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
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
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
Hi Nagi!
Making your Au Gratin Potatoes ahead for my sons 8th Birthday. So excited will let you know how they went off.
Sorry for the slow reply, how did you go??
So deliciois! I maade this for Xmas day lunch for my side ofnthe family and everyone Devoured it! I did the make ahead method and it came up really well! Thanks Nagi
Hello Nagi, I am one of your true followers. and have used your wonderful recipes on an almost daily basis, and want to thank you for your great recipes. Since I,m retired I do most of the cooking and my wife loves the variety of your menus.
Most of all I want to wish you a Merry Christmas and a very Happy New Year.
“Give Dozer a pat on the head for me”
Please enter me for the Japanese knife giveaway. PS, I love your recipes AND your dog.
Christmas will be small , just 4 of us so doing a bbq with your lemon potatoes , salad and fish parcels
that knife would be faaantasic to have in my kitchen
This is the pinnacle of potato recipes. I could eat it as the main course. The pan was scraped clean. Thanks.
made these last night…..all i can say is yum yum yum
Woot! SO glad you enjoyed it Donna!
Hi, I’m in the U.S. and will be making your recipe for the first time. Should I buy whipping cream or heavy cream to use?
Hi Carol – Use whipping cream. Love to know what you think!
Made this before and delicious. Also, my son can’t get enough of the smashed potatoes. Really like your new website-keep up the good work.
Hello Nagi,
This recipe looks divine and I really want to make it for a holiday party. Just two quick questions. First, can I substitute unsalted butter for salted butter and omit the 1 tsp of salt? Second, I plan on using mozzarella cheese, which requires additional salt. If I use salted butter can I omit adding the 1 tsp of salt or the additional salt for mozzarella cheese? Please let me know. Thank you and Happy Holidays.
Hi Emmie, It’s all down to taste, If it were me I’d still add a little salt. I find potatoes soak it up!
I did not end up making this for a holiday party due to time constraints, but I made it recently for my family and it was delicious! It was my first time making au gratin and certainly not my last. I actually halved the recipe and used sharp cheddar cheese. It was the perfect amount for 4-5 people. I do wish there was a way to incorporate chicken, but I think incorporating chicken and baking for more than 1 hour and 30 minutes would make it too dry, right? Anyway, I highly recommend this recipe.
Hey Nagi – recipe looks amazing! How long do you recommend microwaving these for? I hate using the microwave but I have no choice as I am trying to heat up the potatoes while my roast rests (i.e., have ~15 minutes). Thanks!
Hi Juan, I’d say 5 minutes or so depending on the power of your microwave. Just check after a few minutes and make sure they are heated through – then finish off in the oven! I hope you love them!
I love scalloped potatoes (with added cheese) … I have gluten issue family so making them is a love/ hate thing. Definitely going to make these next time ! Thank you.
You’re so welcome Harley!
SO DECADENT…so creamy and rich! This was THE best potatoes au gratin receipe! I will never use another one…EVER! I used two Washington state based cheeses for mine: Cougar Gold (Washington State University) and Beechers (Seattle). It was amazing! You were so right about using fresh thyme inbetween the layers, what a game changer! This is the third reciepe I’ve made from your site. I’ve loved all of them.
Thank you!
That’s such a great compliment – thanks so much Jennifer!!
Hi Nagi…I am planning out Christmas Eve buffet dinner for 10-15 people. Here is what I have planned so far…chicken pot pie/Mac ncheese casserole/spiral ham/potato au gratin…what easy veggie recipe can I do?
WOW what a feast! I would do the brown sugar roasted carrots and a green bean recipe I have coming up later this week which is a sautéed beans dish that reheats beautifully in a lemon butter sauce with almonds. it’s SO GOOD!
👌🏼
I made the make ahead version and doubled the recipe because I was cooking for 22 this Friendsgiving Friday. I made the recipe exactly as written (except that I didnt have enough cream (had 2 cups but needed 3) for the double batch and had to use 1 cup of whole milk instead. Also, it took longer to cook until a fork found the potatoes soft in the middle of the dish. I held back 1 cup of liquid that I added after it was out of the oven and cooled. Put the cheese on top and refrigerated it like directed. I made this 2 days ahead. It turned out perfectly. It of course also took longer to reheat in the oven because my dish was so big. I will definitely be making this again, probably at my Christmas Eve party next.
Thank you Nagi for the great recipe and all the notes.
That’s so great to hear Marianne! Thanks for sharing your feedback – N x
Have never made potato au gratin or potato scallops.. and I’m 69.. naughty arent I? Love it when eating out..have thought about making them but think it is the thought of slicing all those potatoes thinly ..but I have now after all these years bought a mandolin slicer and I will google salad shooter too.
Question..I see you say its a make ahead dish.. does that mean you could make the day before, refrigerate and then put it in the oven to reheat next day.. Haha, I would not win any prizes for cooking but I really want to try making Potatoes au gratin at least once..
I’m French and let me tell you you nailed it! This is a huge favourite I rarely do because it takes some time but god it tastes juste awesome 🙂
YES YES YESSSSSS!!!! 🙂 N x
Wow, this was SO good! Next time I think I’ll dial down the cream, just because it’s a little too rich for me, but that aside, this is definitely a recipe to keep.
Might be fun to add mushrooms, ham or bacon to it too?
Thanks Nagi!
When you say use cream do you mean heavy cream or is half and half good enough?
Proper cream is better but half and half will work too 🙂 Just not quite as rich! N x