Delicious and comforting gratin dauphinoise potatoes without cream. A perfect twist to the classic French dish, made with thinly sliced potatoes, fragrant nutmeg, rich butter, savory garlic, and aromatic thyme. It is perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a cozy weeknight dinner or a special gathering with friends and family.
This Potato gratin Without Cream recipe is perfect for those trying to cook healthy and quick meals for their families.
It’s a lighter and healthier version of the traditional, delicious Gratin Potatoes Dauphinoise dish, using milk instead of heavy cream to create a creamy texture and rich taste.
The recipe is easy to prepare, with just a few simple ingredients like potatoes, nutmeg, butter, milk, garlic, cheddar cheese, and thyme.
This recipe is a great option for those looking to reduce their consumption of heavy cream and other high-fat ingredients.
By using milk instead of cream, you can enjoy the creamy texture and rich taste without the added calories and fat.
It’s also easy-customizable, allowing you to experiment with different types of cheese and spices to create your own unique flavor profile.
You can serve it as a main course for a vegetarian dinner near a green salad, roasted vegetables, or near a piece of meat for a complete meal.
Worth to mention that potatoes gratin without cream is also a great dish to prepare ahead of time. You can assemble the potatoes and spices in the casserole and refrigerate them until you’re ready to bake them.
This makes it a convenient option for busy weeknights or when you’re hosting a dinner party and want to prep ahead of time.
🥰 Why You Will Love This Recipe?
- It is a perfect and delicious, comforting classic French dish that is perfect for any occasion, whether it’s a cozy weeknight dinner or a special gathering with friends and family.
- It is an easily customizable recipe, which means you can experiment with different types of spices and cheeses to create a unique flavor profile.
- It is lighter than the traditional recipe because we are using milk instead of heavy cream; however, we will get a similar creamy texture and rich taste.
- It is an easy recipe that you can make even if you don’t have too much cooking experience or you want to prepare something with your kids.
🥘 Ingredients and Substitutes
- Potatoes. You must choose some crumbly types of potatoes rich in starch content. Consider using those that you’re usually using for mashed potatoes. A few ideas to pick will be Russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes. Starchy potatoes will break down easily, and you will get a fluffy and creamy texture of the Dauphinoise potatoes.
- Milk. You could replace the milk with single cream for an even creamier texture. If you wonder about the calories, dilute the cream with a little water.
- Butter. You can substitute the butte with vegetable oil. I would suggest picking a high-quality oil to give the food a flavorful taste.
- Seasonings. I used a classic mix of spices for the Dauphinoise potatoes: nutmeg, thyme, and salt. Besides them, you could also add other spices such as rosemary, oregano, or chili flakes if you want to add a spicy note.
- Garlic. If you are not a big fan of the intense taste of garlic, you could replace it with granulated garlic or omit it altogether. As an alternative, you could also use onions or leeks in addition to garlic.
- Cheese. I used cheddar cheese to provide a crispy crust on the top of the potatoes. If you don’t have cheddar cheese, you can replace it with any other type of cheese you prefer.
👩🍳 Step-by-step Directions
First, clean the potatoes and wash them well.
Pro Tip: It is important not to wash the potatoes after you slice them as you will wash the starch content from the potatoes and get a different texture. The potato slices will separate instead of creating a uniform and creamy composition.
Quick Note: You can use a mandoline slicer to make it easier to cut the potatoes into similar sizes.
Before we will arrange the ingredients in the casserole, preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
After slicing the potatoes, take a casserole and arrange ⅓ of all the ingredients on it. Start with the potatoes, then add the aromatic herbs, garlic, butter, and milk.
Repeat the previous step 2 more times until you finish all the ingredients.
This way, you will get 3 layers of potatoes, which will have two layers of aromatic herbs, butter, and milk between them.
Cover the pan with aluminum foil to avoid burning the top surface. Put the casserole in the preheated oven for 50-55 minutes at 355°F (180°C).
After this, remove the casserole from the oven, and remove the aluminum foil. Sprinkle freshly shredded cheddar cheese on top of the potatoes.
Bake for another 5-10 minutes or until the cheese melts.
In the end, you will get some creamy gratin dauphinoise potatoes with a golden-brown crust and a pleasant taste of cheddar cheese.
Serve the potatoes while they are hot to enjoy the texture of the potatoes and the melted cheese.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
- Serve as a side dish with your favorite protein, such as roasted chicken, grilled steak, or baked fish.
- If you’re looking for a vegetarian serving, then consider serving the gratin dauphinoise potatoes near a green salad or some roasted vegetables for a complete and well-rounded meal.
- Another great idea will be to cut the potatoes into smaller pieces and serve them as a snack or appetizer.
🏆 Expert Tips. What to Pay Attention To?
- Consider using a mandoline slicer or a sharp knife to slice the potatoes thinly and of the same size. This will ensure that they cook evenly and create a uniform texture.
- Pick a high-quality cheese because it has an important role in this dish.
- Be careful not to overcook the potatoes, as you may get a mushy texture.
Answering Your Questions:
What is the difference Between Potato Dauphinoise and Gratin?
While there are a lot of similarities because both dishes feature thinly sliced potatoes baked in a creamy sauce, a few of the differences is that dauphinoise potatoes are usually baked with only sliced potatoes, a mix of spices and cream, while gratin potatoes are often cooked with other vegetables, and breadcrumbs. Also, gratin potatoes are usually seasoned with more spices and herbs.
Why Is My Potato Dauphinoise Watery?
There may be two reasons why the dauphinoise potatoes are watery. You used too much milk or didn’t cook for long enough, and the milk didn’t absorb into the potatoes.
Can You Make Potato Dauphinoise Without Cream
Yes, you can easily make the potato dauphinoise without cream. You will need to substitute the cream with milk to get a lighter version of this dish and keep its original creamy texture.
What Are the Best Potatoes to Use for Dauphinoise Potatoes?
Your best picks will be to use potatoes rich in starch content. Consider using those that you’re usually using for mashed potatoes. If you’re looking for an option you can’t go wrong with, consider picking Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes.
📋 Recipe Card:
Potatoes Dauphinoise Without Cream
Ingredients
Instructions
- Cut the potatoes into thin slices.22 oz Potato
- Arrange ⅓ of them in a casserole in which you will bake them.
- Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C).
- Add over the potatoes ⅓ of aromatic herbs, ⅓ of butter, ⅓ of garlic and ⅓ of milk.1 cup Milk, 2 oz Butter, ⅓ teaspoon Nutmeg, 4 cloves Garlic, 1 teaspoon Thyme, ½ teaspoon Salt
- Repeat the previous two steps two more times until you will finish all the ingredients.
- Cover the casserole with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 50-55 minutes at 355°F.
- Remove the casserole from the oven, sprinkle shredded cheese and bake for another 5-10 minutes until the cheese melts.4 oz Cheese
Quick Note
I highly recommend reading the entire recipe to find more tips and notes about this recipe. Read Full Recipe ⇑
Notes
- Pick potatoes that are rich in starch content. If you don’t know what to pick, go with Russet or Yukon Gold potatoes.
- Cut the potatoes thin and of the same size. You can use a mandoline slicer to make the process easier.
- Be careful not to overcook the potatoes, as they will become mushy.
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