Potatoes au gratin is the right aspect dish for Sunday supper or as a make-ahead vacation aspect dish. Tender layers of potatoes and onions are baked in a wealthy, creamy, tacky sauce till scorching, bubbly, and golden.
This recipe makes creamy potatoes, just like scalloped potatoes however loaded with wealthy tacky taste. They’re the right dish subsequent to a baked ham, roast beef tenderloin or pork tenderloin.
- Taste: Creamy, tacky, and comforting with a golden, barely crispy prime that makes each chew irresistible.
- Why it really works: A cooked roux thickens the sauce so it coats the potatoes as an alternative of pooling skinny on the backside.
- Beneficial Instruments: To save lots of time on prep and make even and skinny potato and onion slices, use a mandoline or the aspect of a field grater.
- Time-Saving Tip: For the vacations, I often put it collectively forward of time after which bake it recent simply earlier than serving. It makes life a lot simpler.
So what’s the distinction between scalloped potatoes and au gratin potatoes? They’re each very comparable, containing potatoes (and sometimes onions) baked in a creamy sauce. Au Gratin is outlined as coated with breadcrumbs or cheese, scalloped refers to “bake with milk or a sauce”.
Within the case of this recipe, the distinction is the cheese. That being stated, the time period scalloped potatoes remains to be usually used if there may be cheese inside the dish!
Finest Potatoes to Use for Potatoes au Gratin
Purple-skinned or Yukon Gold potatoes are greatest for gratin as a result of they maintain their form and don’t want peeling, whereas starchy russets can flip mushy and are higher for mashing.
- Onions: Slice paper-thin so it softens absolutely and doesn’t keep crunchy.
- Mustard Powder: A small quantity enhances the cheese taste (I additionally add it to my baked mac and cheese!). Swap in a little bit Dijon stirred off the warmth.
- Cheese: For one of the best potatoes au gratin, use daring, sharp cheeses like Gruyère or cheddar, with provolone or Swiss pretty much as good substitutes.
- Variations: Add taste with minced garlic, garlic powder, or recent herbs like thyme or rosemary. You would additionally embody ham or cooked bacon for a heartier casserole.
Learn how to Make Potatoes Au Gratin
- Prep: Thinly slice the potatoes and onions (full recipe under).
- Assemble: Stack the potato slices and onions within the casserole dish.
- Sauce: Prepare dinner the cheese sauce in a saucepan, then pour it over the potato and onion slices.
- Bake: Bake till the potatoes are tender and the sauce is bubbly.
PRO TIP: For a faster model, layer potatoes and onions, cowl, and microwave 10 minutes. Add cheese sauce and bake 45–55 minutes as directed. Simply as scrumptious, however a little bit faster!
Make-Forward, Storing, and Reheating
Make as much as 24 hours forward. Maintain potatoes coated in sauce, cowl tightly, and refrigerate. Carry to room temperature earlier than baking, and add 10–20 minutes to the bake time.
Leftover potatoes au gratin will preserve within the fridge for as much as 4 days. Let it cool utterly, then cowl tightly with plastic wrap, or switch to an hermetic container earlier than refrigerating.
To freeze, enable it to chill utterly and wrap the dish properly with each plastic wrap and aluminum foil, or portion it into freezer-safe containers. It’ll preserve for as much as 2 months within the freezer.
For greatest outcomes, thaw in a single day within the fridge earlier than reheating. Reheat coated within the oven at 350°F till scorching all through (about 20 to half-hour), eradicating the duvet close to the tip to crisp up the highest once more. Keep away from microwaving frozen potatoes, as it may well make the sauce grainy and the potatoes watery.
Extra Vacation Facet Dishes
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Preheat oven to 400°F.
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Wash potatoes and slice into ⅛” skinny slices. Slice onion as thinly as attainable.
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Season the potatoes and onions with ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of pepper. Toss properly to evenly coat. Layer potatoes and onions into little stacks. Place stacks on their aspect in a greased 2.5QT to 3QT casserole dish.
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In a saucepan, soften butter and flour and cook dinner for two to three minutes. Add mustard powder, ¼ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and milk. Whisk over medium warmth till thick and bubbly. Take away from warmth and stir in cheeses till melted.
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Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes, gently separating the stacks to permit the sauce to seep between the layers. Cowl with foil (sprayed with cooking spray) and bake for 60 minutes.
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Take away foil and bake a further 20 to half-hour or till evenly browned and potatoes are cooked. Cool quarter-hour earlier than serving.
- Slice potatoes as thinly as attainable.
- Shred your personal cheese from a block for one of the best outcomes. Recent herbs (akin to thyme or rosemary) and garlic may be added to the sauce if desired.
- To cut back baking time, wrap a microwave-safe casserole dish in plastic wrap earlier than including the cheese sauce and microwave on full energy for about 10 minutes (watch out, it is going to be scorching when eradicating the plastic wrap). Add the cheese sauce and bake as directed for about 45-55 minutes.
- Extra cheese (cheddar or parmesan) may be sprinkled on prime as soon as the foil is eliminated if desired.
- Retailer leftovers in an hermetic container for as much as 4 days. Reheat within the oven or the microwave.
Energy: 271 | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 11g | Fats: 13g | Saturated Fats: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fats: 1g | Monounsaturated Fats: 3g | Trans Fats: 0.2g | Ldl cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 452mg | Potassium: 784mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 478IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 278mg | Iron: 1mg
Diet info offered is an estimate and can range based mostly on cooking strategies and types of components used.
Course Facet Dish
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