Tartiflette is a dish that embodies comforting Alpine cuisine. It’s designed to warm you through even on the coldest, snowiest of days. The origins of this dish are debated – some claim it has a long history, descended from its potatoey cousin péla, while others say it was a 1980s marketing ploy dreamed up by canny Reblochon representatives. Whatever the truth is, tartiflette certainly feels timeless and irresistibly inviting – even if it’s only been around for 40 years.
What is a tartiflette?
Tartiflette is made by baking layers of parboiled potatoes, Reblochon cheese, fried bacon, and sweet, caramelised onions in a casserole dish until bubbling and browned. Although tartiflette is often associated with traditional Savoyard cuisine, it's actually thought to originate in the 1980s.
The most popular story is that the Reblochon marketing board – or Syndicat Interprofessionnel du Reblochon – invented the dish to give floundering Reblochon sales a boost. However, the marketing board firmly deny this, and claims that a chef from Savoie adapted the dish from péla in order to use up overly-ripe Reblochon. Péla, another potato-and-cheese delight from the alps, is not dissimilar to a bacon-less tartiflette, and also traditionally made with Reblochon.
Either way, Reblochon is undeniably at the heart of tartiflette. This gooey, washed-rind cheese comes in small rounds, and is typically halved vertically and then used to cover the tartiflette, so the cheese melts and sinks into the potatoes.
What do you serve with a tartiflette?
Tartiflette is a very rich and hearty dish, so anything quite light and acidic works well. In the alps it’s traditionally enjoyed alongside simple side dishes like a crisp green salad or some crusty bread. For a truly authentic experience, it’s best enjoyed with a glass of white wine from the Savoie.
How do I store leftover tartiflette?
To store leftover tartiflette, first ensure it has cooled to room temperature to prevent condensation from forming in the container. Transfer the leftover portions to an airtight container or tightly cover the dish with cling film or aluminium foil. Refrigerate the tartiflette for up to 3 to 4 days.
Can you freeze a tartiflette?
For longer storage, you could try freezing tartiflettes. However we’d not recommend it since the texture of the potatoes and cheese can be changed for the worse by freezing – potatoes in particular have a tendency to go mealy.
If freezing, wrap the dish tightly in cling film and then in aluminium foil, or use a freezer-safe lidded container. When ready to enjoy, thaw the frozen tartiflette overnight in the refrigerator before reheating it in the oven at 175°C fan until piping hot.
Simple tartiflette recipe
Metric
Imperial
- 800g of potatoes, Yukon Gold or Charlottes
- 2 tbsp of olive oil
- 200g of smoked bacon lardons
- 1 medium onion, about 150g, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 250ml of double cream
- 200g of Reblochon cheese, or similar soft cheese
- fresh thyme, optional, for garnish
- salt and pepper
Preheat your oven to 200°C
Peel the potatoes and cut them into thin slices (about 5 mm thick)
Place the potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil. Cook for 5–7 minutes until just tender but not fully cooked. Drain and set aside
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the lardons and cook until some of the fat has rendered and the lardons are crispy. Remove, leaving any extra fat in the pan, and set aside
Add the onions to the same pan and cook until softened, about 5 minutes
Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute. Return the lardons to the skillet and mix well
Grease a 20 × 30 cm baking dish with a little olive oil. Arrange a layer of potato slices at the bottom. Season with salt and pepper. Spread half of the lardon and onion mixture over the potatoes. Repeat with another layer of potatoes and the remaining lardons and onions
Pour the double cream evenly over the layers
Slice the Reblochon cheese in half vertically, so you have two thin pieces with rind on one side and the gooey cheese on the other. Cut each of those slices in half again so you have thin half moons of cheese
Place the slices of cheese on top of the tartiflette, rind side up, so the cheese can melt into the potatoes
Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the top is golden and bubbly and the potatoes are fully tender
Let the tartiflette cool slightly before serving. Garnish with fresh thyme if desired. Enjoy with a crisp green salad or crusty bread
Can you make a tartiflette in advance?
Yes, you can make tartiflette in advance. To do so, follow the recipe above up until the baking step, then cover the assembled dish tightly with plastic wrap or aluminium foil and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. When you're ready to serve, preheat your oven to 200°C and bake the tartiflette directly from the fridge, allowing an additional 10–15 minutes for the extra chill. Alternatively, only add the Reblochon right before you’re about to cook the tartiflette, to prevent the cheese from drying out.
Tartiflette variations
Tartiflette is traditionally a simple dish, making it a great foundation for other flavours. We have tartiflette recipes inspired by ratatouille, with tart tomatoes balancing out the bacon and cream, as well as tartiflette-inspired rösti which uses Reblochon as a gooey topping for the Swiss potato pancake. If you want to try out a few more pared-back versions, check out Steve Groves’ traditional tartiflette, or Victoria Glass’s ‘British’ tartiflette with clotted cream.
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