Potatoes Dauphinoise is truly a melt-in-your-mouth showstopper of a dish. Perfect for that epic holiday meal served alongside our Slow-Cooker Spiral Ham or Beef Tenderloin Roast. And the preparation is not difficult and can be done in advance!
🥔 The Ingredients
With just a handful of ingredients, including potatoes, cream, and cheese, this dish comes together to create one of the best au gratin dishes, delivering a wonderfully rich and satisfying flavor in every bite. Find ingredient notes (including substitutions and variations) below.
🧀 Variations and Substitutions
- Potatoes – Gold or yellow potatoes are recommended, but red bliss or new potatoes are a suitable substitution. Any type of waxy potato. Sweet potatoes or yams add a depth of earthy sweetness and are a delicious alternative. Starchy potatoes (ie, Russet potatoes) can be used in a pinch.
- Cheese – Gruyére can be found in the “specialty” cheese section of most well-stocked supermarkets. It is a semi-soft Swiss cheese with a rich, creamy, nutty flavor. Swiss or Fontina are fine substitutes.
- Cream – We go with a combination of heavy cream (or double cream) and whole milk. You can also go with half and half. Or a combination of any of these. Or, use just one. Be sure to adjust your measurements.
See the recipe card (with video) below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
👩🏼🍳 How To Make Potatoes Dauphinoise
- Step 1: Grease a baking dish with softened butter and then rub a halved garlic clove all over it. Combine thoroughly with the mixture
- Step 2: In a saucepan, add heavy cream, salt, pepper, fresh thyme, and crushed garlic and bring to a simmer.
- Step 3: Strain the cream into a heatproof bowl.
- Step 4: Layer the potatoes in the dish, seasoning with salt and pepper, and ladle with the cream.
- Step 5: Top with grated Gruyere cheese.
- Step 6: Bake until potatoes are very tender and browned on top.
Expert Tip
As you layer the potatoes, you want to season each layer with salt and pepper. Don’t overdo it! Add a layer of cream with each layer. The potatoes shouldn’t be completely submerged, but cream should rise to the top when you press down on the potatoes.
🍽️ When and How to Serve Potatoes Dauphinoise
- This is truly a special dish and is wonderful for special-occasion meals during the holidays. It has become a staple in our household every Easter.
- It’s also wonderful served alongside a homemade steak au poivre for a special romantic dinner. We often prepare these for a Valentine’s Date Night or a New Year’s Feast with Easy Lobster Tails.
- You will need to let the potatoes rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing and serving. This helps the sauce to absorb fully into the potatoes. Also, it is extremely hot.
- If desired, you can cover the dish with foil, and it will stay hot for 30 minutes to an hour. Recommend slicing the dish into squares and allowing guests to help themselves.
🙋🏽♂️ Frequently Asked Questions
They are very similar, but traditionally, scalloped potatoes do not include cheese. They are both baked in a cream sauce.
Yes. Prepare the dish without baking, cover with foil, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. If baking chilled, add another 15 minutes to the bake time. We’ve even baked the dish before and then reheated it for 45 minutes (covered, and it was honestly still amazing.
It’s not recommended. The cream and cheese will not have the same consistency once thawed and baked.
No. The flour used to make the roux is not gluten-free. However, go with a gluten-free flour, such as almond flour, to make the dish gluten-free.
😋 Other Amazing Potato Recipes
Ready to make the best Potatoes Dauphinoise this side of Paris? Go for it!
And when you do, be sure to take a photo of it, post it on Instagram, and tag @HowToFeedaLoon and hashtag #HowToFeedaLoon!
Potatoes Dauphinoise
Video
Equipment
- 9"x13" baking dish (or similar size)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter room temp
- 2 cloves garlic one cut in half, one left whole
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 3 lbs potatoes Yukon gold, peeled and thinly sliced. If using a mandolin, cut to ⅛” thickness.
- 8 oz gruyere cheese grated
- Italian parsley chopped, for garnish on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Take a large, heavy-bottomed dish or an ovenproof gratin dish, and grease it well with the butter, then rub the ½ sliced garlic on the bottom and sides. Discard the garlic.1 tablespoon unsalted butter, 2 cloves garlic
- Put the cream, milk, a pinch of salt and pepper, and sprigs of thyme in a saucepan. Using a garlic press, press 1 clove of garlic into the sauce (or mince finely, and add to the sauce).2 cups heavy cream, 1 cup whole milk, Kosher salt, Freshly ground black pepper, 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- Bring gently to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat, then strain into a bowl, and discard the thyme and garlic. Set aside briefly.
