Dutch Oven Idaho Potatoes
Updated Oct 22, 2025
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Tender, flavorful potatoes layered with bacon, leeks, mushrooms, cream, and sharp cheddar, all baked in a heavy Dutch oven until the top is melted and golden, are a home run every single time. This dish transforms simple Idaho russet spuds into a hearty, cozy side that works beautifully for family meals and gatherings. Kind of like a rough and ready scalloped potato dish in a cast-iron pot.
This recipe for Dutch Oven Potatoes is exactly what I want when my people crave comfort food that makes cold weather seem welcome. I use sturdy russet potatoes (with the skins on!) and layer them with crisp bacon, leeks, and mushrooms. Then a combo of cream and broth is added, along with piles of sharp cheddar. Bake in a heavy Dutch pot (cast iron is classic) and bake until every slice is tender and the cheese is beautifully melted, and you’ve got a dish that feels like a warm hug.
Serve it as a side, bring it to a potluck, just don’t sleep on these amazing, layered potatoes.
This is a super popular potato and cheese dish for a very good reason — it’s comfort food on steroids.
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What's In This Post?
Dutch Oven Idaho Potatoes: One of the best potato dishes from potato country. This is like an informal scalloped potato dish with bacon, leeks, and mushrooms.
Fun Idaho Potato Fact
Did you know that Idaho produces 13 BILLION pounds of potatoes every year, most of them russets? Billion, with a B. Idaho grows enough potatoes to fill 500 football stadiums 10 feet high with spuds.
What Are Dutch Oven Potatoes?
They are like an informal scalloped potato dish with bacon, or a rough-and-ready potato gratin.
You start with a cast-iron Dutch oven, maybe enamel-coated, maybe not (see below for alternative baking dishes!). Here’s the upshot: you slice up some potatoes (skin on, please — don’t lose that extra fiber!), chop up some onions, and cook up some bacon. These get all layered up with some salt and pepper and garlic powder and (in most homes) a can of cream of mushroom soup for the liquid. The pot gets nestled into a fire, and hot charcoal briquets are placed all around it, as well as on top of the pot.
As it cooks, turn the potatoes as you think of it. If you were cooking this oven live fire, you would need to replace the briquets with hotter ones as needed. Then, when the potatoes are tender, lift off the lid and sprinkle over a bunch of shredded cheddar. Let sit for a few, and serve it up.
Best Idaho Potato Dish
In the fall of 2018, I accepted an invitation from the Idaho Potato Commission (what, you didn’t know there was such a thing?) to fly out to Idaho and experience potato harvesting season in Idaho. If you invite me to see something grown, made, or harvested, I will move small mountains to see that. I love getting a behind-the-scenes peek into food production of all stripes.
The question I most wanted to ask the potato farmers was: “How do you cook your potatoes?” (Because, geez, who wouldn’t want to know that from a potato farmer?)
Third-generation Brett Jensen described Dutch Oven Idaho Potatoes, which is one of the most popular potato dishes in Idaho. Everyone makes it, everyone knows exactly what it is, and it’s hard to imagine a big family gathering or party without it. It also seems to be very popular as a campout dish since, typically, it’s made in a cast-iron pot nestled into burning coals. (I assume these campouts don’t involve long hikes.)
This is my version of that dish!
Ingredients
- Bacon – The bacon gets cooked until crispy before being crumbled up and layered with the potatoes. I hit the bacon pretty hard, but you can do as your conscience dictates.
- Idaho potatoes – Slice the potatoes about 1/4-inch thick, so they are thin enough to cook all the way through but won’t get mushy in the oven.
- Olive, vegetable, or canola oil – Any kind of neutral oil will work in this recipe.
- Onion – You can stick with plain old onions and no leeks for simplicity; 2 to 3 cups of chopped onions would be about right
- Leeks – In combo with the onions
- Mushrooms – Any type.
- Minced garlic – Mince the garlic finely for the most flavor.
- Dry white wine – The wine is used to deglaze the pan and adds a nice acidity to the sauce.
- Chicken broth – Use less-sodium chicken broth so that your potatoes don’t get too salty.
- Light or heavy cream – I use cream to substitute for the creaminess of the canned cream of mushroom soup, which is more traditional in the old-school versions of this recipe.
- Flat-leaf parsley – Adds a pop of green and some herby flavor.
- Cheese – I used a mixture of Gruyere and sharp cheddar, but you can use any shredded cheese you like.
How to Make Dutch Oven Idaho Potatoes
- Cook the vegetables: In the same skillet, sauté the onion and leeks. Add the mushrooms and cook until brown. Then add the garlic. Deglaze the pan with wine, then add the cream, broth, and parsley.
- Start layering the ingredients: Place 1/3 of the potatoes in a Dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot with a lid. Spoon over about 1/3 of the mushroom leek mixture from the skillet.
- Continue layering: Layer another 1/3 of the potatoes on top, then spoon over another 1/3 of the mushrooms and leeks. Sprinkle over 1/3 of the bacon. Keep repeating the layers until everything is used up.
- Bake: Cover the pot and bake for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally until the potatoes are tender. When the potatoes are cooked, remove the pot from the oven and sprinkle over the cheese. Cover and let sit for a bit until the cheese is melted.
FAQs
Idaho russet potatoes are ideal here because they become perfectly tender, and they soak up the savory cream and broth. Yukon Golds can also work if you prefer a slightly firmer layered potato dish, but russets offer that classic fluffy texture.
