Will takes on the classic Boulangère Potatoes and argues why it’s the best potato dish in the world. Forget the heavy cream of dauphinoise—these potatoes are light, crispy, and packed with flavour, thanks to layers of thinly sliced potatoes, onions, herbs, and rich stock. Perfect for any meal, this dish combines simplicity with elegance, making it a standout on any table.
Will breaks down step-by-step how to prepare this French favourite, highlighting key techniques for achieving the perfect balance of crispiness on top and melt-in-your-mouth tenderness inside. Whether you’re making it as a side dish or the star of your meal, boulangère potatoes will quickly become a go-to recipe in your kitchen.
VIDEO CHAPTERS
00:00 – Intro
00:08 – Caramelising the onions
00:31 – Preparing the potatoes
01:11 – Layering the boulangère
07:14 – Making a cartouche
08:42 – Cooking the boulangère
11:47 – Finished boulangère
Ingredients:
5kg Agria Potatoes
1 Block of butter
80g Salt
20g Black Pepper
Brown Onions
Oil
Recipe:
1. Caramelise the onions:
Add salt to sliced onions to help them break down and release moisture.
Cook gently over medium heat until they are deeply caramelized, about 30 to 40 minutes. Ensure there are no black bits to avoid bitterness.
2. Prepare the potatoes:
Use a mandolin to thinly slice the potatoes. This helps achieve uniform slices, which is important for even cooking.
Do not wash the potatoes after slicing to preserve the starch, which will help the dish bind together.
3. Clarify the butter:
Melt butter in a microwave for about 20 seconds. It’s okay to leave the milk solids in the clarified butter as they will not burn at the temperature used for cooking.
4. Layer the dish:
In the base of an oven-safe pan, spread a layer of the caramelized onions.
Add a thin layer of sliced potatoes over the onions.
Drizzle some clarified butter and beef stock over the potato layer.
Season with salt and pepper.
Alternate the direction of the potato slices with each new layer to ensure an even arrangement.
Continue layering potatoes, onions, clarified butter, and beef stock, seasoning each layer with salt and pepper as you go.
5. Finish with thyme:
After the last layer of potatoes, season again with salt and pepper, and sprinkle fresh thyme leaves over the top.
6. Make a cartouche:
Cut a piece of greaseproof paper to fit the pan. Make a small hole in the centre to allow steam to escape. Place the cartouche on top of the layered potatoes to help with even cooking and caramelisation.
7. Bake:
Cover the dish with a heavy plate to weigh down the potatoes.
Bake in the oven at 120°C (250°F) for about 1 hour to 1.5 hours.
Halfway through the cooking time, flip the plate to ensure even pressure on the potatoes.
8. Increase the temperature:
After 45 minutes of cooking, remove the cartouche and plate.
Raise the oven temperature to 130°C (265°F) to allow the beef stock to reduce and the potatoes to caramelise on top. Bake for an additional 25 minutes or until the potatoes are golden and tender.
9. Glaze the top:
Before the final 5 minutes of cooking, brush the top of the potatoes with more clarified butter and a little beef stock to create a shiny glaze.
Add a final sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves for aroma.
10. Serve:
Remove from the oven and let the dish rest for a few minutes.
Serve with crispy edges and tender layers of potato, with the rich flavour of caramelised onions and thyme infused throughout.
39 Comments
USE A GUARD!!!
Damn, three 30+ seconds ads during a 12 minute video….
Butter was the dish. Potatoes was the garnish.😆 looks amazing
I know i dont NEED one, but i did just get a mandoline and i really cant believe this was my first suggestion on YT. The stars have aligned!!
Boulangere potatoes are my fav .. Do not need anything else apart from a bottle of Chablis……👍
I am not worthy to even lick the empty bowl it was served in. WOW
Impressive. Think I'll do that with roast chicken on Sunday 😀
Картошка с луком
best? no
It needs cheese on top 😂😂😂😂😂😂
My! Those are fancy Pommes Boulangères! 😊
Fun fact: they are called "Boulangères" (meaning from the baker) because in the old time people didn't have ovens at home, so they'd go to the baker and ask him to put their dish in the oven.
Traditionally, there isn't clarified butter nor the lovely layering shown in this video.
Also, the potatoes would be peeled and often cut a little thicker.
1- Fry the onions as shown but in butter instead of oil, and season them.
2- You have 2 options.
a- Either put all the potatoes on top of the onions, or
b- do 3 layers (potatoes, onions, potatoes)
3- add whatever stock you have (or even water)
4- salt and pepper
5- put a few knobs of butter on top
6- cook uncovered at 180ºC for about 1 hour
Most of the butter is in the onions and a little on top of the potatoes, so it isn't that rich (or expensive) and you can have it as often as you like.
Variations:
– you can disperse one finely chopped clove of garlic between the potatoes
– you can add the left over bones of a roast or stew at the bottom of the dish (or even a fresh one)
chefs getting too comfortable with microwaves, forgetting they are the most harmful and least flavor enhancing tool in the kitchen.
Could you do this in a slow cooker
sorry if i missed it, what oil with the onions?
Love the video/recipe but why leave the onions in full rings? The finished dish has all those stringy onion bits that could be drastically reduced by just quartering the onions.
Just tried to make this, not sure how it works at their temps… Even after the first hour potatoes were too hard.. Adjusted to 350, then 400 and it's to too liquid…
It’s a butter dish with some potatoes and onions🤔❤
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Beautiful food!
Don’t know if it’s my oven but cooked at 120c for 1’15 hour and still not cooked
Listen, if somebody told you you slow cooked potato slices in butter for hours would be delicious, would you believe them? You would? Oh ok
Dauphinoise has entered the chat.
"Best potatos ever you say?"
Wordy
Delivery could have made it by the time those spuds are done.
I love the Fallow posts, chef level details. Some much goes into these recipes, especially the sauces
Thanks chef
From a fellow Lancastrian abroad
Wildly simple recipe.
I could do this myself!
Just gotten into making my own stocks, so now I need recipes that use them up. This is great! Thank you!
When you mention 130 degrees is that in Celsius ?
What induction cooktop are you using?
i prefer bitter black bits of onion
Wow! just Wow! I'm a fan of "Patatas a la Importancia" but this is defenitely my next tryout. Many thanks!
Subscribed!
Oh and a ham and boulangere potato with cheese toastie and egg to dip it in please?!
Best fat to use if you are allergic to milk?
Alright youtube algoritihm, you've won. You've put this at the top of my feed every time I've refreshed. Even though I've ignored it every time. I've finally clicked. Are you happy now?
With some pulled beef that would be awesome! Even though it's already awesome.
It's a soggy mess, bro. That I would eat and enjoy, still a soggy mess though.
Unfortunate that you did not provide oven degrees as well. I’ll give it a try nonetheless. ❤ Looks amazing!
Things I learned today while doing this:
Its awesome
Yes, there is such a thing as too much clarified butter 😀
Thank you for the receipe, chef. This will go on my "things to do to impress family" list
Can you just use beef stock cubes for this?