Dauphinoise Pithivier - Vegetarian Christmas Showstopper

Not all Christmas dinners need a turkey! This golden flaky dome filled with creamy dauphinoise potatoes, herbs, leeks, and mushrooms is absolutely sensational. It's indulgent, impressive, and will steal the show at any Christmas table.

Recipe Details:

• Prep Time: 45 minutes (plus chilling time)
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
• Serves: 4-6
• Difficulty: Medium
• Special Equipment: Large frying pan, mandoline (optional), rolling pin, baking tray, pastry brush

This dauphinoise pithivier is the ultimate vegetarian Christmas showstopper. Imagine classic dauphinoise potatoes, thinly sliced and cooked in cream with garlic and thyme, layered with caramelised leeks, mushrooms, and parmesan, all wrapped in golden, flaky puff pastry and baked into a stunning dome. It looks absolutely spectacular and tastes incredible. The genius of this recipe is that we cook the potatoes in cream first (solving that age-old problem of whether dauphinoise will cook in time), then use that infused cream to make a thick, cheesy filling with the leeks and mushrooms. Every element is packed with flavour. The classic pithivier scoring on top makes it look like something from a French patisserie, but it's surprisingly achievable at home. This is a fantastic alternative to a meat main course, perfect for your vegetarian friends, or brilliant for anyone trying to cut costs as potatoes, leeks, and mushrooms are relatively cheap. You can even make it the day before and bake it on Christmas Day. It's indulgent, absolutely sensational, and looks amazing. What's not to love?

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Spectacular presentation: A golden dome that looks like restaurant-quality French patisserie
• Vegetarian showstopper: Perfect meat-free main course that even carnivores will love
• Budget-friendly: This dish uses affordable ingredients like potatoes, leeks, and mushrooms
• Make-ahead friendly: Assemble the day before and bake on Christmas Day, or make it all in one go
• Problem solved: Cooking the potatoes first means no worrying about whether they'll be done in time

Ingredients

For the Dauphinoise Potatoes:

• 3 large potatoes (Agria work best)
• 500ml double cream
• 250ml whole milk
• Small bunch fresh thyme (about 2g)
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• Salt and pepper

For the Mushroom and Leek Filling:

• 250g mushrooms, sliced
• 1 large leek, sliced 
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 heaped tablespoon plain flour
• 100g parmesan cheese, grated (plus extra for layering)
• Salt and pepper
• Olive oil or butter for cooking

For Assembly:

• 1 x 320g sheets ready-rolled puff pastry
• 2 egg yolks, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

Part 1: Cook the Dauphinoise Potatoes

1. Slice the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and slice them as thinly and consistently as possible, about 2-3mm thick. Use a mandoline if you have one, or a sharp knife. Keep them all the same thickness so they cook evenly. Take your time, especially towards the end when the potato gets smaller.

2. Arrange in a large pan: Spread the potato slices in a large frying pan with a wide surface area. A large pan is much better than a deep pot. The potatoes can sit in one or two layers and cook evenly without sticking or breaking.

3. Add the cream mixture: Pour in the double cream, milk, and add the bunch of fresh thyme and crushed garlic cloves. Season generously with salt and pepper. The liquid should just cover the potatoes.

4. Cook the potatoes: Place the pan over low heat and bring to a gentle simmer, don't let it boil rapidly. Put a lid on slightly ajar to let steam escape. Cook for about 15 minutes, giving the pan an occasional gentle shake to ensure even cooking, until the potatoes are knife-tender but still have a tiny bit of bite. They'll finish cooking in the oven.

5. Drain and save the cream: Carefully drain the potatoes through a colander set over a large bowl to catch all that beautifully infused cream. This liquid will be used for the filling! Set the potatoes aside to cool.

Part 2: Make the Mushroom and Leek Filling

6. Prepare the vegetables: Slice the mushrooms. Slice the leek thinly. Wash the leek slices thoroughly in a colander to remove any grit.

7. Caramelise the leeks: Heat a drizzle of olive oil or butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the sliced leeks with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 8-10 minutes until they're soft, sweet, and lightly caramelised.

8. Add the mushrooms: Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan with the leeks. Cook for another 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms have released their liquid and everything is cooked down and cohesive.

9. Add garlic: Grate in the 2 garlic cloves and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

10. Make the sauce: Sprinkle the tablespoon of flour over the mushroom mixture and stir well. Gradually pour in the reserved cream and milk from the potatoes (the infused liquid you saved). Stir constantly as it thickens into a rich, creamy sauce. This needs to be very thick, cook it down until it's really thick and holds its shape when hot. This is crucial so it doesn't leak out of the pastry.

11. Add cheese and season: Stir in the 100g grated parmesan. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if needed. Set aside to cool completely.

Part 3: Assemble the Pithivier

12. Prepare the pastry: Cut the sheet of puff pastry in half. You'll use one half as the base and one half as the top. Place one piece of pastry on a lined baking tray.

13. Start layering: In the centre of the pastry base, start building a dome shape. Begin with a circle of overlapping potato slices. Season with salt and pepper, then add a spoonful of the mushroom-leek filling. Grate over a little extra parmesan.

14. Continue layering: Keep layering potatoes, filling, and parmesan, building up and inwards to create a dome shape. Take your time and make it look nice, this is your showstopper! Season between each layer. Finish with a final layer of potatoes to create a smooth dome top, with a little more salt, pepper, and cheese.

15. Brush with egg wash: Beat the egg yolks. Brush egg wash around the exposed pastry base (the border around your dome).

