Potatoes au Gratin
Potatoes au gratin is a classic French dish made with sliced potatoes that are cooked in a creamy, cheesy sauce. We stick to a classic seasoning with salt and pepper mixed with mornay sauce and baked in the oven until the top layer is golden brown and crispy, allowing the rich and creamy flavours to take centre stage. It is a comforting and delicious casserole that complements any main dish. Serve it as a side with roasted meat, fish, or vegetables.
Ingredients
1 kilo Potatoes | |
|---|---|
2 Yellow white onions (coarsely chopped) | |
1 tsp Salt | |
1 pinch Black pepper | |
350 ml Double cream | |
30 g Butter | |
350 g Cheese |
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Choosing the potato
To get the best potatoes au gratin, use potatoes that will hold their shape when baked in the oven but still bake up tender. Yukon gold, waxy potatoes, and red potatoes are well-suited because they have relatively thin skin, and their texture holds up well when cut into slices.
Using the correct tools
Use a sharp knife or mandolin to slice the potatoes evenly. This step is essential to ensure that they are fully cooked and have a consistent texture. Remember to soak the potatoes in cold water to remove any excess starch and prevent them from turning brown.
Baking
Be sure to bake the dish until the top is golden brown and crispy. Potatoes au gratin bakes for roughly 1 hour. You will know it is done if you insert a knife or toothpick into the centre of the casserole through one or more potato slices and it comes out clean. It is best to let it rest for about 10-15 minutes before serving. This will help the flavours meld together and will make it easier to cut and serve.
Questions about potatoes au gratin
Learn how to make French potatoes au gratin from scratch with our easy recipe. All you need is a few simple ingredients to recreate this cheesy dish. Read on to learn more about this French-inspired classic.
What is potatoes au gratin?
How to make potatoes au gratin?
What goes with potatoes au gratin?
Can you freeze potatoes au gratin?
How to reheat potatoes au gratin?
Homemade potatoes au gratin in the oven
Discover a simple cheesy all-time favourite with this recipe for potatoes au gratin. The term ‘au gratin’ is a French culinary term used to describe a dish cooked with cheese and cream that often has a crispy top. The classic dish is considered a staple in French cuisine but has become quite popular across the world for being an irresistibly creamy, cheesy comfort food.
What makes it so unbelievably delicious is the combination of creamy cheese sauce with layers of thinly sliced potatoes and chopped onion covered with mornay sauce, creating rich and decadent flavours. Baked to perfection with a golden hue and crispy top, it is usually served as a side, but no rule says it cannot be the main attraction.
Serve with various main dishes
Creamy potatoes au gratin is a rich and decadent side that is perfect for a special occasion or an easy weeknight dinner with the family. Because of its simple and creamy taste, it pairs well with a variety of different flavours and cuisines. The classic side dish goes well with a wide range of main dishes, from a simple roast chicken to a fancy steak alongside a salad.
If you want to find the perfect dish with which to serve potatoes au gratin, you should take a look at our recipes for stuffed pork tenderloin, simple meatloaf with cheese and bell peppers, or classic beef Wellington as well as various salad recipes like our authentic Greek salad, roast pumpkin salad with black beans, or broccoli saladwith bacon and raisins.
Make cheesy potatoes au gratin with mornay sauce
Impress your family and friends with a homemade cheesy meal full of rich flavours and texture. Despite its fancy name, this classic dish is much easier to prepare than you might think. With our straightforward recipe, you can make quick potatoes au gratin in a few easy steps with a handful of simple ingredients. Making the classic casserole with mornay sauce instead of a traditional white sauce adds a richer, cheesier, more distinct flavour to the dish. Overall, it is a great way to add more depth to the gooey layers. Enjoy this luscious and satisfying comfort food full of creamy goodness between layers of tender potatoes with a scrumptious touch of melted cheese in the sauce.
Experiment with the ingredients
It is easy to give the potatoes au gratin a distinctive twist and make the dish your own. For a gooey and richer texture, try adding grated cheese on top, for example, Gruyere, cheddar, or gouda. You can also add some bacon or ham to give it a smoky and salty smack. Vegetables like onions, leeks, bell peppers, and mushrooms are also great add-ins as they offer both colour and flavour. Experiment with herbs and spices such as rosemary, thyme, chilli, and nutmeg to give it an aromatic taste with a bit of heat.
