 2018, then some tidying up done in December 2020. No change to recipe!
Feed your potato obsession
Life of Dozer
NAGI VS DOZER, YOU ARE BAD……. BAD GIRL….. As for potato could not care less which one as longer I get to enjoy, love, love any of them. My Mum use to naked them every two weeks in winter, yum, soooo good.will be in garden today and for lunch got fresh home grown lettuce and have to come up with something else. Have good week and please leave Dozer alone.
He loves it. Cause he knows he always gets a TREAT after a torture session!!!
I love Potatoes anyway they are cooked and your recipe today looks wonderful. Thanks Nagi!
Dozer looks good with his ribbon braid and you are a tease. 🙂
We had Melbourne Cup last week. All those horse braids…I think that inspired me! 😂
Hi Dozer love your crazy braid..😃😃
NAGI my favourite potato utterly delicious👍
I reckon he secretly loves it too….
Hi Nagi, love Potatoes Dauphinoise! My version of Julia’s recipe is almost like yours. I leave the butter out though, as the heavy cream and Gruyere (I use lots) have so much fat I think the butter is overkill. Poor Dozer should be called Saint Dozer for patiently putting up with your shenanigans!! You’re making him into a girly boy!!
I know, I probably COULD skip the butter …. but I love, I love! 😂
I love all kinds of potatoes N! They are my easy comfort food! My fav are sweet potatoes and red potatoes…than russet.
These would be a great side too many of your yummy recipes!
Dozer is thinking, “What is she going to put on me next?”😂
Dozer really wanted you to share 1 cookie.? 😂
I have to go outside and rake my lawn…front and back cuz tonight the damn snow is coming! 😝😟😝
What happened to fall this year???!!! 😱
J x
I did hit the 5 stars, but it didn’t work! It’s my stupid phone, actually vm the provider!😂
And we completely missed Spring this year! Went from winter straight to summer!! 😂
Hi Nagi. I am British, living in CA, but still use most of your recipes and others by Mary Berry. She does an eggplant/lasagna dish which is her ‘take’ on Melanzane. Do you have a similar recipe please? I ask, because i’m not happy with the way the eggplant turns out so soft, yet the skin on the slices is too ‘firm’.
Oooh! Is that the same as eggplant parmigiana???
Hi Nagi and all readers,
I joined this comunity a short while ago and enjoy the recipes, humour, and overall efficiency of this blog. Many thanks to all of you.
I live in Grenoble, France, which is the origine of Gratin Dauphinois. This is why I feel I can comment your recipe… Three points:
First point: There are two main ways to make this gratin: Dauphinois which comes from my region and Savoyard coming from a couple of miles to the north. The Dauphinois uses cream but NO cheese and the Savoyard uses Milk AND cheese. Endless discussions still take place about which is the “true”, original, gratin.
BTW, I make it the same way as you: cream AND cheese, but please don’t tell my neighbours…
Second point: ALL versions of potato gratins with no exceptions use some nutmeg which goes extremely well with such dishes.
Third and last point: In a restaurant it is difficult to ask customers to wait 1.5 hours. So, many restaurants (and myself) do it differently to your recipe. The mandolined potatoes are cooked covered in cream and wait the order. At that point they go in the oven for 20-30 minutes with the cooking cream and (in my kitchen…)/or some grated cheese.
Thank you again for your wonderful blog !
Eitan Gilboa
I’m SO HAPPY to hear from you Gilboa! Thank you so much for your input. I feel like I need to find a way to pin this to the top so people can read this for years to come!!!
Saw the pic of Dozer’s ‘do and laughed long and loud. Trouble is, I was on the bus at the time…. thanks for the snicker!!
This may be my boy Sparky’s fate nextime he gets on my nerves!
Ps recipe is drool- worthy!
I bet you laughed daintily. Me – I tend to snort with laughter in public places 😂
Definitely one of my favourites and luckily have a grower of King Edwards in a village nearby (Geeveston, southern Tasmania). Dauphinoise is only beaten by potato and leek gratin. Both dishes are an excellent reason for acquiring a mandolin. It seems an odd time of year for winter dishes though. We picnic on Wednesday with potato salad (aioli dressing and waxy pinkeyes), socca bread, ham, smoked salmon, brie and a bottle of rosé. Twenty eight degrees predicted for today. It’s so “cold” in Tasmania 😉
Hi Nagi just love your recipes jusy know in S Africa we have chip potatoes, All Purpose, Potaors for Chips and Mash. The potatoes you mention sound like they come out of a history book. Our probably have names too but nothing so larny as yours. Made the chuck stew and it eas delicious. Wont ever buy any other meat for stew. Thank you we never too old to learn.
