Creamy Potato Au Gratin - Side Dish Classic
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The combination of cheese (how long does cheese last?) and potato is an absolute winner and this potato au gratin celebrates it. This classic side dish is so flavourfully decadent and effortlessly simple that it can stand up to – and at times dethrone – the slow-cooked and labored-upon-for-hours main. In this recipe, a few pantry staples, mainly potato, cheese, and flour (how long does flour last?), culminate into a scoopable slice of creamy, gooey goodness.
Au gratin is typically made by drowning slices of medium-thin (the sweet spot between wafer-thin and scalloped thin) potatoes (What wine goes well with potatoes?) in a rich, satiny, cream (how long does cream last?) sauce. This is then topped off with a generous layer of grated cheese (hence the name), and then baked until potatoes are tenderly soft, and the cheese is bubbly, golden – almost bronzed – with a light whisper of crunch to it.
This recipe uses only cheddar cheese, but if you want an added, sharp, nutty flavor, use a mix of cheddar and parmesan. Herbs are optional and customizable. While I love the classic taste of potato and cheese shining through the gratin, you can add dried rosemary (how long does dried rosemary last?), oregano, thyme, or any other herb taking up space in your pantry.
So, whether you're toasting the warm, sunny weather, with a backyard barbeque, or hosting a sit-down dinner, this creamy potato au gratin is a perfect side or hors d’oeuvre for any occasion, and even great for when you're just craving some carby comfort.
Making Potato Au Gratin
Prepare Cheese Sauce
Preheat oven to 400°F and grease a baking tray with butter.
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In a pan, melt butter over low heat. Add flour and salt, and cook for a minute, till flour is lightly toasted. Pour in milk, and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, while stirring continuously, until the sauce thickens. Add 1 cup of cheddar cubes, and mix and cook to completely incorporate the cheese into the sauce.
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Assemble Au Gratin
In a silicone or greased, deep-bottomed baking tray, layer half of the medium-thin potato slices. Spread them out evenly so that they cover the entire base of the tray. Then add a layer of onion slices, followed by potatoes and then again onions. After the final layer, sprinkle salt and pepper. Pour the sauce on top, evenly covering all the potato and onion layers visible on top. Add a generous sprinkling of grated cheddar on top. Bake for 1 and 1/2 hours or until the potato is tender and the cheese is golden.
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Remove and rest for 5 minutes. The slice, and serve hot.
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Creamy Potato Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 4 medium russet potatoes, thinly sliced
- 1 medium onion, sliced into rings
- salt and ground black pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk
- 1 ½ cups shredded Cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Butter a 1-quart casserole dish.
- Prepare potato layers. Layer 1/2 of the thinly sliced potatoes in the bottom of the prepared casserole dish; season with salt and pepper. Layer onion slices over top, then top with with remaining potatoes. Season again with salt and pepper.
- Make basic béchamel base. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Gradually whisk in flour and salt. Cook, whisking constantly until raw flour flavor has cooked off, about a minute. Gradually add milk, about 1/4 cup at a time, whisking well after each addition to incorporate. The gradual addition and whisking of milk will help avoid lumps in your sauce.
- Finish cheese sauce. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in cheese all at once; continue stirring until melted, 30 to 60 seconds.
- Assemble and Bake. Pour cheese sauce over the potatoes, and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake in the preheated oven until potatoes are tender and sauce is bubbly, about 1 1/2 hours.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
521.19Fat
27.08Sat. Fat
15.88Carbs
52.11Fiber
3.4Net carbs
48.71Sugar
8.53Protein
19.4Sodium
693.56Cholesterol
79.59
