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This easy gratin dauphinois recipe combines tender sliced potatoes with a deliciously creamy sauce and a crispy, golden cheese topping. Best of all, it takes just 25 minutes to prep, and is the perfect crowd-pleasing side dish for any main course.
If you love easy potato side dishes, don’t miss these recipes for brown butter mashed potatoes and mashed potatoes with a Parmesan crust!
Quick Look: Gratin Dauphinois Recipe
- ⏲️ Prep Time: 25 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- ⏲️ Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- 👨👩👧👦 Servings: 16 people
- 🌽 Cuisine & Heritage: French
- 🍽️Calories: 255 calories per serving (more nutritional info in recipe card)
- 🥦Dietary Info: Vegetarian and Gluten Free (can be made Dairy Free & Vegan)
- 🟢 Difficulty: Easy
- 🔥 Cooking Method: Oven
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: This luxuriously creamy dish of tender potatoes infused with thyme and bay leaves and finished with a creamy sauce and golden mozzarella.
- 🔑Top Tip: Use starchy potatoes and always freshly grate the cheese yourself for the best texture.
- 🍷 Drink Pairings: Try wines like an unoaked Chardonnay, dry Chenin Blanc, or a light Pinot Noir. Sparkling water or a chilled apple cider provide contrast.
- ❄️ Storage: Store leftovers tightly covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It can be frozen for up to 2 months, but the cream sauce may separate slightly upon thawing.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Luxuriously Creamy Texture: Thinly sliced potatoes baked slowly in milk and cream until tender give this dish an amazing creamy texture, thickened by the starch in the potatoes.
- Elegant & Uncomplicated: With simple ingredients and an easy, classic method, this dish is refined but super easy to make from scratch.
- Make-Ahead Friendly: This dish is easy to make in advance, as it reheats beautifully, making it the perfect side dish for holidays or dinner parties.
- Crowd-Pleasing Comfort: This potato dauphinois recipe pairs effortlessly with everything from roasted chicken thighs to holiday ham with 3-ingredient ham glaze!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
Curious what ingredients you need to make this simple French potato dish? Grab these ingredients, and you’ll be ready to start cooking!
- Potatoes: Be sure to use a variety of starchy potatoes, such as Russet or Yukon Gold, as the starch will thicken the cream mixture and give it the best texture.
- Milk & Cream: Using a mixture of whole milk and heavy cream brings the most fat to the dish, giving the potatoes the creamiest texture. Feel free to swap the cream for half-and-half if you like, but don’t make this with only milk, or it won’t taste near as good.
- Seasonings: Using a simple combination of fresh thyme sprigs, bay leaves, salt, and pepper keeps it easy but very flavorful.
- Cheese: Topping the dauphinois with cheese may not be the most traditional French way of making this dish, but it is very delicious, so why not do it? I love using mozzarella cheese, but feel free to swap for a different kind of cheese (or use a blend of different cheeses).
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Seasonings: Try adding a ½ teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg to the milk mixture for a wonderfully aromatic finish. I love adding nutmeg to egg dishes, like spinach and bacon quiche, or potato recipes.
- Cheese: Experiment with different cheeses for the topping instead of the mozzarella. Try cheeses such as Gruyere, Asiago, Parmesan, or extra sharp cheddar. If you love Gruyere and gratins, don’t miss this endive gratin with ham and Gruyere.
How to Make Gratin Dauphinois
Scroll down for the full printable recipe or stick around for the step-by-step breakdown with photos to walk you through every delicious detail.
1
Prep the Dish & Potatoes
Preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 10-inch round baking dish. Peel and slice the potatoes, then arrange them in a decorative spiral pattern in the prepared dish.
2
Simmer the Milk Mixture
Place the milk, heavy cream, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper into a 2-quart saucepan, then cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.
3
Bake
Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the milk mixture, then pour it carefully over the potato slices in the prepared dish. Cover with aluminum foil (or a lid) and bake at 375°F for 40-45 minutes, or until the liquid is bubbling.
4
Brown
Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender. Top the potatoes with the grated mozzarella and place under the broiler for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.
5
Let It Stand & Serve
Let the gratin dauphinois stand for 5 minutes, then serve immediately and enjoy as a side dish with your favorite main course!
Recipe FAQs
The key difference between dauphinois and gratin lies in the ingredients and method. Dauphinois is a classic French dish made with thinly sliced potatoes baked in cream (traditionally without cheese!), gently infused with garlic and herbs.
