Pommes Anna Recipe

Pommes Anna is a surprisingly simple yet elegant French potato side dish. Thinly sliced potatoes are layered on top of each other, drizzled with butter, and seasoned with salt and pepper before being baked until crispy and golden. You will love how easily this dish comes together and every mouthwatering slice. 

When you need a break from your usual side of mashed potatoes, I’d encourage you to try a Fondant Potatoes Recipe or a Domino Potatoes Recipe. You’d be surprised at how simple techniques and flavors can make this everyday vegetable feel new and fancy.

What is Pommes Anna?

Pommes Anna, sometimes called “Potatoes Anna” in English, is a classic French potato dish created by legendary chef Adolphe Dugléré during the 19th century. The dish embodies the elegance of French cuisine, transforming simple ingredients into something sophisticated.

Similar to baked Italian potatoes or American scalloped potatoes, French Pommes Anna features a pan of carefully layered, paper-thin, and simply seasoned potato slices. The layered potato “cake” is flattened and baked until the exterior is crisp and golden, and the interior is tender and buttery.

One of the things I love most about this dish is its eye-catching presentation. Once baked and flipped onto a plate, the layers reveal a “potato pie” of golden, delicate potato petals with a soft, luscious center. It’s a show-stopping, satisfying dish to serve at dinner parties or anytime you want to impress your guests.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Potatoes – I always make pommes Anna with large russet potatoes because their high starch content yields crisp edges and a layered structure. Creamier potatoes, such as Yukon Golds, hold more moisture, which can cause the layers to slump and become soggy. 
• Butter – Melted unsalted butter gives me more control over the salty flavors. Clarified butter is also a great choice, as it will give the dish cleaner layers without the milk solids that can burn. You can use a neutral oil, like canola oil, as a substitute.
• Seasonings – Just salt and pepper.
• Herbs – Though optional, I love sprinkling fresh thyme and thinly sliced chives on top for a final pop of color and freshness. Other soft, fresh herbs you can use are chopped parsley, dill, tarragon, or rosemary. 

How to Make Potatoes Anna

Slice the potatoes: While the oven preheats, I peel the potatoes and slice them thinly with a mandoline. 

Soak: I submerge the potato rounds in cold water to prevent oxidation (browning). I drain the soaked potatoes, rinse them under running water, and dry them with a clean kitchen towel. 

Melt the butter: Next, I melt 8 tablespoons of butter in a small pot and 2 tablespoons in an oven-safe skillet.

Begin layering: Starting from the center of the pan and working outward, I fan the potato slices over the melted butter in the oven-safe skillet. Then, I continue arranging a tight, overlapping spiral until the bottom of the pan is fully covered. I drizzle some of the reserved melted butter over the top. I season the potato layer generously with salt and pepper.

Reverse layering: For the next layer, I work in the opposite direction (outside to inside). Then, I repeat with more butter, salt, and pepper. 

Repeat layers: I continue spiraling the potato slices, alternating directions with each new layer, and drizzling on melted butter and seasonings until I have about six layers total. 

Compress: I firmly press down on the layers using another pan of the same size to create a compressed and sliceable potato cake. 

Bake: I cover the pan with foil and bake the potatoes for 25 minutes. Next, I remove the foil and continue baking for another 20 to 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the potatoes are fork-tender.

Plate and serve: I run a butter knife around the edges of the pan. I flip the pan over and onto a serving plate and drizzle extra melted butter over the top. I finish the pommes Anna with a sprinkle of fresh thyme and chives before slicing and serving. 

Serving Suggestions 

Pommes Anna is French food at its finest, which is why I like to pair it with a main dish that feels extra fancy. My favorites are usually slow-cooked duck confit or this comforting coq au vin.

This is also an impressive side dish you can serve at any holiday dinner. Go all out by pairing the crispy sliced potatoes with a prime rib roast. Or, keep it simple with the usual roasted turkey.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Make-Ahead: Potatoes Anna is always best when it’s served fresh from the oven. You can, however, keep the dish covered and in a 200ºF oven for up to 30 minutes before serving.

How to Store: Cover and refrigerate for 4 days. For longer storage, freeze the potatoes for up to 3 months and thaw them in the refrigerator overnight before reheating.

How to Reheat: Place potatoes on a parchment-lined pan and bake at 350°F for 7 minutes or until heated through. This keeps the layers intact and helps restore crispness.

More Potato Recipes

• Oven Roasted Potatoes
• Jacket Potatoes
• Potato Wedges
• Hasselback Potatoes
• Lyonnaise Potatoes