Creamy Garlic Parmesan Potatoes (Easy Dauphinoise Potatoes)
on Apr 30, 2019, Updated Nov 18, 2025
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If you’re looking for a delicious potato side dish to impress guests with, these creamy garlic parmesan potatoes – otherwise known as dauphinoise potatoes – could become your new favorite go-to. With just 15 minutes’ prep, you’ll find them quick and easy to prepare, but super classy and special!
Whenever I want a potato side dish that feels elegant and special – but isn’t at all complicated or fussy – this is the one I reach for. These creamy garlic parmesan potatoes (you could say a modern twist on classic French dauphinoise potatoes) are rich, comforting, and absolutely show-stopping. But they are surprisingly simple to make.
So what are dauphinoise potatoes (or gratin dauphinois)? Well, they are simply a classic French potato bake made from thinly sliced potatoes. They’re cooked gently in cream, garlic, and sometimes nutmeg, then baked until tender and golden. Traditional versions don’t include cheese or onions, but adding both of these gives this dish extra depth, flavor, and sweetness. Not to mention a beautiful golden top!
Part of me hesitated before sharing these with you, because once you’ve tried them, you’ll want to eat them all the time! But similar to my Greek potatoes or cauliflower mashed potatoes, they’re perfect for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any meal you want to feel a little bit fancy without spending all day in the kitchen. So how could I not?
What’s special about this recipe?
- Pre-simmering builds flavor and softens the potatoes: Simmering the cream, potato and onion mixture first allows every slice of potato to soak up the delicious flavors. It also ensures even baking.
- Parmesan adds umami and golden color: The cheese adds a rich, bubbling top that looks as good as it tastes!
- Layered seasoning ensures flavor in every bite: Salt, pepper, thyme, and cheese between layers elevate each mouthful.
- The recipe uses the simplest pantry and fridge ingredients. Grab some potatoes and cheese and cream, and you probably already have everything else you need.
📌Recipe snapshot
- Just 15 minutes’ prep
- 25-30 minutes in the oven.
- Foolproof method. The potatoes are simmered first for maximum flavor and tenderness.
- So classy. Despite the simple pantry and fridge ingredients, these easy dauphinoise potatoes are a restaurant quality side.
- Easy to prep ahead, reheat, and even freeze.
About the ingredients
You’ll find a full list of ingredients with amounts in the recipe card below. But here’s a summary of what you need to know.
- Cream: Heavy cream, thickened cream or double cream (called different things depending on where you live) is ideal for a rich, luscious texture.
- Milk: Full cream milk is best. Alternatively, you can substitute the heavy cream and milk with half-and-half, or even evaporated milk.
- Garlic: Crush 3 to 4 large cloves for plenty of flavor without overpowering.
- Nutmeg: Optional, but it complements the creamy flavors beautifully. About ¼ tsp ground nutmeg or a good grating of fresh nutmeg.
- Thyme: Fresh thyme elevates an already classy dish, but it’s fine to substitute with dried thyme if that’s what you have.
- Potatoes: Waxy varieties (Yukon Golds, Charlottes, or red potatoes) hold their shape and give a creamy texture. Avoid starchy potatoes like russets as they can become mushy.
- Onion: A small white or yellow onion adds plenty of flavor, but I also like red onion for the sweeter, milder flavor and hint of bright purple color in the tasty potatoes au gratin!
- Salt and pepper: In such a simple dish, layering seasoning between the layers is key.
- Grated cheese: I usually use parmesan cheese in this recipe, but a mix of parmesan, cheddar, and gruyere works beautifully, too.
How to make dauphinoise potatoes
These creamy garlic dauphinoise potatoes look and taste very classy, but they are very easy to make in just five simple steps.
Step 1: Prep the onion and potatoes. Start by peeling the potatoes and onion, then cutting them into thin slices. I like to use a food processor or mandolin for the potatoes, but you can cut them by hand with a sharp knife instead if you don’t have either of these.
Step 2: Simmer the onion and potatoes. Heat up the cream and milk with the garlic, nutmeg and thyme in a large saucepan. Add the potato and onion slices and simmer for about 10 minutes (with the lid on).
Step 3: Layer in a baking dish with cheese. Pour half of the mixture into a smallish baking dish. Season well with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with some of the cheese.
Step 4: Finish layering and bake. Pour the rest of the potato onion mixture into the dish. Season well again, then sprinkle over the rest of the cheese. Bake for around 25 to 30 minutes or until tender, golden and bubbling.
Helen’s Top Tips
- Cut potatoes evenly for consistent cooking. A mandolin or food processor helps.
- Don’t skip heating the cream, milk, garlic, nutmeg and thyme before simmering. This simple step enhances the flavors and distributes them evenly.
- Don’t forget to season each layer of potatoes with salt, pepper, and cheese to build flavor all the way through the dish.
- Swap thyme for rosemary, chives, dill, oregano, tarragon, or sage if preferred.
- Like the look of these potatoes but not sure about all the cream? Try this potato bake with bacon instead! It’s a lightened up version, but just as delicious. Another similar-but-different option is this one pan broccoli gnocchi (can either be a side dish, or a dinner by itself).
Serving ideas
These creamy parmesan potatoes are just so classy! I’ve ordered them multiple times at restaurants, as a side dish, and I’m always impressed. And your guests will be too!
I find they go particularly well with:
- a slow-cooked meat with a rich gravy, like lamb shanks.
- Roast chicken (homemade or pre-cooked). If you have an air fryer, try this 1-hour air fryer rotisserie chicken recipe – you’ll never look back!
- A crispy schnitzel such as mustard parmesan crispy chicken. Make a simple fresh green salad to go with it and you have a simple but amazing meal that’s definitely worthy of serving to guests.