Use good old Idaho Russets to make this dish, which is the potato you probably most associate with Idaho potatoes. Even though Idaho produces 25 different kinds of potatoes, it’s the Burbank Russets that you’re likely grabbing when you reach for Idaho potatoes in your market
Nope! That’s part of the beauty of this dish – no peeling required. This skin adds a bit of texture, nutrients, and a rustic feel. Just give them a good scrub before slicing.
Absolutely. Assemble all the layers earlier in the day, cover, and refrigerate until it’s time to bake. Add the cheese and pop it into the preheated oven. If you are baking them right from the fridge, add on about 10-15 extra minutes of baking time.
Yes, you can, but the dish won’t be quite as rich or luscious. Half-and-half is a better choice if you want to lighten things up a bit.
Skip the bacon and sauté the mushrooms and leeks in a tablespoon of butter or olive oil.
No problem. Use a deep oven-safe casserole dish and cover it with a lid or tightly with foil for the first half of the baking time. Just make sure your dish is deep enough to handle all of the layers and liquid.
When the potatoes are fork-tender all the way through and the top is golden and bubbling with the cheese completely melted. If you’re unsure, stick a knife into the center; it should glide through without resistance.
Pro Cooking Tips and Variations
- Slice potatoes evenly: Aim for thin, even slices (about 1/8 to 1/4 -inch thick) so all the potatoes cook at the same rate. A mandoline works wonders, but a sharp knife is just fine, too.
- Don’t skimp on the seasoning: Potatoes are a blank canvas, so be generous with the salt and pepper between the layers.
- Cheese matters: I use a mix of sharp cheddar and Gruyere, which adds a nice bite, but you can also feel free to use just cheddar, just Gruyere, or mix in Fontina, or even a little Parmesan for depth.
- Let it rest: After baking, let the dish sit for 10-15 minutes before serving so everything holds together in layers when you scoop it out to serve. As the potatoes soften in the oven, be careful when stirring them so they don’t fall apart too much.
- Use all onions: As an alternative to the combo of onions and leeks, about 3 cups total.
Storage and Leftovers
You can keep leftover Dutch oven potatoes for up to 4 days in the fridge in a covered container. Reheat in a 350-degree F oven, covered with foil, until hot, or microwave individual portions. It reheats beautifully!
I don’t recommend freezing this because dairy-heavy potato dishes don’t keep their texture all that well when defrosted. If you have leftovers that you absolutely need to freeze, make sure to let them cool completely, then wrap well, and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat, covered, at 350 degrees until hot throughout.
What to Serve With Dutch Oven Potatoes
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Dutch Oven Idaho Potatoes
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 slices bacon (sliced into 1-inch pieces)
- 5 large Idaho potatoes (scrubbed; 3 to 3 1/2 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon olive, vegetable or canola oil
- 1 onion (chopped)
- 3 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and light green parts only)
- 1 pound cleaned and roughly chopped mushrooms (any type)
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup less-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup light or heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a plate with paper towels. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and sauté until just crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer the bacon to the paper towel-lined plate and pour off the excess fat.
- Meanwhile, slice the potatoes about 1/4-inch thick.
- Return the skillet to medium heat. Add the oil and then add the onions and leeks and sauté until very lightly browned and softened, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and turn the heat up to medium-high. Sauté for about 8 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and golden brown, and any liquid that was released has evaporated. Add the garlic and stir for one minute until the garlic becomes fragrant. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan. Allow the wine to mostly evaporate, then add the broth, cream, and parsley, and bring to a simmer.
- Place 1/3 of the potatoes in a Dutch oven or other heavy ovenproof pot with a lid. Spoon over about 1/3 of the mushroom leek mixture from the skillet. Sprinkle over 1/3 of the bacon. Layer another 1/3 of the potatoes on top, then spoon over another 1/3 of the mushrooms and leeks, and another 1/3 of the bacon. Layer over the rest of the potatoes, sprinkle over the rest of the mushrooms and leeks, then pour over the remaining cream mixture. Finish with the rest of the bacon.
- Cover the pot and bake for about 1 hour, gently stirring the vegetables at 20 minutes and 40 minutes, then cook an additional 20 minutes or so, until the potatoes are tender. When the potatoes are cooked, remove the pot from the oven, sprinkle over the cheese, and replace the lid. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until the cheese is melted, and serve. Scoop down to get the potatoes and the bottom, and make sure there is some cheese with each serving.
Notes
- For cheese, I used a mixture of Gruyere and sharp cheddar, but you can use any shredded cheese you like.
- As the potatoes soften in the oven, be careful when stirring them so they don’t fall apart too much.
- Use all onions instead of the combo of onions and leeks, about 3 cups total.
- You can keep leftover Dutch oven potatoes for up to 4 days in the fridge in a covered container. Reheat in the oven in a covered pan or in the microwave.
These sound fabulous! Right up my alley!
Can they be made the day before Thanksgiving and reheated day of?
If so, how do you recommend doing that?
absolutely! I would heat them in a 300F oven for about 30 minutes until hot throughout.tent with foil if the top seems to be browning too quickly.
We cook these potatoes without the cheese and adding chicken tenders, chicken thighs, and/or chicken breasts. We line the dutch oven with bacon, season each layer with season salt (bacon, potato, onion, chicken, repeat) as we build the pot. Top off with layer of bacon. Sometimes we add asparagus layers and a little fresh garlic and a little freshpaarsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. No soup, cream or water. Turn the pot every 15 minutes over the coals for even cooking. Usually takes about 45 minutes. We call it Spuds and Onions with chicken. We like to serve it with Mexican style street corn and a fruit cobbler with ice cream (plain if we are roughing it) for dessert.
that sounds absolutely delicious!