Duchess Potatoes are rich, creamy, whipped bites of potatoes with crispy edges and a soft delicate middle. Fluffy and creamy mashed potatoes are piped into beautiful shapes and baked until golden brown. Known as "Pommes Duchesse" in French, these whipped potatoes are an elegant side dish that's perfect for special occasions but easy enough for simple dinner parties.
Plus, Duchess Potatoes are a lot easier to make than they seem. Using only 6 staple ingredients, you can make duchess potatoes ready to serve in just 40 minutes. Easter brunch is a great meal to debut this upscale cousin of mashed potato, or you can save them for your next dinner party to impress your friends and family! The rich and buttery flavor of these potatoes will have your guests begging for seconds.
Why You'll Love the Duchess Potatoes
- Creamy, buttery potato bites. These duchess potatoes are silky smooth on the inside and packed with flavor, thanks to butter, heavy cream, Parmesan and parsley. They are piped into beautiful shapes and baked until golden brown. Your guests will be impressed by their elegant presentation.
- Quick to make. Though they look incredibly fancy, these duchess potatoes take less than an hour to prepare, and most of that time is spent waiting on the potatoes to bake in the oven. Perfect for prepping other dishes or cleaning up!
- A special occasion side or appetizer. Duchess potatoes are as exceptional as their name suggests. They’re a great side dish or starter for special occasions like holiday parties and romantic evenings. They also pair well with just about any entree!
- Easy to customizable. You can easily customize the flavor of these pommes duchesse potatoes by adding your favorite herbs and spices. Try adding garlic, rosemary, or Parmesan cheese to give them an extra burst of flavor.
Ingredient Notes
To make these delicious Duchess Potatoes, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- Russet potatoes - if you don’t have Russet potatoes, you can easily substitute with Yukon gold potatoes.
- unsalted butter - unsalted butter gives you the most control over the flavor, but you can use salted butter if necessary. Just be sure to adjust the amount of additional salt in the recipe.
- heavy cream - if you don’t have heavy cream, use half-and-half or whole milk and add more butter to increase the fat content.
- salt and pepper
- egg yolks - egg yolks are essential to making the potatoes creamy and binding them together.
- parsley - this is optional, for serving. You can also try other soft herbs like dill, basil, or thyme.
- Parmesan cheese - you can also use Pecorino Romano, Asiago cheese, or nutritional yeast flakes as substitutes for Parmesan.
You will also need measuring cups and spoons, large pot, potato masher (or fork), whisk, and large baking sheets.
How to Make the Best Duchess Potatoes
- Boil potatoes. Place potatoes in a large pot and fill with water to cover the potatoes by about one inch. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down to low, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until potatoes are tender.
- Mash potatoes. Drain and place the potatoes back in the pot or into a mixing bowl. Use a potato masher or forks to mash the potatoes.
- Add remaining ingredients. Add butter, heavy cream, egg yolks, salt, and pepper. Whisk until smooth, about 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer to piping bag. Transfer the mashed potatoes, in batches, to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
- Pipe swirls. Line a 2 large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pipe the potatoes into 2-3 inches wide swirls evenly onto the lined baking sheets.
- Brush with oil. Lightly brush the tops with melted butter or spray with cooking oil spray.
- Bake. Bake in a 375F preheated oven on the middle rack until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes.
- Serve. Garnish with parsley and finely grated parmesan and serve immediately.
Recipe Variations
- Give them a cheesy twist. Take your Duchess Potatoes to the next level by adding a generous amount of shredded cheddar cheese or gruyere cheese to the potato mixture. It's a perfect blend of creamy and cheesy goodness.
- Make them spicy. For a bit of heat, add some red pepper flakes or chopped jalapeño peppers to the potato mixture before baking. Serve with a side of cooling sour cream or Greek yogurt for a balanced flavor.
- Change the seasoning. We season these duchess potatoes simply with salt and pepper. You can change it up by experimenting with different flavors. Try adding garlic powder, ground cumin, or paprika.
- Add bacon. For a smoky and savory flavor, mix in some crispy bacon bits to the potato mixture before piping it onto your baking sheet. Serve with a side of caramelized onions for a delicious pairing.
- Top with herbs. We topped these potatoes with fresh parsley but you can switch it up other fresh herbs such as dill, thyme, or rosemary.
How to Serve
You can serve Duchess Potatoes on their own as an appetizer, or as a fancy side dish along with your favorite entrees. Some of our favorite meals to serve with these potatoes are:
- Dutch Oven Whole Roast Chicken
- Ribeye Steak
- Garlic Butter Salmon
- Oven Roasted Vegetables
- Glazed Honey Balsamic Pork Chops
- Roasted Turkey Breast
Duchess Potatoes also pair perfectly with homemade sauces, such as a rich Mushroom Gravy or a tangy Cranberry Sauce. You can get creative and experiment with different sauces to find your perfect pairing.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Don’t overprocess the potatoes. Make sure your potatoes turn out creamy by manually whipping them until creamy. You can also blend them by ricing or pulsing them in a food processor until they’re just broken down — if you mash, mix, or blend them too much, the consistency will change and they can become gummy.
- Make them ahead for busy occasions. These duchess potatoes are prep-friendly! If you’re hosting a big event like a dinner party or holiday gathering, you can make it easier on yourself by making them a day or two ahead of time and simply reheating them when you’re ready. No one will know the difference!
- Make a DIY pastry bag. A pastry bag is essential to making these duchess potatoes, but if you don’t have one on hand, you’re not completely out of luck. You can make a simple substitution by spooning the potatoes into a Ziploc bag and snipping one of the corners off. It won’t have the same signature ridges, but it will create the same overall shape!
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
Allow the duchess potatoes to cool to room temperature, then store in an airtight container in a single layer. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
How to Reheat
Reheat duchess potatoes in a 375℉ preheated oven for 10-15 minutes or by microwaving on high for 15-30 seconds.
How to Freeze
You can freeze unbaked duchess potatoes for up to 3 months. Once piped onto the baking sheet, freeze them uncovered for 1-2 hours until they become solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze. You can bake directly from frozen, adding a few minutes to the baking time.
More Potato Recipes
- 40 Best Potato Side Dishes
- Crispy Smashed Potatoes
- Hasselback Potatoes
- Creamy Mashed Potatoes
- Baked Potato Wedges
- Patatas Bravas
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