Spices for Gratin Dauphinois: Which Ones to Use and How Much

The key spice in gratin dauphinois is freshly grated nutmeg, along with garlic, salt, and white pepper. That’s all you need: you can simply steep a sprig of thyme and a bay leaf in the milk, or add a pinch of allspice for a warmer flavor.

I'll give you the measurements, followed by the creamy recipe that I serve on fall Sundays under the pergola, alongside a lamb shank.

The Spices in Gratin Dauphinois and Their Measurements

• Nutmeg : About 1/4 teaspoon of grated nutmeg per 1 kg of potatoes. Grate it just before using it; nutmeg in a jar loses its aroma quickly.
• Garlic : 2 cloves per kilo—one to rub on the dish, the other crushed into the milk.
• White pepper : a few turns of the grinder. It's just as aromatic as the dark variety, without leaving any specks in the cream.
• Fine salt : about 10 g per kilogram of potatoes. This is often what’s missing from a bland gratin.
• Thyme and Bay Leaf : 1 sprig and 1 leaf, steeped in milk and then removed.
• Optional : a pinch of allspice (pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger or cinnamon) or Espelette pepper.

Avoid: curry, smoked paprika, or a handful of herbes de Provence. They overpower the flavor of the potatoes and cream, and it would be a shame to ruin such a delicious gratin.

Ingredients for 6 people

• 1.5 kg of floury potatoes (Bintje or Agria)
• 75 cl of whole milk
• 35 cl of whole heavy cream
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 30 g butter
• 1/3 teaspoon of freshly grated nutmeg
• 15 g of fine salt
• Freshly ground white pepper
• 2 sprigs of thyme and 1 bay leaf

For 2 people, use 500 g of potatoes, 25 cl of milk, and 12 cl of cream; use the same spices but reduce the amounts by two-thirds, and bake in a small baking dish for 45 to 50 minutes.

Preparation: 25 min · Cooking: 1 hr 10 min · Rest: 15 min

The Step-by-Step Recipe

1. In a large saucepan, pour in the milk and cream. Add 2 crushed garlic cloves, the thyme, bay leaf, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer, turn off the heat, and let it steep for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut them into 3-mm-thick slices, without rinsing them. Preheat the oven to 160 °C.
3. Remove the thyme and bay leaf, then taste the liquid: it should be well seasoned—almost a little too much—because the potato will absorb the salt.
4. Add the slices to the saucepan and cook for 10 minutes over low heat, stirring gently: the starch will begin to thicken the cream.
5. Rub a gratin dish measuring about 30 x 22 cm with the last clove of garlic, cut in half, then butter it with 10 g of butter.
6. Add the potatoes and cream, and level it off: the liquid should come just up to the top of the last slices. Scatter the remaining butter in small pieces.
7. Bake for 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and a knife slides in easily. If it browns too quickly, cover it with aluminum foil.
8. Let it rest for 15 minutes outside the oven: this allows the gratin to set and the flavors to develop.

My Cooking Tips

• Whole milk and heavy cream are non-negotiable: if you use low-fat milk, the sauce tends to separate and the gratin loses its creaminess.
• There's no cheese in a real Dauphinois: it's the cream and starch that give it its gratin texture. If you add cheese, you're making a Savoyard gratin.
• For a touch of home, replace the thyme with a small sprig of rosemary, but be sure to remove it after steeping—it can quickly overpower the flavor.

Under the pergola: how to serve

My colleague, the butcher, saves some lamb shanks for me, and this gratin pairs perfectly with them—just as it does with a leg of lamb or a roast beef. Serve it with a lamb's lettuce salad with walnuts and a red wine from Bandol—in moderation.

You can bake it the day before: cover it once it's lukewarm, store it in the refrigerator, and reheat it for 30 minutes at 150 °C under aluminum foil, with a dash of cream on top.

Your Questions

How can I make a gratin dauphinois more flavorful?

Let the garlic, nutmeg, and herbs steep in the hot milk, and season the liquid generously with salt before adding the potatoes. Slow cooking at 160 °C does the rest: the cream reduces and concentrates the flavors.

What spice should you add to a potato gratin?

Nutmeg is the go-to spice, along with pepper and garlic. A pinch of allspice or Espelette pepper adds a touch of heat, as long as it’s used sparingly.

What's the secret to a good gratin dauphinois?

Unwashed starchy potatoes, whole milk and heavy cream, parboiling in the liquid, and gentle cooking. Without the 15-minute resting period, the gratin will run off the plate.

What ingredients go into a gratin dauphinois?

Potatoes, milk, cream, garlic, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In the Dauphiné tradition, neither cheese nor eggs are added.

Can you add four-spice blend to a gratin dauphinois?

Yes, a small pinch is enough for 1 kg of potatoes, as a substitute for some of the nutmeg. The clove it contains is very strong: if you use too much, it will overpower everything else.