A “gratin,” more broadly, simply refers to any dish topped with a browned crust, often made with cheese or breadcrumbs, and can include many different vegetables or proteins. In addition, potatoes au gratin typically are boiled, while in dauphinois, the potatoes go into the oven raw.
In the United States, dauphinois potatoes are most commonly referred to as potatoes au gratin or simply au gratin potatoes. While American versions often include cheese, traditional French dauphinois relies primarily on cream for its signature silky texture and is not made with cheese.,
The best cream for potato dauphinois is heavy cream (called double cream in the UK/Europe), as the higher fat content creates a rich, velvety sauce. Lower-fat options can work, but they may result in a thinner sauce and less creamy texture. For the best result, full-fat cream is strongly recommended!
Common potato dauphinois mistakes include slicing the potatoes unevenly (which causes inconsistent cooking), using potatoes that are too waxy (which prevents proper thickening), and baking at too high a temperature, which can cause the sauce to split before the potatoes are fully tender. Another frequent misstep is not allowing the dish to rest after baking; a short rest helps the liquid set properly for better serving.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this gratin dauphinois as a side dish with main courses like grilled steak, oven-roasted pork tenderloin, or homemade meatloaf with creamy onion gravy.
Round out your meal with other favorite side dishes, like baked stuffed sugar pumpkin, sautéed beet greens with prosciutto and croutons, Jamie Oliver’s Mothership salad, or brown butter French green beans.
Expert Tips
- Ceramic, glass, or even a cast iron skillet work well for this recipe. A dish that retains heat and even has a lid are great options.
- Always use starchy potatoes, as they will help thicken the liquid and will provide the best texture. Great options include Russet or Yukon Gold.
- If you have to step away for more than a few minutes, soak the sliced potatoes in a large bowl of cold water until you’re ready to arrange them in the dish to prevent them from turning brown.
- Any flavorful cheese works beautifully in this recipe in place of the mozzarella. Some of my favorites include Gruyere, Asiago, Parmesan, or extra sharp cheddar.
- Always use freshly grated cheese rather than using pre-shredded. Hand-grated cheese tastes better and gives a perfect texture. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with cellulose, which doesn’t melt evenly and can have a gritty texture.
Other Potato recipes You’ll LOve
Side Dishes
Classic Southern Potato Salad
Soups & Salads
Creamy Plantation Potato and Ham Soup
Side Dishes
Cheesy Mashed Potatoes Casserole
Side Dishes
Loaded German Potato Bake
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Easy Gratin Dauphinois
Ingredients
- 5 pounds Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into ⅛-inch slices
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream, or half-and-half
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 6 ounces freshly grated mozzarella cheese, or Gruyere, cheddar, Asiago, or Parmesan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 10-inch round baking dish. (Ceramic, glass, or even a cast iron skillet work well for this recipe.)
- Peel and slice the potatoes, then arrange them in a decorative spiral pattern in the prepared dish. (If you have to step away for more than a few minutes, soak the sliced potatoes in a large bowl of cold water until you're ready to arrange them in the dish to prevent them from turning brown.)5 pounds Russet potatoes
- Place the milk, heavy cream, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper into a 2-quart saucepan, then cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes.1 cup whole milk, 2 cups heavy whipping cream, 4 sprigs fresh thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Remove the thyme sprigs and bay leaves from the milk mixture, then pour it carefully over the potato slices in the prepared dish.
- Cover the dish with aluminum foil (or a lid if the dish has one) and bake at 375°F for 40-45 minutes, or until the liquid is bubbling. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 20-25 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork tender.
- Top the potatoes with the grated mozzarella and place under the broiler for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown.6 ounces freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- Let the gratin dauphinois stand for 5 minutes, then serve immediately and enjoy.
Notes
- Always use a starchy potato, as it will help thicken the liquid and will provide the best texture. Great options include Russet or Yukon Gold.
- Any flavorful cheese works beautifully in this recipe in place of the mozzarella. Some of my favorites include Gruyere, Asiago, Parmesan, or extra sharp cheddar.
- Always use freshly grated cheese rather than using pre-shredded. Hand-grated cheese tastes better and gives a perfect texture. Pre-shredded cheese is coated with cellulose, which doesn’t melt evenly and can have a gritty texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
