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This French-style potato side dish is really simple to make but so delicious. Slow cooking transforms 5 simple ingredients into Boulangere Potatoes – ideal for a Sunday roast or when you need some carb based comfort food!

Boulangere potatoes baked in a dish in layers.

A simple roast potato will always have my heart, but sometimes it’s nice to get fancy, isn’t it? 

If in doubt, go French with your potatoes, and any meal will be elevated to something slightly special. 

Whether it’s a roast dinner or a midweek treat, these Boulangere Potatoes are a perfect example of why impressive doesn’t have to mean complicated when it comes to cooking.


Why you’ll love this Boulangère Potatoes recipe

⭐️ A special side dish for any occasion

⭐️ Affordable but tastes luxurious

⭐️ Low effort but delicious


A pan filled with cooked Boulangere Potatoes, with a spoon in and one portion missing.

How we came up with this recipe

Boulangere Potatoes are similar to Dauphinoise, but instead they’re cooked in stock rather than cream (so they feel much lighter).

When my husband cooks lunch on a Sunday, this is one of those dishes I always ask for, so I knew at some point I needed to share it with you! Plus it has just 5 ingredients and NO any pre-boiling at all. 


Ingredients

Ingredients for Boulangere Potatoes laid out on a white counter. The shot from above shows potatoes, butter, stock cube, onion and fresh thyme.
  • Potatoes – Something like Maris Piper is perfect. The potatoes need to be a floury variety, not waxy so that they soften perfectly in the stock.
  • Onion – A regular white onion, peeled and sliced VERY thinly. (I use a mandolin.)
  • Vegetable stock – This should be boiling hot, just made up. Made with a cube is fine.
  • Fresh thyme – Leaves only. Strip the leaves from the woody stems and discard the stems.
  • Butter – I like to use salted, good quality butter here as it adds additional flavour. If you only have unsalted, add extra seasoning.

How to make Boulangère Potatoes

Finely sliced potatoes in a container, ready to make Boulangere Potatoes.

1. Finely slice the potatoes and onion, and preheat your oven as per the recipe below.

Onions in the bottom of a heavy pan with slices of potato for step 2 in the recipe for Boulangere Potatoes.

2. Grease an ovenproof pan with butter, then spread a layer of onion then potatoes on the bottom.

Slices of raw potatoes in a big pan, with butter and herbs on top for step 3 in the recipe for Boulangere Potatoes.

3. Continue layering, with thyme, salt and pepper and butter between each layer.

Rounds of sliced potatoes with knobs of butter and black pepper on top, for step 4 in the recipe for Boulangere Potatoes.

4. Pour the stock over, add more butter and seasoning, then cook as per the recipe below.


Leftovers

In the fridge You can keep this recipe in the fridge for 3 days. Reheat fully before serving.

In the freezer This recipe freezes well. Just wait until it’s totally cold and then put into a freezer proof container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before reheating in the microwave or covered in the oven.

Top tips

Slicing

It’s important to slice the potatoes very thinly for this recipe. I used this handy chopping device for the job, which saves time.

Herbs

If you can, use fresh herbs here as they will give a much better flavour. Dried herbs tend to work better when cooked in a larger volume of liquid. If you do need to use dried herbs, halve the amount in the recipe.

FAQs

Do you know any other ways to jazz up potatoes?

Yes, try my Parmentier Potatoes.

For something a little more ‘humble’ go for my Colcannon (Irish mash), make-ahead Roast Potatoes, Air Fryer Baked Potatoes or delicious Potato Wedges or Homemade Chips!

What kind of pan should I use for making Boulangere Potatoes?

I use a medium sized heavy cast iron pan for this. Just make sure you use one that is safe to go in the oven, and perhaps something that looks nice in the middle of the table! 

If you’d like to find out how some large pans are rated, read my pan review here.

Goes well with..

Let me know how you got on and what you thought of these recipes. Please rate the recipe using the ⭐️ below.

Also I’d LOVE to see your cooking creations. If you’d like to share yours with me, you can tag me on Instagram (@tamingtwins).

4.79 from 19 votes

Boulangère Potatoes {Easy French-Style Side}

Boulangère Potatoes are a fancy French-style side dish that elevate any meal, whether it’s a Sunday roast, a Christmas dinner or a special celebration meal. But the good news is, they’re also very easy to make!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients 

  • 1 kg Potatoes (such as Maris Piper), Peeled and very thinly sliced
  • 1 Onion, Peeled and very thinly sliced
  • 250 ml Vegetable stock
  • 5 g Fresh thyme (1 tbsp), Leaves only
  • 50 g Butter
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions 

  • ‌Preheat your oven to 180c fan/200c conventional/gas mark 6.
  • Grease a 20 x 20 cm oven proof dish using some butter.
  • Spread a thin layer of onions in the bottom of the dish, then cover with some potatoes, a sprinkling of fresh thyme, salt and pepper and several small knobs of butter.
  • Continue layering as above until the dish is full, making sure you end on a potato layer.
  • Carefully pour the stock into the dish, add the final knobs of butter and a good seasoning of salt and pepper.
  • Place the dish on to a baking sheet, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and cook for a further 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through and the top is golden and crispy.

Notes

Slicing: It’s important to slice the potatoes very thinly for this recipe. I used this handy chopping device for the job, which saved time.
Herbs: If you can, use fresh herbs here as they will give a much better flavour. Dried herbs tend to work better when cooked in a larger volume of liquid. If you do need to use dried herbs, halve the amount in the recipe.

Nutrition

Calories: 301kcalCarbohydrates: 48gProtein: 6gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.4gCholesterol: 27mgSodium: 345mgPotassium: 1118mgFiber: 6gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 510IUVitamin C: 54mgCalcium: 47mgIron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: French
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8 Comments

  1. 1 star
    I don’t know what went wrong but this was gross. I cooked it for an hour, I sliced everything with a mandolin, no one liked it. Will not make again.

  2. Hi just looking at the roast beef and noticed your Boulangere potatoes… this also works well in the slow cooker under the meat don’t need much stock just a spay because the juices from the meat do the job. Usually do it with lamb but can’t wait to try it with beef.
    Thanks for all the recipes they’re a great midweek help!
    Ange

    1. 5 stars
      Really nice,but takes ages is there a pressure cooker or air fry version please
      Cheers Simon