Name: Gratin Savoyard with Cheese, Cream and Potatoes
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 105 min
Ingredients: 3 1/4 lb yellow potatoes (preferably Yukon Gold); 5 oz Tomme de Savoie (grated); 5 oz Comté (grated); 5 oz French Emmental (grated); 2 1/2 cups 15% cream or half-and-half; 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped); 1 small pinch freshly grated nutmeg; 1 1/2 tsp fine salt (or to taste); 1/2 tsp black pepper; 1 1/2 tbsp softened butter (for the baking dish)

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Gratin Savoyard is the mountain cousin of potato gratin: sliced potatoes baked slowly with cream, garlic, nutmeg and plenty of cheese until the top is golden and the inside is soft. This recipe is based on my YouTube video, with a few adjustments since publication to make the proportions easier to reproduce at home. The important thing here is thin potatoes, enough cream to cook them gently, and a good mix of cheeses that melt without turning the dish into a greasy brick.

This is not the same as a classic gratin dauphinois. Dauphinois is usually more about potatoes, cream and garlic, while this version goes much harder on cheese. I make it this way because the cheeses give the gratin that Alpine, cold-weather character: nutty, creamy, salty and rich enough to serve almost like a main dish with a salad.

What Makes This Recipe Different

The difference is the cheese. In the video, I use three cheeses: Tomme de Savoie, Comté and French Emmental. Tomme brings a rustic mountain flavour, Comté adds nuttiness, and Emmental melts beautifully without taking over everything. Together, they make the gratin taste deep without needing meat, broth or complicated seasoning.

The other important detail is the cream. I use 15% cream because it is rich enough to cook the potatoes but not as heavy as full whipping cream. You can use heavier cream if you want a richer result, but for this kind of gratin, I prefer a cream that can bubble slowly into the potatoes instead of sitting too thick on top.

The mistake to avoid is slicing the potatoes too thick. They should be thin, around 1/8 inch, almost like thick chips. If the slices are thick, the top will brown before the center is tender. When the gratin is ready, a knife should slide through the potatoes with very little resistance.

This recipe also sits in a different place from my creamy French potato gratin with cheese. That one is closer to a creamy gratin style. This Savoyard version is more rustic, more cheesy and more mountain-style.

Ingredients You Need

You need yellow potatoes, three cheeses, cream, garlic, nutmeg, salt, pepper and butter for the dish. That is it. There are not many ingredients, so the quality of the cheese matters.

For the potatoes, I like yellow-fleshed potatoes because they give a creamy texture without falling apart too much. Yukon Gold works very well in Canada and the United States. A floury potato also works, but it will give a softer, more blended texture.

For the cheese, use Tomme de Savoie, Comté and Emmental if you can. If you cannot find all three, do not panic. The recipe still works with a good melting cheese and one stronger cheese for flavour. What I look for here is a mix that melts nicely, smells nutty, and does not release too much oil.

Garlic and nutmeg are not there to dominate. They should perfume the cream. When you mix the cream, it should smell lightly of garlic and warm spice, not like raw garlic sauce.

gratin savoyard cheese cream potatoes, ingredients

Step-by-Step Instructions

Start by grating the cheeses. Cold cheese is easier to grate, so keep it in the fridge until you need it. Mix the grated Tomme, Comté and Emmental together in a bowl. This gives you a more even distribution when you build the layers.

gratin savoyard cheese cream potatoes, step 1

Next, prepare the cream. In a bowl or measuring cup, combine the cream with finely chopped garlic, a small pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, salt and black pepper. Mix well. I prefer to season the cream instead of sprinkling salt randomly between layers because the seasoning spreads more evenly through the potatoes.

gratin savoyard cheese cream potatoes, step 2

Butter the baking dish generously. Do the bottom, the sides and the corners. This is not the moment to be shy with the butter. It helps prevent sticking and gives the edges better flavour.

Slice the potatoes very thinly with a mandoline or a sharp knife. You want slices around 1/8 inch thick. Keep your fingers safe if using a mandoline. The slices should bend slightly but still hold their shape.

gratin savoyard cheese cream potatoes, step 3

Arrange the first layer of potatoes in the dish, overlapping them slightly. It does not have to look like a palace floor. The important thing is an even layer so everything cooks at the same speed. Spoon over some of the seasoned cream, then add a light scattering of cheese.

