Gratin Dauphinois 🥔🇫🇷 — a classic French potato casserole from the Dauphiné region of southeastern France. It features thinly sliced potatoes baked slowly in cream and garlic until tender with a rich, silky texture and golden top.
Unlike scalloped potatoes, traditional Gratin Dauphinois does not contain cheese (though modern versions sometimes add it).
Classic French Gratin Dauphinois (Serves 6)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs (900 g) Yukon Gold or russet potatoes
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Pinch of nutmeg (optional but traditional)
- Butter for greasing dish
Instructions
1️⃣ Prep
- Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C).
- Butter a baking dish (8×11 or similar size).
2️⃣ Slice Potatoes
- Peel and slice potatoes very thin (about ⅛ inch).
- Do not rinse — the starch helps thicken the sauce.
3️⃣ Heat Cream
- In a saucepan, warm cream, milk, garlic, salt, pepper, and nutmeg (do not boil).
4️⃣ Assemble
- Layer potatoes in the baking dish.
- Pour warm cream mixture evenly over potatoes.
- Gently press down to ensure potatoes are mostly submerged.
5️⃣ Bake
- Bake uncovered for 75–90 minutes, until potatoes are tender and top is golden.
- If browning too quickly, loosely cover with foil.
6️⃣ Rest
- Let sit 10–15 minutes before serving to thicken.
Tips for Authentic Flavor
- Use starchy potatoes for creamier texture.
- Rub the dish with a cut garlic clove before buttering for deeper flavor.
- For a modern twist, sprinkle Gruyère on top during the last 15 minutes.
If you’d like, I can also give you a faster stovetop-to-oven version that cuts baking time nearly in half.
