Boulangère Potatoes Recipe

Name: Boulangère Potatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: French
Ingredients: 2 tsp olive oil; 400g / 14oz potatoes, thinly sliced (see note 1, 2 & 3); 1/2 onion, thinly sliced; 1 clove garlic, very finely chopped; a few sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves stripped from stems; 125ml vegetable stock; 40g parmesan cheese (see note 4 & 5); 1 tsp unsalted butter

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A true French classic, these Boulangère Potatoes are rich, delicious and the perfect accompaniment to a good old roast. They are also pretty easy to make and can be thrown in the oven and pretty much forgotten about. You can even prepare everything in advance, making life a little easier when you have guests or don’t want to spend your afternoon in the kitchen!

What is it?

Boulangère Potatoes translates from French as ‘potatoes from the bakery’. The name comes from the fact that hundreds of years ago, people did not always have an oven. Therefore, on their way to church on Sunday, they would pop into their local bakery and use their oven to cook their Sunday roast.

This recipe was a popular option because the potatoes hold up well to being in the oven for a prolonged period of time, so there wasn’t the risk of overcooking them.

What is the difference between Dauphinoise and Boulangère Potatoes?

Dauphinoise and Boulangère potatoes do have a lot of similarities. Both are thinly sliced potatoes baked in the oven, although what is added to the dish makes them distinctly different dishes.

Dauphinoise uses cream and butter whereas Boulangère uses stock and onions. Traditionally neither recipe is made with cheese. Although I do add a dusting of parmesan to make these extra delicious. If you’d like to try dauphinoise potatoes then you can also check out this recipe.

You might be wondering how they actually bind together in the dish if there isn’t any cheese added. That’s the miracle of starch from the potatoes at work, which mixes with the liquid during cooking and makes a thick and silky sauce. Potato choice is important for the perfect result. For more information and suggested varieties see below.

Boulangere Potatoes on a Counter with Grated Cheese

Can I freeze them?

Boulangère potatoes can be frozen for up to 3 months. Transfer to a freezer-proof container and press clingfilm across the top of the potatoes to prevent freezer burn before adding a lid.

Leftovers can also be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days and then reheated. When reheating use the oven rather than the microwave, as it will help them crispen up on the top, which will retain more of that ‘freshly baked’ feel.

Can I make them in advance?

This is the perfect side dish to make in advance. Simply prepare everything as directed and then instead of baking, cover tightly with clingfilm and place in the fridge for up to 2 days.

You may find that the potatoes on the top which are exposed to the air become a little discoloured. This shouldn’t affect the dish after you’ve baked it. However, if you want to avoid this then you can prepare all the ingredients separately and submerge the potatoes in a bowl of water in the fridge so no air can get to them. Then you simply assemble when you are ready to cook.

What type of potatoes should I use?

The type of potato that you use will hugely affect the end result of the dish although there is a little flexibility based on your texture preferences.

The most ideal type of potato to use is one which is classed as all-purpose. The two ends of the potato spectrum are waxy and starchy. Waxy ones will hold their shape well and remain firm when cooked while starchy varieties will become softer and crumbly. When cooking Boulangère potatoes choosing a variety that falls in the middle means that you will have enough starch to create a thick sauce, while the potatoes will still hold their shape when you dig in.

Great varieties of all-purpose potatoes to look out for are Desiree, which is easily found in the UK, or Yukon Gold in the US. If you can find Sebago potatoes they are also a good choice.

You can also opt to use a more floury potato variety. Although note that the layers will be very crumbly and the potatoes will break apart a lot. Although you will get a super tender and soft result. Good varieties of floury potatoes to choose from include Maris Piper or Russet.

Ingredients

For a full list of ingredients with weights and measurements jump to the printable recipe card.

Potatoes, thinly sliced (use a mandolin if you have one) – ideally find an all-purpose variety. See notes above
Onion, thinly sliced – brown or white onions both work fine
Garlic, very finely chopped
Fresh thyme, leaves stripped from the stems
Vegetable stock
Parmesan cheese, grated (grate your own and steer clear of the pre-grated stuff) – this is non-traditional and can be skipped but it does add great extra flavour
Unsalted butter

Equipment

Oven-proof baking dish. For 2 portions (the default recipe below) you’ll need one with around 1 litre / 1-quart capacity. This set of 4 baking dishes are great to make sure you always have the right size to hand (the second to smallest is perfect for 2 portions).

How to make it

For a more detailed list of instructions with recipe tips jump to the printable recipe card.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
Saute the onions for around 5 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
Layer the potatoes in the bottom of the baking dish, followed by a layer of onions and then a little of the thyme and garlic. Repeat until all the potatoes and onions are used.
Sprinkle parmesan and a little thyme over the top and a few blobs of butter. Bake in the oven for 1 hour.

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