Potatoes Au Gratin
Rounds of russet potatoes covered in a rich cheese sauce, then topped and baked with additional cheese, are known as potatoes au gratin. If you enjoy cheesy potatoes, check out my scalloped potatoes.
Potatoes Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 3 Pounds (approximately 8-10 medium) russet potatoes, rinsed, peeled, and thinly sliced with a mandoline
- 6 Tbsp Unsalted butter
- ½ Yellow onion, diced
- ½ Cup All-purpose flour
- 2 Tsp Kosher salt
- ½ Tsp Pepper
- 3 Cups Whole milk, room temperature
- 2 Cups Sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- Parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Spray cooking spray on a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Melt the butter and chopped onion in a medium saucepan over low heat until the onion is tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the flour, salt, and pepper after that. Cook for one minute.
- Add milk gradually while whisking continuously. Add the milk and heat, stirring often, until the sauce thickens, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Take off the heat and add one cup of cheese. Keep swirling for another 30 to 60 seconds or until the cheese is melted and smooth. Put aside.
- In order to maintain the potato's shape, carefully place the slices in the bottom of the baking dish and spread them out in a single layer.
- Add the remaining cup of shredded cheese and the cheese sauce on top of the potatoes.
- Bake the potatoes for 60 minutes, or until they are fork-tender, covered with aluminum foil.
- With careful observation, remove the foil and broil for 2 to 3 minutes, or until browned.
- Garnish with parsley and serve hot. Season with salt and pepper.
Au-gratin potatoes
Because they are both potato rounds encased in a cream sauce, scalloped potatoes, and potatoes, au gratin are comparable. The primary distinction is that cheese is added to the cream sauce, and a breadcrumb crust is frequently used. Whichever category these cheesy potatoes are in, they should be on your Thanksgiving, Easter, or any other day of the year side dish menu!
Ingredients for Potatoes Au Gratin
Potatoes: For this dish, I used russet potatoes, which are starchy and help thicken the sauce. They will also bake fork-tender. You might also use Yukon gold potatoes. Before peeling and slicing the potatoes, make sure to wash them. For the most significant cooking outcomes, I’ll tell you how to make the potato rounds uniform.
Onions: Since they give the dish the most flavor, I went with yellow onions.
Milk: For this recipe, I suggest using whole milk. The sauce may curdle if you use milk with less fat (1% or skim). Additionally, make sure the milk is at room temperature before adding it to the sauce.
Cheese: These au gratin potatoes are made with cheese in the cream sauce. To make them even more cheesy, more cheese is sprinkled on top. Feel free to experiment with your preferred type of cheese; I used sharp cheddar.
Getting the Potatoes Sliced {Guides for Even Potato Rounds}
The first step in this recipe for potatoes au gratin is to rinse, peel, and slice the potatoes. This dish’s consistent potato size is one of its distinguishing characteristics. The potatoes are laid out absolutely straight, which improves the appearance and ensures that the food cooks properly rather than haphazardly scattering them around and hoping for the best.
Use a mandoline slicer for consistent slices. I suggest using a “thin slice” blade on your mandoline for this recipe. The arrangement of the potatoes in this au gratin potato dish is one of its lovely features. Use your mandoline directly on the cutting board to ensure that you can duplicate it.
If you use the potatoes in this recipe over a bowl, they won’t line up like they do in the recipe because they will separate. I chop each potato separately and put it away to work on the next one.
MuellerLiving Mandoline Slicer for Kitchen, Adjustable Vegetable Chopper, Fruit, Cheese Grater, Potato Chips Slicer – Black
How to Prepare Au Gratin Potatoes
After slicing the potatoes, arrange them in a single layer in a 9 x 13-inch baking dish, keeping them as close together as possible. Set the pan aside while preparing the cream sauce.
Melt the butter and then add the onion over low heat to make the cheesy cream sauce. Add the onion and cook until it softens a few minutes. After that, cook for a minute, adding the flour, salt, and pepper. Then, whisk continuously as you gradually pour in the milk. Continue cooking, whisking regularly, for 5 to 8 minutes after adding the milk.
Remove from the heat and mix in 1 cup of cheese after the sauce has thickened. Stir until the cheese is smooth and melted, up to 1 minute. Pour the cheese sauce over the potatoes in the baking dish. Lastly, sprinkle the remaining cup of cheese on top.
Bake the potatoes at 375°F for 60 minutes, or until they are fork-tender, covered with aluminum foil. To brown the top, carefully remove the foil from the dish after 60 minutes and broil the potatoes au gratin for 2 to 3 minutes while keeping a close eye on them. Garnish with parsley and season with salt and pepper.
What Makes Scalloped Potatoes Different from Au Gratin?
As previously mentioned, there is a distinction between au gratin and scalloped potatoes. Scalloped potatoes are traditionally considerably simpler and have a rich cream sauce instead of cheese. Conversely, au gratin potatoes are made with cheese and occasionally topped with breadcrumbs.
Another distinction between the two recipes is the size of the potato slices. The potatoes are sliced into rounds for both recipes, although the cut for scalloped potatoes is often thicker than for au gratin.
Is it possible to freeze au gratin potatoes?
Indeed! After baking, allow the potatoes to reach room temperature. (However, don’t leave them out for longer than two hours before storing them.) After that, please keep them in a labeled and dated freezer-safe container. They can be stored in the freezer for up to two weeks.