• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Subscribe To Latest Recipes

Subscribe to our Latest Recipes

Loading

Cooking for Keeps

  • All Recipes
  • Course
    • Appetizers
    • Bread
    • Breakfast
    • Casseroles
    • Cocktails
    • Dips
    • Main Course
    • Pasta
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches
    • Sauces
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups & Stews
    • Stir Fries
    • Sweets
  • Protein
    • Beef/Lamb
    • Chicken/Poultry
    • Pork
    • Seafood
    • Vegetarian
  • Method
    • Casseroles
    • Slow-Cooker
    • Grilling
    • Minimal Ingredients
    • Quick
    • Air Fryer/Instant Pot
    • Oven
    • No cook
    • Stovetop
    • Kid Friendly
    • Dinner Party Worthy
    • One Pan
    • About
    • Shop
    • Work with Me
    • Contact
  • Trending: Healthy New Year
Home easy
Easy easy

Cheesy Potatoes Dauphinoise Recipe

Jump to Recipe
By: Nicole 4 Comments
Posted: 11/04/20 Updated: 01/02/22

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

 

This ultra cheesy, creamy, completely indulgent Potatoes Dauphinoise Recipe is the perfect side for your Thanksgiving table. It’s also perfect served alongside beef, pork or chicken any time of year! We simmer yukon gold potatoes in cream and milk, layer them up in a casserole dish, cover them with nutty gruyere and parmesan cheese, and bake until golden brown and bubbly. They are HEAVENLY.

Potatoes Dauphinoise Recipe

I didn’t think I’d ever find another Thanksgiving potato recipe that would rival our Creamy Dreamy Mashed Potatoes, but our Potatoes Dauphinoise Recipe? This is the one that’s about to give those mashed potatoes a run for their money.

Because when you take buttery Yukon gold potatoes and simmer them in a luxurious mixture of cream and milk, layer them in a casserole dish and practically smother them with nutty gruyere and parmesan cheese until they’re irresistibly golden and cheesy and creamy, well, it doesn’t get much better than that. 

What are Potatoes Dauphinoise?

At its simplest, potatoes dauphinoise are thinly sliced potatoes cooked with cream and milk. Essentially it’s the French version of a potato gratin. It’s not typically made with cheese, but hey, we’re here to beak the rules. And why oh why, wouldn’t you want to add cheese?

Let’s get into the details. 

Ingredients in our Potatoes Dauphinoise Recipe

Potatoes. For any potato gratin or potatoes dauphinoise recipe, I recommend Yukon gold potatoes. They’re soft, buttery and so delicious. The skin on a Yukon gold potato is super thin, which means you can leave it on, reducing ample prep time. 

Cream + milk. A classic Potatoes Dauphinoise Recipe uses a combination of milk and cream. I’ve used all cream before and it works well. However, I wouldn’t recommend using all milk, as you really need the fat in the cream to create a super luxurious sauce. The combination of the two is what I’ve found to work best. 

Cheese. You could use any cheese you want, but I’m partial to a really nutty, aged gruyere. I also like to throw in a little bit of parmesan cheese, but if you only want to pick up one, go with the gruyere. Try to find a good quality gruyere that’s aged a long time and hard versus soft. The harder the gruyere, the nuttier it will be, which translates to major flavor in the final product. 

Herbs. While the combination of gruyere, cream and milk is definitely flavorful, I like to infuse some herb notes in as well. My herbs of choice are fresh rosemary and thyme, but any combination of herbs works great. 

Garlic. While I don’t love distinguishable pieces of garlic in my potatoes, I do love the flavor, so we grate a few cloves of garlic directly into the cream mixture. 

Salt. Like any dish, salt is a really important factor when working with so many blank canvases such as potatoes, cream, and milk. We use a whole teaspoon, but I encourage you to taste the milk and cream and see if it needs any more. Remember, this is seasoning A LOT of potatoes and cream, so we don’t want to be shy.

How to make Potatoes Dauphinoise

Slice the potatoes

A really important step in creating the perfect layered potatoes dauphinoise is to evenly cut the potatoes. I do this with a mandolin, which ensures I have perfectly thin even slices of potato. It’s a tool I actually find myself using quite often for things like fennel salad or thinly sliced fruit. I highly recommend having one at your disposal. Most of them fold up and store quite compactly. 

If you don’t have a mandolin, you’ll want to use a VERY sharp chef’s knife to cut the potatoes into 1/8-inch slices. It’s okay if they aren’t perfect, you just want to make sure they are very similar in size so they all cook in the same amount of time. 

