Gluten Free Pommes Anna
Few dishes prove that restraint is its own kind of genius quite like this classic French potato cake. Just Yukon Golds, clarified butter, thyme, and salt — and yet the result is something genuinely showstopping: crisp and deeply golden on the outside, tender and layered all the way through. Because the entire dish is built from whole, naturally gluten-free ingredients, there's no substitution work to do and nothing to second-guess at the grocery store. The technique of clarifying the butter is a small extra step that pays off enormously, giving each layer a rich, nutty flavor without any of the milk solids that can burn. Keeping the starch on the potato slices is the other quiet trick here — it's what makes those layers fuse into a cohesive cake that unmolds cleanly and holds its shape when you cut it into wedges. This is the kind of side dish that earns compliments at a dinner party but is honestly simple enough for a weeknight when you want something a little special. Finish with a scatter of fresh parsley and serve it straight from the pan while it's still crackling.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 lbs yukon gold potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat, then let it sit undisturbed for 2 minutes. Skim the white foam from the surface and carefully pour the clear golden liquid into a small bowl, leaving the milky solids behind — you should have about 4 tbsp clarified butter.
- 2
Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, slice the peeled potatoes into rounds approximately 1/8-inch (3mm) thick. Do not rinse or soak the slices — the surface starch helps the layers bind.
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