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
Absolutely delicious! I served this for Easter lunch – I added 2 teaspoons whole grain mustard to the cream to add flavour as I didn’t have thyme, and baked the night before with less cream as suggested. After cooling, added the remaining cream and cheese. I wasn’t sure it would work but it turned out so good! Another amazing RTE recipe, thanks Nagi!
Absolutely delicious! I served this for Easter lunch – I added 2 teaspoons to the cream to sub for the thyme, and baked the night before with less cream as suggested. After cooling, added the remaining cream and cheese. I wasn’t sure it would work but it turned out so good! Another amazing RTE recipe, thanks Nagi!
I notice there is no flour in this recipe. Is this ok ? Does the sauce thicken ?
How long would I have to increase the cooking time if I bake at 325? I’m planning on making these for Easter dinner and will be cooking them with my ham.
The starch in the potato’s thicken this. These potato’s have a true cult following around my place
My husband tried this and added finely cut bacon and shallots, now a family favorite
YUM! Bacon makes everything amazing Sarah! N x
Hi Nagi!
Greetings from the UK.
You are exceptional, all of your recipes are outstanding. Keep up the excellent work and thank you so much
Very best wishes Alison x
Hi, Recipe looks amazing. Is it possible to assemble it and then leave it for a few hours before baking?. Planning to make it for a friend for her birthday and then she can bake it herself!
Hi Arti, not this one as the potatoes discolour. See the recipe notes for making ahead though 🙂 N x
Should I use a convection oven for baking this dish?
Is it possible to freeze this before or after baking? I’m looking to make this in advance, to be used in 2 weeks.
Hi Maria, I’d follow the instructions in the notes, but freeze rather than putting in the fridge. I hope you love it! N x
It was delicious! I was cooking for a large party (~25ppl) so I doubled the recipe and it came out great. I used an apple smoked gruyere and everyone loved it. The best part is that the ingredient list isn’t long and neither is the prep (even with cutting my potatoes with a knife).
Loved your recipe! Must try it tomorrow. (Have to buy more potatoes and cheese!)
And you had most of your recipe in metric, but not the cups. How much is a cup in metric?
Hi Masja, sorry I don’t understand what you mean – the cups is listed and it you click the metric toggle, you’ll see any amount in grams and mls. N x
Sorry! I found the lovely button! Probably was too tired yesterday.
Thanks for showing metric too!
I just can not stress enough how great your recipes are. Your my go to when have a certain craving for something and presto it’s made in mere minutes and hassle free. And dozer always makes things better reading each story after every recipe. I think dozer would look handsome in a doggy suit and tie 😁
Thanks os much Lana, that’s so lovely to read!! N x
It’s delicious. All off my family loved it. Once tried and added some shredded ham and it tasted really good. Original recipe taste really good.
You could always boil the potatoes with the skin on(as they have better flavor that way). Then peal them with a knife its easy after they are cooked with a knife. Then follow the rest of the recipe.
Don’t peel your potatoes and don’t boil ahead. The potatoes need to cook in the cream/cheese mixture for an hour to properly reduce the sauce and by that time peeled potatoes would just disintegrate and the whole dish would be mush. Plus slicing potatoes in thin rounds after they are cooked is nearly impossible. As an executive chef for over 2 decades trust me when I say I highly do not suggest this tip.
Thanks for clarifying this Kevin! Nagi usually has her recipes so perfect and as easy as can be done with out compromising flavour! Making this and her prime rib roast for a celebration tonight!
My potatoes were not cooked after one hour and a half. I don’t seen to have much luck with potatoes dauphinoises and I’m French! I don’t know what I am doing wrong.
Hi Stephanie, it could be a number of things – type of potatoes, thickness of cut or even your oven! Sounds like your oven may run cool – have you tried putting an oven thermometer in there to ensure it’s actually getting up to the right temp? N x
Do left overs freeze well for this dish? Loved the Receipe!! ❤️ It’s a keeper.
Yet mother family hit! Added a few different veg to the bake and was just scrumptious! Thanks for the consistently great recipes!
I used half celeriac half potato (my vegie box is heavy on celeriac at the moment) and both husband and toddler gobbled it up! Thanks Nagi 🙂
These were sinfully delicious! This is the first time my potatoes came out perfectly cooked and the sauce cooked properly. I warmed my cream as I melted the butter and added my thyme all together. I did find I needed to add a few additional tablespoons of cream to cover the top. Served it with strip steak, broccoli and sautéed mushrooms for a perfect Valentines Day dinner. Thanks for the amazing recipe!
Delish but even with adding an extra 20 mins on cooking time my potatoes still had a bite to them. Next time I might parboil for a few minutes before building
Hi Sarah, that doesn’t sound right at all – could it be a problem with your oven thermostat? N x
definitely check your oven temp (mine runs hot and was “breaking” the cream) and then try a shallower baking dish
Love how detailed your recipes are… thank you for taking the time to test and retest and find alternatives.
I made this dish last night and it came out so well.
VERY VERY rich but so delicious. The thyme really elivates the flavour.
Tks Nagi xxx
I don’t like fresh thyme and I’m not sure about chives either is there any other seasoning I can use or just salt and pepper? How thin do I slice the potatoes on my mandolin, I don’t want them mushy?