16. Cover with pastry: Roll out the second piece of puff pastry slightly so it's large enough to cover your dome. Lay it carefully over the top and press down around the edges to seal, pushing out any air pockets as you go.

17. First chill and glaze: Brush the entire pithivier with egg wash, getting into all the crevices. Place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes until the glaze sets and looks shiny.

18. Second glaze: Remove from the fridge and brush with egg wash again. This double glazing creates a deep, dark, glossy finish. Return to the fridge for another 10 minutes while you preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan/375°F).

Part 4: Decorate and Bake

19. Trim the edges: Remove from the fridge. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut around the edge to trim away excess pastry, leaving about 2cm border.

20. Create the scalloped edge: Using a toothpick or skewer, make small indentations all around the trimmed edge, creating a beautiful scalloped pattern.

21. Make a steam hole: Cut a small cross in the very centre top of the dome, cutting all the way through both layers. Use your skewer to gently fold open the points, creating a decorative steam vent.

22. Score the classic pattern: This is the signature pithivier decoration! Using a sharp knife, score curved lines from the centre hole outward toward the edges, creating a scalloped sunburst pattern. The cross divides your pithivier into four sections, score 3-4 curved lines in each section. Score through the egg wash but not all the way through the pastry, you just want to mark it.

23. Bake: Place in the preheated oven and bake for 35-40 minutes until the pastry is deep golden brown and puffed. In the last 10 minutes, you can increase the temperature to 200°C (180°C fan) to get that gorgeous dark colour. The bottom should be crisp and the pastry completely cooked through.

24. Rest and serve: Let the pithivier rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. Cut into wedges using a sharp knife, making sure to cut all the way through. Serve hot with a simple green salad.

Chef's Tips

For the best results: Use a large, wide frying pan for cooking the potatoes rather than a deep pot. They'll cook more evenly and you're less likely to break them when stirring.

Slice consistently: Whether thick or thin, keep your potato slices the same thickness so they cook at the same rate.

Filling must be thick: This is crucial! When the mushroom-leek filling is hot, it should be very thick - almost stiff. It will loosen slightly when reheated in the oven, so if it's not thick enough cold, it will leak out during baking.

Don't rush the cooling: Everything must be completely cool before you assemble the pithivier, otherwise the heat will melt the puff pastry.

Double glazing matters: That second egg wash creates a spectacular glossy, dark finish. It's worth the extra 10 minutes!

Scoring technique: Use a sharp knife and score confidently but gently. You want to cut through the egg wash and just mark the pastry, not cut through it.

Make it ahead: Assemble the whole thing the day before, cover, and refrigerate. Or even shape it in a cling film-lined bowl and refrigerate. Roll out pastry and assemble the next day, then bake fresh.

Substitutions & Variations

Different vegetables: Swap leeks for caramelised onions. Use different mushrooms like chestnut or portobello. Add spinach or kale.

Root vegetable version: Replace half the potatoes with thinly sliced celeriac, sweet potato, or pumpkin for different flavours.

Cheese options: Use Gruyère, mature cheddar, or a mix of cheeses instead of just parmesan.

Vegan version: Use plant-based cream, milk, and vegan cheese. Use vegan puff pastry and brush with plant milk instead of egg.

Add bacon: For non-vegetarians, add crispy bacon pieces to the filling.

Herb variations: Use rosemary instead of thyme, or add fresh sage to the filling.

Individual pithiviers: Make smaller individual portions using the same technique, perfect for dinner parties.

Storage & Reheating

Make-ahead assembly: Assemble completely, cover, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours before baking. Glaze and bake when ready.

Storage: Store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 2 days. The pastry will soften slightly but it's still delicious.

Reheating: Reheat slices in a 180°C oven for 10-15 minutes until hot through and the pastry crisps back up. Don't microwave as it makes the pastry soggy.

Freezing: You can freeze the assembled but unbaked pithivier for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen, adding 15-20 extra minutes to the cooking time. On a lower oven temperature. 175c

Serving temperature: Best served hot or warm. The pastry is at its crispest straight from the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I use shop-bought dauphinoise instead? A: You could, but the texture and flavour won't be quite the same. The method of cooking the potatoes in cream first and using that cream for the filling is what makes this so special.

Q: My filling is leaking out during baking. What went wrong? A: The filling wasn't thick enough before assembly. It needs to be very thick when hot - almost stiff. Also make sure the pastry edges are well sealed with egg wash.

Q: Can I make this without a mandoline? A: Absolutely! Just use a sharp knife and take your time. The key is consistent thickness rather than perfect thinness.

Q: The pastry bottom is soggy. How do I prevent this? A: Make sure everything is completely cool before assembling, bake on the bottom third of the oven, and ensure your oven is fully preheated. The filling must be very thick too.

Q: How do I know when it's fully cooked? A: The pastry should be deep golden brown all over, puffed up, and crispy. The bottom should be golden too, not pale. If in doubt, give it another 5-10 minutes.

Q: Can I make this in advance and freeze it? A: Yes! Assemble completely, freeze on a tray until solid, then wrap well. Bake from frozen when needed, adding extra time.

You Might Also Like

Ultimate Roast Potatoes - If you love dauphinoise, you'll love these crispy roasties with customisable flavourings.

 Enjoy!

Del x

This will steal the show at any Christmas dinner! A golden flaky dome filled with creamy dauphinoise potatoes, caramelised leeks, mushrooms, and cheese. Whether you're vegetarian or not, this is an incredible showstopper that's indulgent, absolutely sensational, and looks amazing. Perfect for your Christmas table!