I am pretty sure I’d love any S African potato dish too…..😂
Tasmania has the best produce in Australia. Full stop, end of story!
Nagi,
Do you have or did you ever feature a recipe that uses Dragonfly green chili sauce or any other brand of Thai green chili sauce? I purchased a bottle of it and used about half of it in something and now I can not remember what it was. HELP! I do know we liked what it was and it does sound like an ingredient you might be familiar with.
I must say I haven’t! Is it for dipping???
I guess it could be, but I know I bought it for a specific Thai recipe, but can’t remember what it was.
Mmmmmm. I totally agree this has all the best basic food groups😉. The problem is I would want more than one serving…potatoes are so more-ish! Love your recipes.
It is actually concerning how much of this I inhaled during the shoot…..
Hi Nagi,
Can I mix in sliced sweet potatoes with the russet in the layers? I am going to make one of you slow cooker turkey breasts for Thanksgiving this year too! I love your recipes and Dozer too!!!
ooh! mixing with sweet potato would be amaaaaazing!!!
and pretty!
Ha ha. It seems that Dozer is used to his mum’s unpredictable ways. x
He knows there’s a treat at the end of every torture session….😂
Hi Nagi,
For the thyme in the recipe, are you using fresh thyme or dried?
Love your recipes & Dozer pics!
Thanks!
Fresh! Thanks for that, will add to recipe 🙂 N x
Hi, I made this dish tonight. I cooked it in the microwave for about 15 minutes. Turned out fabulous, even browned upon the top. Thanks heaps for the recipe.
Hi Nagi
Cani use thickened cream?
I love your recipes 🙂
Thanks
Sorry Nagi I just your your response from an older comment please ignore my question!
Thank you for your awesome recipes!!!
No problems!! N xx
Can you freeze this dish after the initial baking? Thanks!
Yes! I like to drizzle a bit of extra cream down the sides (run knife along edge) before reheating, just to freshen it up 🙂 Reheat after defrosting! N x
Wow! These were exceptional. Had smoked Gouda and Old Cheddar with a bit Parmesan on top. Who doesn’t love cheese?? Thank you!!
That’s terrific to hear Connie! So glad you enjoyed this – N x
Heavenly potatoes! It was my first time using a mandoline and you guessed it. Still managed two helpings even with a cut thumb. The only change I made was broiling them at the end for some color and crunch. Thank You, thank you!
That’s so great to hear Mary! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x
Hello, excited about serving this on Xmas eve for six guests. I’d like to prepare the day prior and then reheat as instructed. Should I bring the dish to room temperature before putting it in the oven? And, I should wait to add the extra cream and extra layer of cheese until the final reheat, right? I’m a novice cook, thanks for your advice. P.S. don’t laugh but when you specify 2 leaves of fresh tarragon do you really mean just two tiny leaves? 😀
Oops I meant thyme and after reading the recipe I see that it calls for a larger amount, so please ignore. But I would like to know about the reheating issues. Thanks again.
Hi Rebecca!! It is always better to bring things to room temperature before reheating or cooking if you can, so yes that would be great to do before reheating. Use all the cream per recipe, the only thing to leave off is the last layer of cheese 🙂 Then add that when reheating! I saw your other message about the thyme, it WOULD BE HILARIOUS if a recipe ever called for just 2 thyme leaves!! 😂
Oh my goodness, thank you so much for your kind and detailed reply! Grateful. FYI, I’m serving 6 and have decided to double the recipe just in case. I assume (please don’t laugh) that it’s ok to bake both dishes/baking pans at the same time? Ditto when it comes time to reheat the two pans? I really am a beginner, embarrassed to ask. 😀
Thanks again. Rebecca from San Rafael, CA
Hi Rebecca! I truly think 1 quantity is enough for 6 people as a side 🙂 But if you double it, then yes bake at the same time on the same shelf but it will probably take 10 – 15 minutes longer because the more you have in the oven, the slower things cook. Don’t be embarrassed to ask! Ask anything you want, we’ve all been there! N xx
Hi, Nagi, happy to report that my Christmas Eve dinner was a smash hit and the potatoe dish turned out beautifully! I prepared it the night before per your instructions. I also took your advice and did not double the recipe! You were right! Thanks again for your help. Lovely and totally decadent dish!
That’s so great to hear Rebecca! Thanks for letting me know – N x ❤️
Hi, I have the recipe in the oven right now and would like to know for the next day make ahead option, after bringing to room temperature and adding final layer of cheese at what temperature and for how long do I need to reheat it?
Hi Diane! The reheating directions are also in the notes 🙂