It’s Montana Week on House of Nash Eats as part of my American Eats series where I’m making famous recipes from each state, one state at a time. And while this duchess potato recipe isn’t necessarily particular to Montana, they were the perfect side dish to serve with Montana favorites like our Smoked Prime Rib Roast or a Grilled Ribeye Steak. But they are just as good with a thick slice of meatloaf in place of your regular mashed potatoes! Duchess potatoes would be perfect served with Christmas dinner parties, Easter dinner, or even just a nice Sunday dinner with roast beef as a way to change up your potato game.
Why are they called duchess potatoes?
This elegant side dish originated from France in the 1700’s where it was called “pommes duchesse“. The added egg yolks give the mashed potatoes a velvety texture, wonderful golden color, and richness thanks to the added fat from the yolks. Take your next batch of mashed potatoes from basic to amazing with just a few simple additions and a piping bag!
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Potatoes – Yukon gold potatoes are hands down my favorite for this duchess potatoes recipe because they have a beautiful color, wonderful texture, and great flavor. But russet potatoes are an acceptable alternative. I wouldn’t recommend making these with red potatoes. Salted butter Heavy cream – Heavy cream will give the best results for creamy, flavorful duchess potatoes, but you can even get away with milk if you need to. Egg yolks – These add a wonderful richness, texture, and flavor, as well as boosting the beautiful golden color. Don’t skip them and save your egg whites for making pavlova for dessert! Salt & pepper – Taste and adjust as needed. If you properly salt your water to boil the potatoes you won’t need as much salt to season them and the flavor will be better overall. Parmesan cheese – Use freshly grated Parmesan, not the powdered kind that comes in a can. Minced garlic – Because garlic mashed potatoes are the best mashed potatoes. Nutmeg – Adding a pinch of nutmeg is the secret ingredient that takes these Duchess potatoes from good to fantastic!
How to Make Duchess Potatoes
Tips for Success
Peel the skins. It might seem tedious, but one of the highlights of these potatoes is their incomparable creaminess. Leaving the skin on the potatoes would detract from that and could potentially make piping the potatoes difficult if the skins got stuck in the piping tip. Try substituting a different kind of cheese. If you want to make these even more gourmet, try swapping out the parmesan for another cheese like smoked gouda or even cheddar. Change the flavor. If you want to add even more flavor, make loaded duchess potatoes by adding sour cream, some chopped fresh herbs like chives, and chopped crispy bacon!
What to Serve With Duchess Potatoes
Duchess potatoes are a fancier replacement for mashed potatoes and will taste wonderful with any food that you would typically serve with mashed potatoes like meatloaf or pork chops. But they are perfect for a dinner party or special occasion. Here are some of our favorite pairings of main dishes to serve with duchess potatoes.
Smoked Prime Rib Roast Easy Beef Tenderloin Roast With Creamy Horseradish Sauce Best Roast Chicken Recipe Easy Oven Baked Trout Recipe Crispy Honey Roasted Duck Oven Roasted Rack of Lamb
Storage & Reheating
Keep any uneaten potatoes in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Reheat in a 350 degree F oven for 10-12 minutes before serving.
Do duchess potatoes freeze well?
Yes, these freeze very well. So much so that I frequently double or triple the recipe and freeze the additional potatoes for up to 3 months before baking. They bake beautifully directly from frozen so it is easy to have a ready-to-go side dish in your freezer for an elegant element to your meal. Bake direct from frozen by increasing the bake time 5 to 10 minutes. If already baked, let the potatoes thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat in the oven as directed above.
More Potato Recipes
Easy Hashbrown Breakfast Casserole Fluffy Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes Crispy Baked Potato Wedges The Best Loaded Baked Potato Soup Twice Baked Potatoes
Creamy Potluck Potatoes
Salt Crusted Baked Potatoes with Roasted Garlic & Rosemary Butter
Scalloped Potatoes (Au Gratin Potatoes)
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