These Cheesy Dauphinoise Potatoes, also known as Potatoes au Gratin, are a classic French dish of thinly sliced potatoes, baked in a creamy, cheesy sauce.
What Are Dauphinoise Potatoes?
Potatoes don’t get any more luscious than in this classic French style of serving potatoes.
But, what’s to love most, is that this elegant potato dish is easy to assemble ahead, bake just before serving or bake a day in advance.
Also, using a biscuit cutter, to press out individual portions in advance, makes for elegant serving, for a more special occasion plate.
Holiday Cheesy Potatoes Dauphinoise
Who makes a huge serving of mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving, Christmas or any other holiday meal?
Then you know the importance of serving a fabulous potato dish that doesn’t require so much extra work, those last moments before serving.
Mashed potatoes do require last minute work while these elegant potatoes do not!
Why stand there and mash potatoes, mash and mash while other things on the stove, and in the oven need your attention?
Dauphinoise Potatoes
Potatoes au Gratin, or Dauphinoise potatoes, are the perfect solution for a busy cook because they can be assembled a day in advance and baked to a crispy edge, creamy inside, perfection.
The only thing to do once baked, is slice or scoop and serve.
These beautifully constructed, layered potatoes look elegant when pressed with a biscuit cutter for individual servings.
Cheesy Potatoes au Gratin
Do your holiday mashed potatoes start to dry out the longer they sit on your lovely holiday spread?
These creamy cheesy potatoes won’t!
Cheesy potatoes au gratin can be done in a pie dish, or a large baking pan and baked a day ahead.
The baked crispy cheese edges warm beautifully the next day or several days later. Make these in small individual serving baking dishes or for a large crowd, either way the portions are easy to arrange or rearrange.
Potatoes Numerous Ways
Don’t get me wrong, when I serve Dauphinoise potatoes, they often steal the show away from the protein options on the plate.
However, these beauties are easily challenged by a variety of other favorite potato dishes.
After all, who doesn’t love the humble potato!
- Fancy French Fondant Potatoes – Another elegant, individually served potato.
- Hasselback Potatoes – Partially sliced, yet whole and stuffed between the slices.
- Twice Cooked Potatoes – A fabulous family meal in itself.
- Bread Crust Potato Tart – Bread crust tart shell, thinly sliced potatoes and herbs.
- Potato Salad With Homemade Mayonnaise – Summertime classic with homemade Mayo.
Ingredients for Cheesy Dauphinoise Potatoes
- Potatoes
- Gruyere cheese
- Cream
- Black pepper
- Sea salt
- Garlic
- Fresh thyme
- Dried thyme
- Butter
- Nutmeg
Equipment
- Baking Dish – I use this one because it comes with a lid so I can bake, store and serve another day.
- Biscuit cutter – (optional)
- Mandoline slicer
- Garlic press
- Cheese grater
- Stovetop or burner
- Oven
Cheesy Potatoes For Fine Dining Events? – Wedding Parties
In a family owned high-end events catering company, Ken’s Creative Kitchen my sister and her family have owned for nearly half a century, Dauphinoise potatoes are a regular on the menu.
Prepped in large hotel pans, baked until cheesy luscious, individually pressed for elegant servings, and served to as many as 600 individually plated dinners!
You see? If they can serve 600 you can easily do a gathering in your home. Classy and Delicious.
Cheesy Potatoes au Gratin – Dauphinoise
Equipment
- Large baking dish
- Mandolin to thinly slice potatoes
Ingredients
- 3 Large russet potatoes thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp Coarse salt for soaking
- 6 oz Gruyere cheese grated
- 2 cups Heavy Cream or whole milk
- Sea Salt to taste
- Freshly Grated Black Pepper to taste
- 3 Garlic cloves crushed
- 1 tsp Dried thyme
- Fresh thyme several sprigs
- 1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
- pinch Nutmeg
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350
- With a mandolin, slice the potatoes very thin. Unpeeled for a rustic dish, peeled for a more refined dish.
- Place the potatoes in a large bowl of salted water to remove some of the starch, while preparing the remaining ingredients.
- Rub the butter all around the bottom and sides of the baking dish.
- Place the milk or cream, garlic and dried thyme in a pot and bring to a simmer.
- Drain the potatoes and pat dry. Place one layer of potatoes on the bottom of the pan. Salt and pepper to taste and sprinkle a little cheese. Continue doing the same, layer after layer, until you have stacked the baking dish with many layers of potatoes and cheese.
- Take the warmed cream mixture and gently pour across all the layers of potatoes, allowing to seep into each layer.
- Make one last sprinkle of cheese on top with a generous pinch of nutmeg.
- Bake 1 hour or until golden on top.
Video
Notes
- Can be served straight from the pan, or use a biscuit cutter, when potatoes have cooled, to create individual servings. Place on a parchment paper lined sheet pan and rewarm at 325 for 10 minutes.
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.