Par Boil the Potatoes

It may seem silly to cook the potatoes before you um, cook the potatoes. However, cooking the potatoes in the cream beforehand is an essential step to the perfect potatoes dauphinoise recipe. Not only does it ensure the cheese doesn’t get too brown before the potatoes are done cooking, but it also helps to transform the sauce into a thick, creamy oblivion, which would take too long in the oven. 

It also gives us a chance to adequately flavor the cream and milk with the thyme, rosemary, garlic and salt. If the liquid isn’t seasoned enough, you can add a little bit more salt and pepper and we can dispose of the thick stems on the herbs. 

Add the heavy cream, milk, garlic, herbs, and salt to a large pot. Transfer the potatoes to the pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes and then remove the stems of the herbs. Set aside. 

Layer ’em up! 

We keep things easy here by having just two layers of potatoes. I like to use a slotted spoon to gently transfer half of the potatoes to a casserole dish. I then spoon some of the cream on top. We then drown the potatoes in half of the cheese, and cover with the rest of the potatoes. 

Before I add the rest of the liquid on top of the second layer of potatoes, I like to gently push them down so they are compact. Finally, sprinkle the rest of the cheese one top. 

Bake!

Place the casserole dish on a large sheet pan (covered with foil if you really want to be careful) just in case the liquid boils over. Bake until the the cheese is golden brown and bubbly. The potatoes should be easily pierced with a sharp knife. 

Let them rest. 

It’s crucial to let the potatoes rest after the bake. This helps the sauce to settle and thicken up perfectly. If you dig in to them too fast, it’s likely to become a sloppy mess. Luckily, at Thanksgiving, no dish is every ready at the same time, so you can pull these out while everything else finishes cooking. 

Can you make these ahead of time? 

Potatoes Dauphinoise are best served the day of. Because the cream and milk rely on the heating process on the stove AND in the oven, it’s hard to prep them in advance.

If you really want to make them in advance, I would suggest making them from start to finish up to a day in advance. Let them cool completely, cover with foil and keep in the fridge. 

When you’re about 30 minutes from eating, pop the potatoes into a 350 degree oven. Let them bake until they are hot all the way through, about 25 minutes. Pull the foil off and let the cheese brown up a little bit more. 

You could also make these earlier in the day of your dinner, and let them sit at room temperature for up to three hours. Let them warm up in a 325 degree oven. 

Substitutions and Tips and Tricks for Recipe Success

  • When it comes to the milk, cream, and potatoes ratio, DO NOT make any changes. This works if you follow the instructions! 
  • If you want to swap out any herbs, feel free to do so. I love the combination of thyme and rosemary, but sage or fresh oregano would be nice as well. 
  • Buy a gruyere that’s aged and a hard cheese versus soft. 
  • If the cheese gets to brown before the potatoes are done cooking, cover with foil. 
  • Don’t forget to let the potatoes rest for at least 10 minutes before digging in! 

  •  

Cheesy Potatoes Dauphinoise Recipe

Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Rest time: 10 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Print Rate Text Email
This ultra cheesy, creamy, completely indulgent potatoes daupinoise recipe is the perfect side for your Thanksgiving table. It's also perfect served alongside beef, pork or chicken any time of year! We simmer yukon gold potatoes in cream and milk, layer them up in a casserole dish, cover them with nutty gruyere and parmesan cheese, and bake until golden brown and bubbly. They are HEAVENLY.
Prevent your screen from going dark
8 people

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lb yukon gold potatoes
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 4 large cloves garlic, grated
  • 5 sprigs thyme
  • 2 sprigs rosemary
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 lb gruyere cheese, shredded
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Equipment

  • large pot
  • Mandoline
  • Baking dish

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Grease a 2 qt baking dish.
  • Use a mandoline to slice the potatoes very thin. If you do not have a mandoline, use a very sharp chef's knife and slice into 1/8-inch thich pieces.
  • Add heavy cream, milk, garlic, thyme, rosemary, and salt to a large bot. Whisk together. Add in potatoes. Bring the mixture up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Remove the herbs from the pot.
  • Mix the gruyere and parmesan cheese together in a small bowl. Use a spoon to layer half of the potatoes in the prepared baking dish in an evenn layer. Spoon some of the sauce on top. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Spoon the rest of the potatoes on top in another even layer. Cover with remaining cheese. Transfer baking dish to a large sheet pan and place in the oven. Bake until the cheese is golden brown and bubbly and the potatoes are easily pierece with a knife, about 35-40 minutes.
  • Let the potatoes rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 478kcal (24%), Carbohydrates: 28g (9%), Protein: 16g (32%), Fat: 34g (52%), Saturated Fat: 21g (131%), Cholesterol: 121mg (40%), Sodium: 526mg (23%), Potassium: 712mg (20%), Fiber: 3g (13%), Sugar: 3g (3%), Vitamin A: 1277IU (26%), Vitamin C: 29mg (35%), Calcium: 449mg (45%), Iron: 1mg (6%)
© Author: Nicole

Did You Make This?

