What French side dish consists of thinly sliced potatoes baked with cream and garlic?

The French side dish made from thinly sliced potatoes baked with cream and garlic is gratin dauphinois. It comes from the Dauphiné region of southeastern France, and its name means roughly “Dauphiné-style gratin.” Raw potatoes are sliced thinly, layered in a buttered baking dish, and slowly baked in cream until tender and richly flavored. Garlic is traditionally used to rub the dish, while recipes vary in whether garlic is layered directly with the potatoes.

A commonly missed detail is that classic gratin dauphinois traditionally contains no cheese. Adding cheese moves the dish toward gratin savoyard, a related preparation associated with neighboring Savoy. Modern restaurant and home recipes sometimes add Gruyère, Parmesan, eggs, or milk, so the boundaries can look blurred outside France.

The dish is also different from pommes dauphine, which are fried potato-and-choux pastry puffs. Its first recorded mention dates to July 12, 1788, when it was served at a dinner in Gap. The slow baking helps the potatoes absorb the cream while their starch naturally thickens the sauce.