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
Hey! So I put the recipe together exactly as directed.. ran out of time to bake… so threw it in the fridge uncooked.
The potatoes (understandably) oxidized, is it ok to still bake this?
Simply perfect! Cooked them ahead of time and used a metal pan and everyone raved about the crispy potatoes. All requested the recipe.
First time making it for Christmas Eve. Can I use Gruyère and mozzarella?
Hi Nagi! If I’m doubling the recipe, do I leave out a full cup of cream for make ahead, or still only 1/2? Thank you!
The recipe uses 1.5 cups of full fat cream. If doubling, use a larger baking pan.
Delicious recipe! Can it be made in a crock pot and, if so, any modifications? Timing? Thanks.
Sorry Jennifer, you won’t get the brown and bubbly topping doing this in a slow cooker! N x
This truly is the BEST make-ahead potato dish. Or just the best potato dish. It’s a Christmas tradition now. Thank you!
Can I make this the day before?
I assemble it the night before (like tonight, Christmas Eve), cover uncooked, keep in the fridge and simply apply the last cheese layer just before baking. I have always had good results and have been making it this way for the last three Christmases! We love it.
Fair warning: potatoes can discolor overnight but no difference in taste. Still delectable.
I only had waxy potatoes so I used sweet potatoes instead. It turned out amazing!!!!I can’t wait to try it with some russet potatoes. This will definitely be one of my “go to” potato dishes. Super easy and very flavorful!
Made double portion of this recipe for dinner party 11 people, it was almost all gone! Everyone loved it, saving this recipe for sure! Perfect in every way, just right on seasoning. I made it with cheddar
Made this accidentally using fat free half/half (didn’t know it existed) and it was horrible to look at. I don’t think it was the cheese. Had to dump probably 1/2 cup of broth looking liquid.
Oh bummer! And it begs the question, why DOES fat free half and half exist??!! N x
Hi Nagi, thank you for this recipe, I trialled it recently and it was delicious! Can you give me some advice on cooking times please if I were to increase the ingredients by a further 50%? (Cooking for 12-14). Many thanks!
Hi Nagi, could this recipe be frozen now 13/12/21 & then be defrosted for reheating on Christmas Day?
Hi Clare – yes you can freeze it after baking but it will affect the texture of the cream slightly. N x
Thank you. 😊
Hi Clare,
I just made this recipe this afternoon in advance for tomorrow. It looks like the cream had completely curdled. I haven’t added the last bit of cream and cheese, as I’m waiting for it to cool and then store in frig overnight, however now I’m not sure if it’s safe to eat. Please advise! Thanks.
This recipe is sooo good
Hi Nagi, love all your recipes (especially Nachos 😍) Could you please tell me if you can freeze this recipe? Want to make it for Christmas Day so cooking in advance will help 🥰
So I used the potatoes I had on hand- red ones. Forgot to put cheese in the middle and used rosemary instead of thyme as there is so much of it in our garden and it’s worked out beautifully! I did double the garlic to 4 gloves but maybe next time I’ll keep it at 2 🤣 It tastes as strong as garlic bread
Loved it. Made it for a pot luck. Everyone wanted to talk about the potatoes rather than chat. I’m a terrible cook so I was pleased that I didn’t embarrass myself, although I baked it on the wrong temp for a long time.
I can’t eat dairy so I missed out. Have you considered a recipe without dairy.
Is it ok to bake this uncovered?
For make ahead, how long do you cook it? For the full 75 minutes then cool and refrigerate? Or is it a shorter time?
Hi AK – you need to bake it covered with foil for the first part as per the recipe to cook the potatoes without drying them out. N x
Just checking my ratios: is it really 1 cup cheese to 1 pound of potatoes?
Have you ever doubled this recipe for a larger crowd?
Can you freeze this once cooked to get ahead for Christmas?