Gratin Dauphinois — French Creamy Potato Gratin
The most elegant potato dish in the French repertoire: thinly sliced potatoes layered with garlic-infused cream and milk and baked slowly until meltingly tender inside and golden and bubbling on top. A true gratin dauphinois uses no cheese (that's gratin savoyard) — just potatoes, cream, garlic and a little nutmeg, cooked gently so the potato starch thickens the cream into something luxurious. It's the perfect side for roast meats and a star of the holiday table.
Rub a baking dish with garlic and butter. Slice waxy potatoes thinly (a mandoline helps) but don't rinse them — the surface starch helps thicken the cream. Warm cream and milk with garlic, salt, pepper and a little nutmeg, then gently simmer the potato slices in it for a few minutes to start cooking and thickening. Layer the potatoes into the dish, pour over the creamy liquid to just cover, and bake at moderate heat until the potatoes are tender all the way through and the top is golden and bubbling, about an hour. Rest before serving.
- Use waxy potatoes sliced thin, and don't rinse them — the starch thickens the cream.
- Infuse the cream with garlic and nutmeg, and pre-simmer the potatoes in it for a silky, evenly-cooked gratin.
- Bake low and slow until completely tender, and rest before serving so it sets.
Equipment
- Baking/gratin dish
- Mandoline or sharp knife
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Gratin
- 1 kg waxy potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 300 ml double (heavy) cream
- 200 ml whole milk
- 2 garlic cloves; nutmeg; salt, pepper; butter
Method
- STEP01
Rub a baking dish all over with a cut garlic clove, then butter it well.
- STEP02
Peel and slice the potatoes thinly and evenly (a mandoline is ideal). Don't rinse them — the surface starch is what thickens the cream into a silky sauce.
- STEP03
Warm the cream and milk in a pan with the remaining garlic (crushed), salt, pepper and a grating of nutmeg. Add the potato slices and simmer gently for 5 minutes, stirring, to start cooking them and thickening the liquid.
- STEP04
Tip the potatoes into the dish, arranging them in even layers, and pour over the creamy liquid to just cover. Dot with a little butter. Bake at 160°C/325°F until the potatoes are completely tender (a knife slides through easily) and the top is golden and bubbling, about 60–75 minutes.
- STEP05
Let the gratin rest 10 minutes so it sets and slices neatly. Serve hot, as a side to roast lamb, beef or chicken.
Make ahead
An excellent make-ahead side, especially for entertaining and holidays — bake it fully a day ahead, refrigerate, then reheat gently in the oven to serve (it slices more neatly once set and chilled). You can also assemble it ahead and bake before serving. Either way, it frees up oven space and stress on the day.
Storage
Keeps 3 days refrigerated and reheats well (covered, in the oven), and many find it even better the next day once set. It also reheats by the portion. You can make it ahead and reheat to serve. It freezes acceptably, though the texture softens slightly. Cut neat squares once it's fully set.
Variations
Gratin savoyard
The cheesy cousin — made with stock and grated Gruyère/Beaufort between the layers (not classic dauphinois).
With a cheese top
Purists keep it cheese-free, but many scatter a little Gruyère on top for the last 15 minutes for a golden crust.
Individual gratins
Bake in small dishes or ramekins for elegant individual portions.
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
Frequently asked
Does gratin dauphinois have cheese?
Traditionally, no — authentic gratin dauphinois is made with just potatoes, cream, milk, garlic and nutmeg, with no cheese. The version with cheese (and often stock) is gratin savoyard. That said, many people do add a little grated Gruyère on top for a golden crust; purists leave it out so the silky potato-and-cream is the star.
What potatoes are best, and should I rinse them?
Use waxy or all-purpose potatoes that hold their shape in thin slices. Crucially, don't rinse the slices after cutting — the surface starch is what thickens the cream and milk into a luscious sauce as it bakes. Rinsing washes that starch away and gives a thinner, more watery result. Slice them thin and evenly for even cooking.
Why pre-cook the potatoes in the cream?
Gently simmering the potato slices in the warm cream-and-milk for a few minutes before baking jump-starts their cooking, helps the starch thicken the liquid, and ensures the gratin cooks evenly so you don't get firm potatoes at the bottom and overdone ones on top. It's a small step that gives a silkier, more reliably tender result.
How do I stop it being watery or curdling?
Don't rinse the potatoes (you need their starch), use enough cream relative to milk, and bake low and slow rather than at high heat, which can split the dairy. Pre-simmering the potatoes in the cream thickens it before baking. And let the finished gratin rest 10 minutes so it sets rather than running when cut.
Can I make gratin dauphinois ahead?
Yes — it's a great make-ahead dish. Bake it fully, refrigerate (it actually slices more neatly once set and chilled), and reheat gently in the oven to serve. This is ideal for holidays and dinner parties, freeing up the oven and your time. You can also assemble it ahead and bake just before serving.
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