- Layer the potato slices in the dish, slightly overlapping each other, and season each layer with the salt and pepper. Once one layer is added, ladle enough of the strained cream sauce to coat the potatoes. Repeat this process until out of potatoes.3 lbs potatoes
- Add a little more cream, if necessary. The cream should just barely be peaking around the edges of the potatoes when you press down on them (resist the temptation to add too much cream!). You may have extra potato slices, or you may have a little extra cream.8 oz gruyere cheese
- Sprinkle the cheese on the top of the last layer.
- Bake for 45 minutes and then check them; you'll most likely need to cover them with a piece of foil to keep them from browning anymore. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until a sharp knife easily pierces the potatoes with absolutely no resistance.
- Remove from oven and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley sprinkled on top.Italian parsley
Notes
Nutrition
POST UPDATE: This recipe was originally published in March 2016, but was updated with improved tweaks to the recipe, new tips and photography, and a fabulous new video in April 2021!
Misty says
Made it for Easter and loved by all,
Kris Longwell says
Hi Misty!!! Yay!!! Thank you so so much for letting us know! We are thrilled you had such great success! We served the potatoes dauphinoise at Easter, too! Always such a hit!! And thanks for the wonderful review! That means so much to us!! Please stay in touch! All the best, Kris & Wesley
Jill says
These were amazing and so easy to make! I made them for Thanksgiving and loved them so much that we had them again with filet last night! I was able to easily make a half portion too. Thank you for another delicious recipe!
Whitney says
Wondering if I can make ahead and freeze for traveling?
Kris Longwell says
Hi Whitney, we’ve not tried freezing our potatoes dauphinoise, but, you may have an issue with the cream, and especially the cheese separating. You can definitely bake it, let it cool, then wrap it tightly in foil, and refrigerated. Reheat in a 350°F oven for about 30 minutes, until heated through. Not sure how much time you’ll need for traveling. Hope this helps a little! Keep us posted!
Deborah Lloyd says
I made this for Thanksgiving. It was amazing and beautiful. My husband has been telling everyone about this dish, that it was the best thing he had ever eaten. I just smile and tell him thank you. I served this with your Steak Au Poivre. It was much better than any Turkey. Thank You.
Marsha says
I have made this several times since discovering the recipe here. You can’t go wrong with this potato side dish. It’s out of this world delicious!! Especially if you are having company, they will rave about it. And then after it’s gone, you’ll crave it! 😉
Kris Longwell says
Hi Marsha! Woo hoo!! We couldn’t agree more! We make it every Easter and the family just can’t get enough of it! So happy you make it and have great success with it, too! Thank you so so much for sharing!! xoxoxo Kris & Wesley
Nancy Durkin says
Weird question – is there any way to introduce buttermilk into this recipe without destroying it? Maybe there isn’t. I like the tang of buttermilk.
Nancy Durkin says
Honestly, this looks like a meal unto itself! I can envision this as a main dish with sauteed spinach on the side. Gruyere is my FAVORITE cheese. Thinking about making this for Christmas dinner since I will be solo with no one to complain about the lack of meat!
Kris Longwell says
Hi Nancy! This is truly one our all-time favorite potato dishes. It really is divine and would be perfect with a side of sautéed spinach! We’ve never tried it with buttermilk, but it should bake just fine. Maybe half cream and half buttermilk? Sounds wonderful! We’re sorry you’ll be solo for Christmas but please know we appreciate you so much and wish the very best holiday season and new year for you!! xoxo Kris & Wesley
Rudy says
if you use a stoneware oven proof dish should you use parchment paper on the bottom of the dish?
Holly says
So, was thinking about making this to go with your Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce. The issue – I only have one oven. What do you think about cooking these most of the way until browned, take them out, cook the tenderloin and while it rests, finish cooking these. Think that would work? Thanks from this novice cook!
Holly says
Also, I’ll be serving 10. Think this will be enough? If not, how to increase it? Thanks!
Kris Longwell says
That will work perfectly. These potatoes re-heat beautifully. Cook them all the way, and then cover with foil. While the tenderloin is resting, quickly place the covered potatoes back in the oven, crank the heat to 425. Tent the beef. And you’ll be great! This makes a lot…I think you’ll be good for 10. All sounds SCRUMPTIOUS!!!! Please let us know how it all turns out! And let us know if you have any other questions! All the best, Kris & Wesley
sherry says
These look amazing and I can’t wait to make them.