Recipe

Pommes Anna

A buttery, paper-thin layered potato cake baked until crisp, then flipped for the golden top.

By Matt Campbell

•

4.8

A golden brown Pommes Anna potato cake on a serving plate with crisp, layered edges and a glossy butter sheen

Pommes Anna is what happens when potatoes and butter decide to put on a tux. It is a simple French potato cake made from paper-thin slices layered like shingles, baked until the edges go crisp, and then inverted so the deeply golden bottom becomes the show-off top.

Two important things before we get excited and start slicing. First, Pommes Anna is not a gratin. There is no cream, and there is no cheese. That clean butter-and-potato flavor is the whole point. Second, your success lives and dies on slice thickness and layering. Get those right and you will feel like you own a tiny French bistro, even if you are wearing sweatpants.

Whole Yukon Gold potatoes, a block of butter, and a small bowl of salt arranged on a clean kitchen counter

Why It Works

Crisp, golden crust: The potatoes on the outside fry gently in butter as they bake, so you get that crackly edge without deep frying.
Tender center: Paper-thin slices cook through evenly and turn creamy, but without any cream or cheese.
Distinct layers: Keeping it butter-only preserves the classic look and texture, not the saucy scoop of a gratin.
Clean sliceability: A short rest plus a confident flip gives you neat wedges that hold together.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Refrigerate: Let leftovers cool, then wrap tightly or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. For best texture, try to enjoy within the first couple of days.

Reheat for crisp: The microwave makes it soft. For the best comeback, reheat slices on a sheet pan at 400 F for 10 to 15 minutes, or warm in a skillet over medium heat with a tiny dab of butter until the bottom crisps again.

Freeze: You can freeze it, but the texture will be less crisp when thawed. If you do, freeze wedges on a parchment-lined tray until firm, then bag them up for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 400 F until hot through.

Common Questions

What potato slice thickness is best for Pommes Anna?

Aim for 1/16 inch slices, about 1.5 to 1.6 mm. If you can bend a slice slightly without it snapping, you are in the sweet spot. Thicker slices can work, but the center takes longer and the layers look less refined.

Do I need a mandoline?

It is not mandatory, but it is the easiest way to get even slices fast. If you use a knife, go slow and focus on consistency. Uneven slices are the main reason the cake bakes unevenly.

Should I rinse the potatoes?

No. Rinsing washes away surface starch that helps the layers lightly cling. Just slice and layer.

What potatoes are best: Yukon Gold or russet?

Yukon Gold is my favorite here because it turns creamy and holds together nicely. Russets are starchier and can get very crisp, but the slices are a bit more fragile, so be gentle when layering and flipping. Either will work if you slice thin and pack the layers tight.

How do I keep potatoes from turning brown while I work?

Best move is to slice and assemble right away. If you have to pause, you can hold slices in cold water briefly, then dry them very well before layering. Just know you will wash off some starch, which is part of what helps the layers cling.

Why is my Pommes Anna sticking?

Usually it is one of three things: not enough butter on the bottom, the pan surface is too rough, or you tried to flip too early. Generously butter the pan, use parchment if you want an insurance policy, and wait until the edges are clearly browned.

How do I know when it is ready to flip?

Look for deeply golden edges pulling slightly from the pan and a tender center when you poke down with a thin knife. It should also move as one piece when you gently jiggle the pan. If the middle still feels firm and resistant, give it more time before flipping.

Can I add cheese or cream?

You can, but then you are drifting into gratin territory. Pommes Anna is meant to be butter-only so the layers stay distinct and the crust stays crisp.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

8 or 9-inch round cake pan or oven-safe skillet (cast iron works great)

Mandoline (recommended) or a sharp chef's knife

Pastry brush or spoon for butter

Parchment paper (optional but helpful for easy flipping)

Baking sheet to set under the pan in case of butter drips

Plate or cutting board larger than the pan for the flip

The first time I made Pommes Anna, I treated the flip like a magic trick I had not practiced. I hovered, hesitated, and basically negotiated with the potatoes. What finally worked was committing to two things: thinner slices than I thought I needed, and waiting until the edges looked like they had actually lived a little. Now it is one of my favorite "fancy but made of nothing" sides, because it feels dramatic and comforting at the same time. Also, butter. Always butter.

Pommes Anna

(4.8 Reviews)

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes (about 5 to 6 medium), peeled
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the pan
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (adjust to taste)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper (optional)
1 small garlic clove, cut in half (optional, for rubbing the pan)
1 to 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme or parsley (optional, for serving)

Peeled potatoes being sliced into very thin rounds on a mandoline over a cutting board

Instructions

Heat the oven. Position a rack in the middle and preheat to 425 F. Set a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any butter drips.
Prep the pan. Generously butter an 8 or 9-inch round cake pan or oven-safe skillet. If using garlic, rub the cut sides around the pan first, then butter it. For extra nonstick confidence, line the bottom with a round of parchment, then butter the parchment too.
Slice the potatoes very thin. Cut potatoes into rounds about 1/16 inch thick. A mandoline makes this effortless. If you are using a knife, take your time and keep slices as even as possible. Try to build the Pommes Anna soon after slicing so the potatoes do not sit around and oxidize.
Season and butter as you build. Keep melted butter and salt nearby. You are going to work in layers and you want each layer to get a little love. Use light pinches of salt as you go. You can always finish with a final hit of salt at the end.
Start the base layer with overlap. Arrange potato slices in a tight spiral, overlapping each slice by about one-third like shingles on a roof. Brush or spoon on melted butter, then sprinkle a pinch of salt (and pepper if using).
Keep layering. Repeat the shingled spiral, butter, and salt until you use all the potatoes. Press down gently every couple of layers to compact. Finish with butter on top. Use it generously, because the butter is both flavor and texture.
Bake until tender and browned. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 45 to 60 minutes. Start checking around the 40-minute mark. You want:
- Deep golden edges that look a little crisp
- A tender center when you pierce with a thin knife, with very little resistance
If the top is browning faster than the center is softening, loosely tent with foil for the remainder of baking. This can happen in ovens that run hot or with darker pans.
How to know it is time to flip. This is the moment people rush. Do not. You are ready when the edges are clearly browned and the butter bubbling has slowed down. If you gently tilt the pan and the potato cake seems to move as one piece, you are in business.
Rest briefly. Let it sit for 5 minutes. This helps the layers settle and reduces the risk of a potato landslide.
Flip confidently. Run a thin knife or offset spatula around the edges. Place a plate or cutting board larger than the pan over the top. Using oven mitts, hold the pan and plate tightly together and flip in one smooth motion. Lift off the pan. If you used parchment, peel it away.
Slice and serve. Cut into wedges like a cake. Finish with a pinch of salt and herbs if you want. Serve hot for maximum crisp.

Nutrition information is estimated.

Did you make this? Tag @Mom's Best Recipes

Pommes Anna

Why It Works

Pairs Well With

Recommended

Dauphinoise Potatoes

Classic Potato Dauphinoise

Tortilla Española

Tortilla Española (Spanish Tortilla)

Storage Tips

Common Questions

What potato slice thickness is best for Pommes Anna?

Do I need a mandoline?

Should I rinse the potatoes?

What potatoes are best: Yukon Gold or russet?

How do I keep potatoes from turning brown while I work?

Why is my Pommes Anna sticking?

How do I know when it is ready to flip?

Can I add cheese or cream?

Pommes Anna

Ingredients

Instructions