Potato Dauphinois: French Scalloped Potatoes

Few dishes capture the essence of French comfort cooking like Potato Dauphinois. This rich, creamy gratin layers thinly sliced potatoes with butter, garlic, and thyme, all baked slowly in heavy cream until melt-in-your-mouth tender. The final touch — a crisp, golden Parmesan crust — turns this humble potato dish into an elegant side worthy of any dinner table.

This recipe was shared with Chef’s Pencil by Chef Giorgos Tsoulis, who adds a simple but effective French technique: gently pressing the potatoes as they bake to create perfectly compact, sliceable layers. Serve it alongside roasted meats or enjoy it on its own for the ultimate cozy indulgence.

Enjoy!

Potato Gratin Dauphinois: French Scalloped Potatoes

Giorgos Tsoulis

A classic French comfort dish made with layers of thinly sliced potatoes baked in rich cream, butter, and thyme until perfectly tender and golden brown.

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine French

Servings 7 servings

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1.5 kg potatoes round sliced 3cm (0.1 inch) thick
• 500 g heavy cream full-fat
• 2 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 50 g butter melted
• 4 sprigs thyme finely chopped
• salt
• pepper
• parmesan cheese for sprinkling

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F) with the fan setting on.
• In a bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, garlic, melted butter, thyme, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
• Line the bottom of a 30 × 20 cm (12 × 8 in) ovenproof dish with parchment paper. Arrange the potato slices in an even layer, slightly overlapping them.
• Spread the cream mixture evenly over the potatoes, making sure they’re well coated.
• Cover the dish with parchment paper, then place a smaller baking tray directly on top to lightly press the potatoes — this helps them cook evenly and stick together.
• Fill the smaller tray with water to weigh it down and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.
• Remove from the oven, carefully discard the water, and take off the top tray and parchment.
• Sprinkle generously with Parmesan cheese and bake again at 200°C (390°F) (top heat or grill function) until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
• Re-cook the potatoes at 200°C/390°F with top and bottom heat (or grill function), until the cheese melts and turns a golden color.
• Let the gratin cool slightly before slicing. Serve warm as a rich, comforting side dish or vegetarian main.

Notes

Chef’s Tip: Don’t be shy with the salt — the cream and potatoes absorb quite a bit. The pressing technique ensures the layers hold together beautifully once baked.

 

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Giorgos Tsoulis

Celebrity Chef Giorgos Tsoulis specializes in modern Mediterranean cuisine and his recipes are widely appreciated not just in Greece and Cyprus but also around the world. He has been the executive chef of numerous successful Greek restaurants, while at the same time hosting many popular culinary TV shows in Greece and Cyprus. Giorgos Tsoulis is passionate about educating his fans in more sustainable and healthy cooking and eating while making the most of the flavors of the ingredients. As sustainable cuisine ambassador for WWF Hellas, he plays a key role in cooking activations that relate to the European #Eat4Change program, as well as the #Farm2Fork program.