Repeat with a second layer of potatoes, cream and cheese. Add the third layer of potatoes, then press down gently with your hands or the back of a spoon. The cream should come about halfway up the potatoes. If it goes all the way to the top, the gratin can become loose and soupy.

gratin savoyard cheese cream potatoes, step 4

Cover the dish with parchment paper and then foil. In the original video, plastic film is used under foil, but for a home recipe I recommend parchment paper or an oven-safe lid instead. Regular plastic wrap is not something I would tell people to put in a conventional oven.

Bake covered at 350°F for about 1 hour. The covered baking traps steam and lets the potatoes cook before the top browns. After 1 hour, remove the cover carefully. The steam is hot. Test the potatoes with a knife. They should be almost tender, with only a small amount of resistance in the center.

gratin savoyard cheese cream potatoes, step 5

Add the remaining cheese on top and return the gratin to the oven uncovered for 15 to 25 minutes. You know it is ready when the top is golden, the cream is bubbling at the edges, and the potatoes are fully tender.

Let the gratin rest for 10 minutes before serving. This is not just to avoid burning your mouth. Resting lets the cream and melted cheese settle into the potatoes, so the slices hold better on the plate.

gratin savoyard cheese cream potatoes, finished dish

What to Serve With It

This gratin is rich, so I like something green and sharp beside it. In the video, I serve it with a spinach and mushroom salad dressed with a mustard vinaigrette. A crunchy salad like my romaine and endive green salad works very well because the bitterness and freshness cut through the cheese.

If you want to make it a full meal, serve it with simple protein. It would be excellent beside pan-seared salmon, 15-minute garlic butter steak bites or a roast chicken. For a very comforting table, it can also sit next to one-pan chicken thighs with potatoes, but in that case I would keep the portions small because you already have potatoes in both dishes.

For another potato recipe with a completely different texture, try crispy homemade hash browns or easy crispy potato latkes. Those are crisp and pan-fried, while this gratin is soft, creamy and baked.

Substitutions

If you cannot find Tomme de Savoie, use a mild mountain-style cheese, raclette, Gruyère or even a good melting Swiss-style cheese. If Comté is too expensive, Gruyère is the easiest replacement. If you cannot find French Emmental, regular Emmental or Swiss cheese will work.

You can make the gratin with 35% cream if you want it richer. It will be heavier and more luxurious. You can also use half-and-half, but I would not go much lighter than that because the sauce may become watery.

For the potatoes, Yukon Gold is my first choice. Russet potatoes work too, but they are more floury and can break down more. Red potatoes stay firmer, so the gratin may need more time and will not be as creamy.

If you want a less cheesy version, reduce the total cheese to 10 ounces. If you want a very mountain-style version, keep the full amount, but do not add too much extra salt because the cheese already brings seasoning.

This recipe is also different from heavier casserole-style dishes like cheesy beef and potato gratin or hobo casserole with ground beef. Those are full main dishes with meat. This one is more of a cheese and potato gratin that can be served as a side or a vegetarian main with salad.

FAQ

Can I make Gratin Savoyard ahead of time?

Yes. Bake it fully, let it cool, cover it and refrigerate it. Reheat it covered at 325°F until hot, then uncover for a few minutes to bring back the top. The texture will be a little denser the next day, but still very good.

Why are my potatoes still hard?

They were probably sliced too thick, the dish was too deep, or there was not enough covered baking time. Cover the dish again and continue baking until a knife goes through the center easily.

Can I use only one cheese?

Yes, but the flavour will be simpler. Gruyère alone would work very well. Emmental alone will melt nicely but taste milder. Cheddar can work, but it changes the recipe into more of a North American potato casserole.

Can I add bacon or ham?

Yes, but then the dish becomes heavier and saltier. If adding bacon or ham, reduce the salt in the cream. For that direction, you may also like my easy leek and ham gratin or potato and cheese pierogi.

Can I freeze it?

I do not recommend freezing this gratin. Creamy potato dishes can turn grainy or watery after thawing. Refrigerating leftovers is a better option.

What should the finished texture be?

The top should be golden and bubbling. Inside, the potatoes should be soft and creamy, not dry and not swimming in liquid. When you cut a portion, it should hold together loosely, with melted cheese stretching a little but not pouring everywhere.