Dauphinoise Potatoes

For a rich and indulgent side dish, dauphinoise potatoes can’t be beaten. This classic French bistro casserole starts with sliced potatoes cooked in a mixture of cream and milk on the stovetop. They're then transferred to a shallow baking dish and topped with rich, nutty Gruyère cheese before baking. Nutmeg, a classic spice for creamy dishes, is grated over the finished dish just before serving.

Our foolproof recipe solves common issues when making dauphinoise potatoes and other gratins, such as undercooked potatoes, a watery dish, or curdling. Before baking, we simmer the potatoes in the cream and milk mixture to ensure they aren't undercooked when they come out of the oven. Potatoes dauphinoise is a decadent side for special occasions, from Easter to the holidays, and a dish that makes any meal special.

What Is Dauphinoise Potatoes?

Also known as potatoes dauphinoise or gratin dauphinoise, dauphinoise potatoes is a classic French dish. It’s a rich combination of sliced potatoes with cream and milk, baked in the oven. Many people think the dish was created for royalty, the Dauphin, the heir apparent to the French throne. It's actually a traditional specialty of the French region of Dauphiné in southeastern France.

What's the Difference Between Scalloped Potatoes, Potato Gratin, and Dauphinoise Potatoes?

These three dishes are similar. All are made with sliced potatoes arranged in a shallow baking dish (a gratin dish, perhaps, or a casserole dish) with milk, cream, or a combination of both, and baked. They appear to share French origins; potato gratin is the Americanization of the French potatoes au gratin, and in American English gratin de pommes de terre Dauphinoise has become dauphinoise potatoes. Scalloped potatoes generally do not have cheese, whereas potato gratin and dauphinoise potatoes do. 

The Right Potatoes for Pommes Dauphinoise

For this recipe, we use Yukon Golds, which are considered an all-purpose potato. Neither too waxy or starchy, they hold their shape incredibly well yet contain enough natural starch to thicken the cream mixture.

How to Slice Them

The key to an evenly cooked gratin like potatoes dauphinoise is evenly cut potatoes. The easiest—and quickest—way to achieve this is by using a mandoline, but you can slice the potatoes by hand if you don't have one.

To keep the peeled potatoes steady as you prep them, cut off a thin slice from one of the long sides to create a flat surface; set the potato flat side down on your cutting board and slice crosswise into even, 1/8-inch-thick rounds.