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 made with layers upon layers of finely sliced potatoes, cream, butter and cheese with a hint of fresh thyme.
Adapted from a Julia Child’s recipe, this is luxurious and thoroughly indulgent. Bonus: It’s the ultimate make ahead potato side dish!
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.
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
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 (or mozzarella) , 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 hr 15 min or until the potatoes in the middle are soft (use knife to test).
- 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
- Crispy Parmesan Crusted Potatoes (side dish or to nibble)
Life of Dozer
You are the best Nagi, I made this to rave reviews, thankyou for the simplicity and recipes that always turn out a treat. Xx
Made this for a work lunch, first attempt to rave reviews!! Have shared your recipes with many, thankyou Nagi. X. You are always my go to for recipes as they are easy to follow and always a hit, I can’t wait to see your book.
Potatoes were blah no spice no flavor
The only potatoes I had were the waxy kind, but leaving it uncovered and cooking for an extra 30min was perfect. I did toss the potatoes with the cream/garlic/parmesan etc mix, layers, and then poured the excess liquid over in between layers, adding extra parm per layer. Absolutely delicious, as always!
My son and I made this for my husband’s birthday. Very delicious and easy to make. We followed the directions exactly. We will definitely put this one on our regular to make make lists! Thanks for the recipe🙂
Delicious! When I sprinkled the cheese between layers also added a tiny sprinkle of onion powder too.
Oh, Nagi. This is absolutely delicious. Gutsy move trying to improve upon Julia Child, but you’ve done it! (Sorry, Julia…)
For someone who never steps foot the kitchen, making this recipe, my husband thought I was a chef. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe. It was superb. He and I loved it.
I have always loved potato dauphinoise. This is by far the best I have ever had. I also added some thinly sliced pumpkin. Thank you so much for this recipe!
can these be made in the crockpot??
this dish is so comforting and satisfying, my whole family (3 generations) love it and it’s on permanent rotation in our house now. i found that omitting garlic (for a garlic allergic family member) surprisingly didn’t hurt this dish at all (tbh i even like it more that way – it makes the cream and cheese taste lighter somehow). thanks for the great recipe!
I made this and it turned out and it was delicious. I did add some ground mustard and a pinch of cayenne! This was so easy to make!
This is so random but you have the cutest hands! 🥺
OMG noooo…!!! 😂 They are pudgy and horrendous, so much so that my friends call me “Baby Hands”!!! 😂
Can I make ahead and freeze?
Going out of town…wanting to make ahead so family can take out of freezer and bake when needed-
We did and it works out well!
Whole family loved this recipe. So easy to make and delicious!
Beautiful recipe, family loved it! I put in a few slices of sweet potato too. Thank you for all those little tips too!
Fan from Australia
Absolutely fabulous! Easy to make and comes out so elegant. Thank you!!!
Hi is it suitable to freeze?
I’m sure it will be 5 stars but I’ve not yet made it. Wanted to ask if it’s ok to prep it all and refrigerate to bake the next day? Can’t wait to taste it
I would follow the bake ahead instructions in the notes under the recipe Maxine! N x
Absolutely devine, I did a smaller one too and we quickly fried it up for brekkie with a poached egg on top bloody yummo 👏
Now THAT is my kind of breakfast!! N x