Be sure to upload a photo & tag me at @CookingForKeeps. I love seeing what you made!

Tag Me On Instagram Rate Recipe

Meet Nicole

Welcome! My lifelong passion for delicious food and cooking has evolved over time into an equal love of showing you an elevated meal can be easy, approachable and most importantly, tasty. Dive in and find something perfect for you and your family!

Read more...

You May Also Like...

  • Best Mashed Potatoes Recipe
  • Pesto Mashed Potatoes are the perfect spin on typical Thanksgiving mashed potatoes. These ultra creamy mashed potatoes are silky-smooth and packed with the most delicious pesto flavor.
    Pesto Mashed Potatoes (3 Ingredients!)
  • Cheesy Baked Spinach Casserole is for all you spinach lovers out there! This easy casserole is a dump-stir-and-bake dish that's packed with hearty spinach, sharp cheddar cheese, and a touch of nutmeg. It's the perfect healthy side dish for just about any meal. 
    Cheesy Baked Spinach Casserole

Never miss a recipe!

Loading

Reader Interactions

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Have a question? Submit your question or comment below.

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. LaDawna Wessling says

    Posted on 12/19/21 at 7:59 pm

    Can’t wait to try on our Christmas Eve Dinner this year!

    Reply
  2. KSH says

    Posted on 1/23/22 at 12:54 am

    I make these often because they are dangerously good. You can add some cream and reheat leftovers. They are the perfect side dish for filet mignons.

    Reply
  3. Ryan Morgan says

    Posted on 11/13/22 at 8:02 pm

    Do you peel the potatoes before slicing or no?

    Reply
    • Ryan Morgan says

      Posted on 11/13/22 at 8:08 pm

      Sorry, I see now that you mentioned it’s not necessary.

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

hey

Meet Nicole

Welcome! My lifelong passion for delicious food and cooking has evolved into an equal love of showing you easy elevated meals can be approachable and most importantly, tasty.

Read More

Browse by Difficulty

Easy easy Medium medium Advanced hard

Reader Favorites

Best Chicken Enchilada

Best Chicken Enchilada Recipe

Italian Stromboli

Italian Stromboli (5 Ingredients!)

French Onion Chicken Skillet

French Onion Chicken Skillet

One Pot Mexican Past

One Pot Turkey Mexican Pasta

Subscribe to latest recipe updates

Loading

Trending

Coconut Curry Meatballs

Coconut Curry Meatballs

Bulgogi Beef Lettuce Wraps

Bulgogi Beef Lettuce Wraps

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Creamy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Spinach and Ground Beef Stuffed Shells

Stuffed Pasta Shells with Ground Beef and Spinach

meet nicole

Cooking for Keeps Cooking for Keeps
I'm Nicole. A born and bred food lover, cook since age seven and girl behind all the recipes and photographs you see here. Welcome!

subscribe

bloglovin feedly

popular posts

[tptn_list]

browse recipe by difficulty

easy

medium

hard

Instagram

[instagram-feed]
follow Nicole

Healthy Eats

Baked-Sweet-Potato-Chips-with-Blue-Cheese-Sauce-and-Bacon-5

Easy

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Garlicky Kale and Citrus Vinaigrette
Baked-Sweet-Potato-Chips-with-Blue-Cheese-Sauce-and-Bacon-5

Medium

Baked Sweet Potato Chips with Blue Cheese Sauce, Bacon and Green Onion
Spicy Pumpkin and Butternut Ramen PS2

Medium

Spicy Thai-Style Pumpkin and Butternut Ramen

Never miss a recipe!

Loading

By Course

Appetizers

Breakfast

Quick and Easy

Main Course

Soups

Salads

Side Dishes

Sweets

Explore

About Nicole

Shop Favorites

Press

Work With Me

Privacy Policy

Accessibility

Contact

© 2023 Cooking for Keeps
Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled
Back to Top