Potatoes Dauphinoise casserole with blue cheese. Thin sliced potatoes are cooked in cream and modestly seasoned with blue cheese, salt and pepper. Creamy and deliciously dreamy.
What’s The Difference Between Scalloped Potatoes, Potatoes Au Gratin and Potatoes Dauphinoise?
To begin with, all three of these dishes are made with sliced potatoes. and all are baked in a casserole dish with a creamy white sauce. So what’s the difference?
Scalloped Potatoes
Scalloped Potatoes are thicker sliced potatoes that are par-boiled before layered in a casserole dish. They are cooked in a cream sauce and infused with aromatics such as garlic, thyme and even fresh nutmeg.
Potatoes Au Gratin
Bring on the cheese. The term “gratin” refers to the golden crust which forms on the surface of a dish when it is browned in the oven or under a broiler.
Many gratins involve coating the top of the dish with grated cheese, bread crumbs or a combination of the two. Occasionally, the top of the gratin is also sprinkled with melted butter.
The crusty layer which forms on the top of a gratin during cooking prevents the food beneath from drying out and adds delicious flavor. A perfect technique for baking sliced potatoes.
Potatoes Dauphinoise
Are simply a French name for sliced potatoes cooked in cream. Potatoes Dauphinoise contain cheese but no crumb topping. Julia Child is probably responsible for our awareness of Dauphinoise, with her casserole of sliced potatoes, Swiss cheese and milk (rather than cream).
So with all that said, you’ll find a jillion recipes where classic definitions are often ignored, but no matter how we slice our potatoes or what we call it, it’s a very popular dish and extremely serious comfort food.
Au Gratin or Dauphinoise
So what am I calling my potato casserole creation? It’s a combination of two of these classic creamy potato casseroles. There’s cheese And there’s also a Panko bread crumb topping.
But my au-gratin topping is sprinkled on the casserole after it’s cooked so it’s not creating that sealing layer. It’s just to add a delicious little crispy crunch. So I’m sticking with calling this a Dauphinoise Potatoes, with Blue Cheese.
Mise en Place
Gathering everything you need is easy for this potato casserole as the ingredients are minimal. Gather your cream, potatoes, blue cheese and mandolin. You’re ready to rock.
Why Is The Dauphinoise Technique Better Than Scalloped Potatoes?
Scalloped potatoes rock! But Potatoes Dauphinoise rule. Here’s why.
- The potatoes are evenly thin sliced to 1/8″ thick. Once baked they cream and layer themselves into a neat little stack of goodness that melts in your mouth.
- The potatoes are not par-boiled before baking, like scalloped potatoes. Parboiling potatoes means the starch from the potatoes seep into the water they’re cooked in.
- For potatoes dauphinoise, the potatoes are baked directly in cream in the casserole dish. Meaning the starch from the potatoes seep into the cream as they cook, making this even more creamy and luxurious.
- There’s just enough blue cheese between those layers of potatoes to get our attention … and not overpower the dish.
- And then there’s the best reason … the compliments you’ll receive:
“These are the best potatoes I’ve ever had in my life.”
Bob Brown, husband and potato aficionado
How To Make This Easy Dauphinoise
- Slice potatoes 1/8″ thick. You’ll need a mandolin to take on this a super easy task. Or be very skilled with a chef’s knife.
- Butter or Pam spray a 9 x 13″ casserole dish and layer a third of the sliced potatoes in the dish. Salt and pepper the potatoes
- Sprinkle on 1/3 of the crumbled blue cheese.
- Repeat with two more layers of the blue cheese, the sliced potatoes and salt and pepper.
- Pour the cream over the potatoes making sure the cream just covers the top layer of potatoes.
- With your hands gently press the potatoes down into the cream mixture. This will compress the casserole a bit and coat the top layer of potatoes.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
- In the meantime, make the toasted Panko bread crumb topping.
- When the potatoes are out of the over, sprinkle a single layer of the Panko bead crumb topping over the potatoes.
Culinary School Tip: A better way to use that Mandolin. If you’re like me, you find that guiding tool that came with your mandolin is a little unwieldy and awkward. Your hands make a much better tool. But wait, don’t want to lose a finger? Check out this cut resistant glove made by Victornox with stainless steel filament and knit construction that is guaranteed not to slice your skin.
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Recipe for Blue Cheese Potato Dauphinoise
Promise me you’ll give this easy creamy potatoes dauphinoise recipe a try. It’s a perfect side dish the upcoming holiday season.
This Blue Cheese Potatoes Dauphinoise is a perfect side dish for Prime Rib Dinner with roasted Brussels sprouts. And I mean PER-fect.
And if you do give this recipe a try, please come back and give the recipe a star rating and leave a comment about your experience with the recipe.
More Potato Casserole Recipes
- Classic Scalloped Potato Recipe
- Instant Pot Scalloped Potatoes with Green Chile
- Hash Brown Potato Casserole with Corn Flake Topping
- Make Ahead Mashed Potato Casserole
- Potato Casserole with Bacon and Onion
- Loaded Mashed Potato Casserole
What do Dauphinoise Potatoes Go With?
- Roasted Veal chops with Red Grapes
- Four Rib Standing Prime Rib Roast
- Boneless Rib Eye Roast
- Braised Tarragon Chicken
- Dijon and Pistachio Crusted Rack of Lamb
- Mirin Glazed Roasted Salmon
And if you’re looking for more side dish recipes, you won’t want to miss my Side Dish Category. You’ll find lots of ideas including my most popular recipe for Broccoli Cheez Whiz Rice Casserole.
Blue Cheese Potatoes Dauphinoise
Ingredients
- 3 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes peeled and sliced 1/8" thick
- 5 ounces Blue Cheese crumbled
- 3 cups cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- 4 ounces Panko Bread Crumbs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease or spray a 9 x 13" pan with Pam
- Using a mandolin, slice peeled potatoes using the 1/8' setting.
- Layer 1/3 of the potatoes in the casserole dish. Salt and pepper the layer and sprinkle on 1/3 of the crumbled blue cheese.
- Repeat this layering process two more times.
- Pour the cream over the potatoes. The cream should just cover the top of the potatoes.
- Gently press down on the potatoes to create a more compact layering effect.
- Bake for 45 minutes. Or until potatoes are tender.
- In the meantime make the Panko Bread Crumb topping.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Once the pan is hot, add the butter.
- When the butter is sizzling, turn down the heat and add the Panko Bread Crumbs. Cook the Panko Crumbs until they start to turn golden brown. Stir often to insure an even browning. This should take about 10 minutes.
- Set aside until casserole is done.
- Remove casserole from oven and sprinkle a thin layer of toasted Panko crumbs over the top of the casserole.
- Save unused toasted crumbs in a covered container. They'll keep for a couple of weeks.
