Homemade hachis parmentier: a creamy mash and a well-browned topping

The ultimate family dish

Hachis parmentier is named after Antoine Parmentier, who made the French fall in love with the potato in the 18th century. In Belgium, it's loved too: it's the Sunday evening dish that's cooked in big batches and tastes even better reheated. The recipe comes down to three steps: well-browned, slow-cooked meat, a firm, buttery homemade mash, and a spell under the grill for the crust.

The steps

1. Start the potatoes. Peel them, cut into large chunks of similar size and put them in a large pan of cold salted water. Bring to the boil on the hob at setting 9 (or on booster), lid on, then reduce to setting 6. Allow 20 to 25 minutes: a knife tip should slide in without resistance.
2. Prepare the vegetables. Meanwhile, finely chop the onions and garlic, and grate the carrot. The finer, the more melting the filling will be.
3. Brown the meat. In a large frying pan or sauté pan, heat the oil on setting 7. Fry the onions and carrot for 5 minutes. Add the garlic then the mince. Leave it to brown for 2 minutes without touching it, then break it up with a wooden spoon. Allow 8 to 10 minutes in all: the meat should be well browned, with no juice left in the pan.
4. Let it simmer. Add the tomato purée, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir for 1 minute, pour in the stock, then reduce to setting 4 for 10 minutes. The filling should be soft but not wet. Add the chopped parsley off the heat.
5. Make the mash. Drain the potatoes and return them to the hot pan for 2 minutes, on the switched-off hob, to dry out. Mash them with a potato masher (never a blender, they'd turn gluey). Add the butter in pieces, then the hot milk little by little, stirring. Season with salt and pepper, grate a little nutmeg and add the egg yolk.
6. Assemble the dish. Preheat the oven to 190 °C in conventional mode. In an approx. 30 × 20 cm dish, spread the meat, then the mash over the top, without pressing down. Score lines with a fork and sprinkle with grated cheese.
7. Bake, then brown. Put it on shelf 2 (middle of the oven) for 25 minutes. Then switch to grill mode, dish on shelf 3, for 3 to 5 minutes, staying by the door. Leave to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Appliance settings

Steamed, the potatoes hold less water: the mash is firmer and tastier. The fan grill browns the surface more evenly than the grill alone.

Variations

• Using leftover meat : leftover pot-au-feu or roast from the day before, chopped finely by hand, works very well in place of raw mince. Just fry it for 5 minutes with the onions.
• With duck : with shredded duck leg confit, it's the version for special occasions.
• Vegetarian : cooked green lentils and sautéed mushrooms in place of the meat.
• Mixed mash : half potatoes, half sweet potatoes or pumpkin, for a milder autumn version.

Storage

Hachis parmentier keeps well 3 days in the fridge, well covered. Reheat it for 20 minutes at 170 °C fan, covered with a sheet of foil for the first 10 minutes. It freezes very well, cooked or raw, for 3 months : thaw it overnight in the fridge before putting it in the oven.

Which appliance?

For a hachis parmentier, you need a hob that sears the meat well and an oven with a powerful, even grill.

Public prices noted on 15 October 2026: the product page is definitive, and Nimesclub members often get a reduced price.

Ovens and hobs for gratins in store

BOSCH HBA572BW3F Built-in Oven€829.00SIEMENS HB774G2B1 Built-in Oven€1,229.00Built-in oven HISENSE BI64211EPX€449.00Built-in oven SMEG SFP6401TB€699.00Induction Hob SIEMENS EH631BJB6E€609.00Cooker BEKO FBE68314MXC€699.00

Grill, fan grill, conventional heat: our guide to oven functions explains them one by one. Fancy another gratin? Try our homemade lasagne.

Frequently asked questions