Holiday Creamy Cheesy Potatoes (Gluten Free)

Pommes Dauphinois is the fancy French name for these Holiday Creamy Cheesy Potatoes and one of my favorite dishes of all time. My Irish heritage means that I love just about any potato preparation, especially when cream, shallots, thyme, and cheese are involved!

The trick to these luscious potatoes is slicing them very thinly (I used my food processor but a mandolin or great knife skills would work just as well) then layering them into a baking dish. Then sprinkle with a few shallots for more flavor, shredded cheese, and fresh thyme. Keep layering until you reach the top of your dish. Pour on the seasoned cream, and a final sprinkling of cheese gives you a beautifully browned top.

We were lucky to have Pommes Dauphinois when we were in Paris and each time it was a treat. There is something so perfect about digging into a big pile of creamy cheesy potatoes when the days are shorter and the air brisk. Add a perfectly cooked steak and a glass of red wine and I am one happy camper!

The pure classic dish doesn’t contain shallots, but I love them so much and they add another tasty layer of flavor that I just had to add a few between the potatoes. Feel free to leave them out if you prefer.

You may be thinking that these sound very similar to potatoes au gratin and you would be right. But don’t confuse them with scalloped potatoes. These au gratin potatoes are naturally gluten-free, using the cream and natural starch from the potatoes to make the sauce. Scalloped potatoes use a flour-based roux and while they are good, they are not nearly as delicious as these creamy cheesy potatoes.

This is definitely not a low-calorie dish which makes it perfect for the holidays or special occasions. It is worth the splurge occasionally!!

You should consider putting these Creamy Cheesy Potatoes on your holiday menu because they go with everything, no matter what main course you are serving! These potatoes are the perfect side dish, but if you’re like me, they become my main course the next day when I am eating through the leftovers. Who needs meat when you’ve got the world’s best creamy cheesy potatoes?!

Welcome to Progressive Eats, our virtual version of a Progressive Dinner Party. Each recipe in our menu this month features an Old Fashioned Holiday Recipe, and our host is Liz who blogs at That Skinny Chick Can Bake.

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept, a progressive dinner involves going from house to house, enjoying a different course at each location. With Progressive Eats it’s a virtual party. A theme is chosen, members share recipes suitable for a delicious meal or party, and you can hop from blog to blog to check them out. Come along and see all of the heavenly holiday dishes!

Key Ingredients for Holiday Creamy Cheesy Potatoes:

• Heavy cream or half and half, milk, garlic, butter, potatoes
• Kosher salt, white pepper (black is also OK), shallots
• Thyme, Gruyere or mozzarella cheese

 

PRO Tip:

To easily and quickly get thin slices of potatoes all the same thickness, use a food processor with the slicing blade or a mandoline. When using a mandoline, use the guard that comes with it to avoid cutting yourself. The other option is to use a knife and slice them by hand – try to be as consistent with the thickness as you can.

 

How to make Holiday Creamy Cheesy Potatoes:

1. Combine the cream, milk, garlic, and butter in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; look for steam and small bubbles around edge of the pan
2. Remove from the heat and let steep while you assemble the casserole
3. Cut potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices; layer 1/3 of them in a buttered 2-quart baking dish, season with salt and pepper, add half the shallots and thyme and 1/3 of the cheese
4. Continue layering, press to compress slightly; strain the garlic out of the cream and slowly pour it over the potatoes; sprinkle the top with a little more salt and pepper then top with remaining cheese
5. Bake at 425°F for 25 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, the liquid is bubbling, and the top is browned; remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes before cutting and serving
6. Garnish with a sprig of thyme if desired

 

PRO Tip:

This is definitely not a low calorie dish, but it is perfect for special occasions and holidays. It will be making an appearance on my table again this year.

 

Recommended Tools (affiliate links; no extra cost to you):

• Chef’s knife
• Paring knife
• Cutting board
• Food processor or mandoline
• Saucepan

 

Gluten-Free Tips:

This recipe is naturally gluten-free!

You can adjust any recipe to gluten-free by using 120 grams of my favorite gluten-free flour blend per cup. This recipe was written using this flour blend. If you are using another brand of gluten-free flour, whisk the mix, spoon it lightly into a measuring cup until mounded, level off the top with a straight edge, and weigh the flour. Use that weight as your standard per cup of that specific flour. Commercial blends such as Pamela’s, Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1, or King Arthur Measure for Measure are all good choices.

 

 

This recipe is part of our monthly progressive dinner party, Progressive Eats. See the links below for more inspiration and great recipes!

 

 

 

 

Create a New Tradition Today!

 

Welcome! The suggestions here are not intended as dietary advice or as a substitute for consulting a dietician, physician, or other medical professional. Please see the Disclaimers/Privacy Policy page for additional details. Unauthorized use, distribution, and/or duplication of proprietary material from The Heritage Cook without prior approval is prohibited. If you have any questions or would like permission, please contact me. We participate in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page may contain affiliate links. This post was first shared in Nov 2018. The article was updated in 2021.