Gratin dauphinois, creamy garlic potato bake

Name: Gratin dauphinois, creamy garlic potato bake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: France
Ingredients: 1.2 kg potatoes (all-rounder or floury, such as Maris Piper); 500 ml whole milk; 300 ml double cream; 2 garlic cloves; 20 g butter; 1 pinch grated nutmeg; Salt and pepper

Local name: Gratin dauphinois

Classic French gratin dauphinois: thinly sliced potatoes baked slowly in garlicky milk and cream until golden, with no cheese at all.

Published on 1 October 2026

Gluten-free#potato#cream#garlic#bake#side dish

Photo: Ludovic Péron , CC BY-SA 3.0

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 90 min
Total: 115 min
Serves: 6
Difficulty: Easy

Method

Heat the oven to 160 °C. Rub a baking dish with a halved garlic clove, then butter it well.
Peel the potatoes and slice them 3 mm thick. Do not rinse them; their starch is what thickens the sauce.
In a large pan, bring the milk, cream, the second crushed garlic clove, salt, pepper and nutmeg to a gentle simmer.
Add the potato slices and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring carefully, until the liquid starts to thicken.
Tip everything into the dish, level the top and dot with the rest of the butter.
Bake for 75 to 90 minutes, until a knife slides through easily and the top is golden. Let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Simmering the potatoes in the milk and cream before baking is what makes this gratin silky rather than watery. Serve it with a green salad or roasted vegetables.

The techniques this recipe uses

Reduce
Uncovered, water leaves and flavour concentrates. It is done when the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

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Nutrition per serving

Calories: 403 kcal
Protein: 8.4 g
Fat: 23.8 g
Carbohydrate: 41.1 g
Fibre: 4.2 g

An estimate computed from the recipe quantities and the USDA food composition database. Real values vary with the products used.

Frequently asked questions

Why did my gratin split or turn watery?

Usually the potato slices were rinsed, which washes away the starch that binds the cream. An oven that is too hot also makes the milk boil and separate. Leave the slices unrinsed and bake gently, at around 160 °C.

Can I use less cream?

Yes, swap some of it for extra whole milk, but keep at least 200 ml of cream so the sauce holds together. Semi-skimmed milk alone gives a drier gratin that may curdle. Soy or oat cream also works, with a slightly paler top.

Does gratin dauphinois contain cheese?

Not the traditional version. The golden crust comes from the cream and potato starch browning in the oven. Potato bakes topped with grated cheese are a different dish, just as good but not the same.

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