Boulangere Potatoes

Boulangere Potatoes, also known as Pommes Boulangère, is a rustic French side made with thin potato slices, onions, garlic, and fresh thyme baked in stock.

The name comes from the days when families cooked it in the village baker's oven. It is lighter than dauphinoise, and it works with almost any roast. All it takes is one dish and about 20 minutes of prep.

Jump to:

• Origins of Boulangere Potatoes
• Why This Recipe Works?
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Boulangere Potatoes?
• recipe Tips From the Chef
• Variations
• Serving Suggestions
• Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
• Recipe FAQs
• Related Recipes
• Boulangere Potatoes

The potatoes soak up the stock as they bake, so the inside stays soft and buttery while the top picks up a little crunch.

If you love French food, you might want to have a look at my other delicious French recipes such as Traditional French Onion Soup, Ratatouille Niçoise, Chicken Liver Pate, and Mousse au Chocolat - French Chocolate Mousse.

Origins of Boulangere Potatoes

The French name for Potato Boulangere - Pommes Boulangere translates to "potatoes from the bakers," which refers to the origins of the dish.

In rural areas where people did not have their own ovens, the dish was traditionally cooked by bakers.

The tradition was taking a casserole of potatoes to the local baker at the end of the day to cook the dish in the baker's cooling oven overnight.

It is very similar to a tradition in Turkey of cooking a ceremonial dish called "Keşkek". This tradition is still ongoing in some rural areas.

Why This Recipe Works?

• Everything cooks in the dish you serve it in, so there is very little washing up.

• It is a great alternative to Duck Fat Roasted Potatoes when you need something healthier and lighter. It has only 185 kcal per portion!

• You do not need any special equipment. A sharp knife or a mandoline and one baking dish are enough.

• Potato Boulangere is the perfect side dish for special occasions such as Easter and Christmas as well as for a Sunday roast.

• You only need a few basic fridge ingredients that you might already have in hand.

Ingredients You'll Need

Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.

• Potatoes - Floury or all-rounder potatoes such as Desiree, Russet, or Maris Piper are the right choice. They turn golden as they bake and hold together when you serve. Waxy potatoes slip and slide apart.

• Onions - Brown or yellow onions work best. Cooking them before layering brings out their sweetness.

• Herbs - I use fresh thyme, but oregano or rosemary work too. Dried herbs are fine if that is what you have.

• Garlic - Use fresh garlic or omit it if you don't have any. You can turn it into a paste with a mortar and pestle or grate it with a Microplane.

• Butter - A good quality salted or unsalted butter works well for this dish but you can use a good quality extra virgin olive oil for the vegetarian/vegan version.

• Stock - For the best results, you should use Chicken Bone Broth. However, if you want to make this dish vegetarian/vegan friendly, you can use Basic Homemade Vegetable Stock. You can also use good quality store-bought stock or stock cubes. Just make sure you check the saltiness of the stock you are using before adding any seasoning to your dish.

How to Make Boulangere Potatoes?

Sauté the Onions

Preheat the oven to 180° C - 356° F (fan oven). Peel and slice the onions and garlic.

Melt half of the butter in a pan and gently saute the onions along with the garlic and thyme on medium to low heat. This should take around 15 minutes until they are soft and slightly golden.

Although some of the Pommes Boulangere recipes layer raw onions, cooking them in advance is necessary. When you layer raw onions between the potatoes, they don't always have enough time to cook fully.

Slice the Potatoes

While sautéing the onions, peel and slice the potatoes. Use a mandolin or the slicer attachment on your food processor to slice the potatoes. You can cut by hand using a sharp knife if you have enough time and patience.

Don't wash your potatoes after slicing them as they would lose the starch necessary to thicken the stock.

Build Your Dish

Once you have sliced your potatoes, brush an oven-safe baking dish (approximately 21 cm / 8 ¼" diameter) with soft butter and start building the boulangere potatoes. Arrange about ⅓ of the potatoes on the bottom of the dish and sprinkle on half of the onions.

Season with salt and pepper then arrange another ⅓ of the potatoes. Sprinkle the rest of the onions, and add more seasoning.

Nicely arrange the rest of the potatoes and scatter small cubes of the remaining butter on top of the potatoes, and pour over the Chicken Stock.

Add just enough to reach about a third of the depth of the dish. It will bubble up as the potatoes cook and slowly be absorbed.

Cover the dish with a lid or tin foil and cook in preheated oven for 45 minutes.

Remove the lid or tin foil and cook for another 30 minutes until the stock is absorbed by the potatoes and the top layer is crisp.

recipe Tips From the Chef

• Don't wash the potatoes after slicing as they will lose their starch and they won't stick together.

• Replace butter with olive oil and use vegetable stock to make this potato bake vegan-friendly.

• Allrounder or floury potatoes are the best choice for this Pommes Boulangere dish. The potato & onion bake would slip and slide apart when you serve if you use waxy potatoes.

• Slice the potatoes as evenly as you can, ideally with a mandoline. Even slices cook at the same speed.

• Press the layers down firmly before the dish goes in the oven. It helps the potatoes hold together when you serve.

• Let the dish rest for 5 to 10 minutes after baking. The liquid settles and the slices hold their shape.

• The dish scales up easily for a crowd. Use a larger baking dish and check the potatoes are tender with a knife before you uncover them for the final browning.

Variations

• Swap the onions for leeks. They cook down softer and taste a little sweeter.

• Scatter a few bacon lardons between the layers for a smokier version.

• Tuck a bay leaf into the layers, or use a mix of thyme and rosemary.

• Stand the potato slices upright in rows instead of laying them flat. More edges catch the heat, and you get a much crispier top.

Serving Suggestions

This potato side dish goes well with roast meat or chicken dishes such as Rice Stuffed Chicken, Slow Cooked Lamb Shoulder, and Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken.

They go also well with richer dishes like Islim Kebabi (Aubergine Meatball Wraps), Turkish Moussaka, or Julia Child's Beef Bourguignon.

Storage and Make Ahead Instructions

Sliced potatoes discolor quickly, so this is not a dish to assemble hours ahead. The better way to get ahead is to bake it fully, cool it, and reheat it on the day.

To reheat, cover the dish with foil and warm it in a preheated oven at 180° C - 356° F for 20 minutes, then uncover it for another 10 minutes so the top crisps up again.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze them too, but the texture can turn a little grainy after defrosting, so the fridge is the better option.

Recipe FAQs

Related Recipes

For other great potato dishes why not try:

Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.

I hope you enjoy the process of making this French potato and onion bake - Pommes Boulangere as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