They’re also a perfect choice for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion – with brown sugar brussel sprouts, or sauteed frozen green beans.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! Assemble up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Remove 30 minutes before baking; add 10 to 15 minutes if baking from cold.
Leftovers keep well covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days, and reheat pretty well, either in the oven or microwave. To reheat in the oven at 350F/175C, cover with aluminium foil and heat for about 20 to 30 minutes, or until thoroughly heated through. Uncover during the last few minutes to crisp up the top again.
Yes! Bake first, let cool, wrap tightly, and freeze 2 to 3 months. Defrost overnight or bake from frozen (add 50 to 100% more time, cover with foil, uncover for final browning).
Use a larger, deeper dish to accommodate the extra potatoes. For 8 to 12 servings, for example, a 9×13-inch (or similar) baking dish works well. You may need to bake for 5 to 10 minutes extra. Also cover the dish for the first 20 minutes, then uncover to brown.
More easy potato side dishes
- If you try one more potato recipe from Scrummy Lane, let it be these amazing Greek potatoes! Don’t want to turn on the oven? Go for Greek potato salad.
- These French style diced potatoes are simpler, but still very classy.
- This potato bake with bacon is like a less creamy version of dauphinoise potatoes.
- Looking for something classy but different? Try these mini garlic and parmesan hasselback potatoes!
- Another one perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas is this easy but luxurious truffle mash!
Creamy Garlic Parmesan Potatoes (Easy Dauphinoise Potatoes)
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup heavy cream, (sometimes called double cream or thickened cream)
- ⅔ cup whole milk, (full cream)
- 3 garlic cloves, (3 to 4) crushed
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, (or grate fresh nutmeg)
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme, (or ½ to 1 teaspoon dried thyme) plus a bit more for sprinkling
- 1 pound potatoes, thinly sliced (about 3mm thick)
- ½ large onion, or 1 smaller one, thinly sliced
- salt and pepper
- 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated (or a mixture of cheddar, gruyere and parmesan)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 355F/180C (fan/convection oven) or 390F/200C in a regular oven. Grease a small to medium-sized baking dish (10 x 7 inches or similar) with butter, or spray it lightly with oil.
- Place the cream, milk, garlic, nutmeg and thyme in a medium saucepan and heat to a simmer. Add the potato and onion slices, put a lid on the saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender. Give them a good stir after half the cooking time.⅔ cup heavy cream, ⅔ cup whole milk, 3 garlic cloves, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 pound potatoes, ½ large onion
- Remove the thyme sprigs, then empty half of the potato mixture into the baking dish. Grind over plenty of salt and pepper and sprinkle over about a third of the cheese.2 sprigs fresh thyme, salt and pepper, 1 cup parmesan cheese
- Empty the rest of the potato mixture and cream/milk into the dish, smoothing out the top a little. Season well again with salt and pepper. Then sprinkle over the rest of the cheese. If you like, sprinkle over a little more fresh or dried thyme.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Let rest for 10 to 15 minutes to let the dish firm up a little before serving.
I made this tonight for dinner, absolutely yummy. I added crispy bacon. What a great idea simmering it first! I made a bigger one a few weeks ago and after 2 hours, it still wasn’t cooked all the way through.
I’m so happy this turned out well for you, Simone! Thank you so much for letting me know! 🙂
SO TASTY! Highly recommended!
I did take a quicker route though! I followed your recipe but did not simmer the potatoes for the 10 minutes in the cream/milk mixture. I layered everything as suggested and then poured the cream/milk mixture over the top. I then cooked it for just under 2 hours at 180 degrees.
Hi Diana! So glad you enjoyed them, and interesting to hear about the change you made. Sounds like it worked a treat!
I live in Greece & we don’t have Double Cream here…..just that awful UHT stuff in a carton!
There are two different kinds though, Cream or Whipping Cream.
Which do you think would be better?
Oh hi Linda! Guess what?! I used to live in Greece, too! In Athens… For many years… I really miss it, especially the food of course!
So I remember the horrible cream situation. I’m trying really hard to remember what kind of cream I used to buy instead of double cream, and I think it was the whipping cream. Just as long as it isn’t a low fat cream, I think you’ll be fine. It’s mostly the starch in the potatoes and the cheese that thickens the sauce anyway!
Would love to hear how you get on. Good luck!
Thanks for the quick reply Helen. Will try it with the whipping cream when the weather gets cooler & let you know the result.
Still cooking summery stuff at the moment!
I used to love how long the Greek summer lasted. Generally I found though that the weather had turned by the beginning of November. So maybe the potatoes aren’t too far in your future!!!
Tu as raison, ce plat est un piégè, une fois qu’on la testé on ne peut pas s’arrête de le faire. D’ailleurs, je le fais souvent, ta version est très gourmande !
Tu as raison, Eva… ce plat est un vrai piege!
Lol! You crack me up – thanks for the warning 😛 Just the pictures alone, I can tell these potatoes are just ridiculous! Throw in the smell and taste and I know I would be in danger of eating the entire dish! This is so perfect for Thanksgiving!
It’s a pleasure, Kathleen 😉
Helen, you sure are spot on – after watching that video and reading your post, I want to have these potatoes ALL THE TIME too! This is such a posh recipe indeed and so so scrumptious! By the way – AWESOME video!!!
Thanks, Shashi… working on the video skills. The next one will be better!
I”m one of those people that can eat a side of potatoes as a meal and this is one of those dishes. Perfect comfort food.
Poor Mr. Scrummy thought this was all we were having for dinner when I made it for the blog! His face fell, but to be honest I could easily have eaten it by itself!