French Potato Gratin

Move over scalloped potatoes, this dreamy Pommes Dauphinois AKA French Potato Gratin is the king of potato casseroles! Kissed with thyme and topped with a nutty Gruyere cheese, this gratin is perfect for holidays, Sunday family dinners and more.

I’m usually lazy when it comes to adding potatoes to the menu. Baked or sliced and fried are my fall back methods. On occasion I’d whip up this scrumptious Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole Recipe. But some meals call for a more gourmet treat.

French Potato Gratin

Rich and creamy, flavored with garlic and a touch of thyme, Dorie Greenspan’s French Potato Gratin cannot be rivaled. Thinly sliced potatoes are bathed in cream and topped with a generous sprinkle of Gruyere cheese. It’s best in small quantities, even though you’ll want seconds and thirds!

Around My French Table

I first shared this recipe in 2010 as part of my collaboration with Dorie Greenspan and her cookbook, Around My French Table. It was our 6th week of French Fridays with Dorie. The family was smitten and it became my go-to potato dish for holidays.

Tips for Making This Potato Gratin

This is a rich, satisfying potato dish that’s worthy of any holiday or dinner party! Here are a few tips for making it perfect every time.

• PRO-Tip: Aim to cut all your potatoes the same thickness. Dorie, the cookbook author, suggests 1/8-inch thick. This ensures they’ll all be cooked and perfectly tender at the same time.
• Use a mandoline or a benriner to make the slicing more consistent. Make sure to use a hand guard so you don’t cut yourself!

• PRO-Tip: Place a sheet pan under the casserole dish when baking. Nothing worse than having to clean burnt on food from the bottom of your oven when a baking dish overflows! I like to line the baking dish with foil, too, for easy cleanup!
• Use a knife to check the potatoes for doneness. Pierce a few different potatoes to see if your knife goes in easily. Any resistance and the dish needs more cooking time.

• Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow the steaming cheesy cream cool and thicken a bit.
• You may not want to mention the amount of cream when you serve this to friends and family. This French Potato Gratin is definitely a special occasion dish. And an exquisite one at that. Just watch your portion sizes!

More Potato Dishes You’ll Love:

If having potatoes at most special meals is a must at your house like at mine, check out my Cheesy Potato Galette,  Hasselback Potatoes with Parmesan and Thyme, this Easy Puffed Potato Casserole (don’t tell anyone, but I use Instant Potato Flakes in this!), and this Hasselback Potato Casserole.

From my blogger friends, these have caught my eye: Loaded Mashed Potato Cakes from Spend with Pennies, Homemade Sweet Potato Chips from Rachel Cooks and Crispy Cheese and Bacon Potatoes from Barefeet in the Kitchen.

You Might Like:

• Revol Casserole Dish
• Benriner
• Garlic Press

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French Potato Gratin

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★★★★★

5 from 7 reviews

A exquisite creamy potato casserole kissed with garlic, thyme and topped with Gruyere cheese!

• Author: Liz Berg
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 1 hour 10 mins
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings
• Category: Side dish
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French, French American

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 1/4 pounds potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds (I use Yukon gold or russets)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• Whole milk, if needed
• 1 cup grated Gruyère cheese

Instructions

1. Preheat to 350°. Generously butter 2 quart baking dish. Place pie dish on rimmed baking sheet. Combine cream and garlic in small saucepan and bring to simmer over low heat. Cover and remove from heat.
2. Arrange ⅓ of potato rounds, slightly overlapping, in the prepared baking dish; sprinkle with ½ teaspoon thyme and season lightly with salt and pepper. Pour ½ cup garlic cream over. Repeat layering 2 more times with remaining potato, thyme, salt, pepper, and garlic cream. Pour remaining garlic cream over, then ¼ cup milk. Sprinkle cheese over the surface.
3. Bake gratin until golden on top and potatoes are very tender when a sharp knife is inserted, 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes (cover with foil if the top starts browning too quickly). Let the potatoes rest 10 minutes before serving.