15 Crowd-Pleasing Au Gratin Potato Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can you make au gratin potatoes ahead of time and reheat? ›

It is possible to pre-prepare the gratin up to 2 days ahead by simmering the potatoes and transferring them to the buttered baking dish, then refrigerating them until needed. You should cool and refrigerate the mixture as quickly as possible, and within 2 hours of cooking.

Au Gratin potatoes contain cheese, whereas Scalloped Potatoes do not. Scalloped potatoes typically contain cream but can also contain flavorful stock instead of dairy. Try our Classic Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe or Classic Scalloped Potatoes Recipe.

Garten recommends letting the gratin sit for 10 minutes before serving it hot. She also notes that the gratin can be cooked a day ahead and reheated at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, a helpful tip if you want to save some time on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Cover dish loosely with foil and hold in a warm place through a typical service period, about two hours. If necessary, reheat in the oven or brown lightly under a salamander or broiler.

If raw, once the potato is cut you can store in the refrigerator, covered with water for 12-24 hours.

If you used a pre-prepped potato from the refrigerator section instead of slicing your own, they can have preservatives that make them a bit watery. If you stored your potatoes in water to prevent discoloring, be sure to drain them well and pat them dry before adding to your casserole.

The vessel best suited for most au gratin dishes is, simply enough, an au gratin pan. It can be round, oval or rectangular, and most commonly it is about an inch and a half deep. The material can be copper, stainless steel, enameled iron, aluminum, glass.

But it can be frustrating when the creamy sauce and cheese separate or look curdled. The good news is that the dish tastes just fine, even when it looks a little strange. The curdling is caused by high heat, which is hard to avoid in an oven. So to keep the sauce together, tackle it before the dish goes in the oven.

Potatoes or rice can remain rock-hard after prolonged cooking. Starch will not swell if it is acidic. If you have a lot of sour cream in your scalloped potatoes or add something acidic, your potatoes may not soften. You can cook the potatoes with heavy cream or milk and then, after they soften, stir in sour cream.

Martha makes scalloped potatoes ahead of time by partially cooking them in milk and holding them on the stove. When the rest of the food is being prepared, just take them out of the milk, layer them, and bake them.

What is the one trick Michael Symon uses to make perfect scalloped potatoes? ›

Surprisingly, aluminum foil is his secret weapon. After beautifully shingling the potatoes (he's got a genius trick for doing this quickly, too) he covers the dish in foil before hitting the oven.

Restaurants bake potatoes ahead of time and keep them warm until they are needed. It's called “made in advance”. Every restaurant out there has things that are prepped well in advance.

Au Gratin potatoes are rich. Serve them with leaner proteins such as beef tenderloin, grilled or roasted chicken, and pan-seared fish. Another excellent pairing for Au Gratin potatoes is a fresh salad with herbs and a tart vinaigrette. Au Gratin potatoes make a great casserole and are a great entrée themselves.

Yes, you can. Store them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to 2 weeks for best results. You can also freeze them in the dish they were baked in, but cover it tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Warning: Freezing these au gratin potatoes may cause the texture and flavor to change.

Prepare the recipe as directed, then let it cool to room temperature. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil, then store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If the recipe has cheese, breadcrumbs, herbs, or any other toppings, reserve it and add it before reheating.

Larger portions can be reheated too, the best method for reheating large portions is in a low-temperature oven (300-325 °F) for about 60-90 minutes depending on the size. The low temperature ensures that the cream does not separate.

If you're here, you'll probably be glad to know that yes, you can peel and cut potatoes the day before you plan to serve them — and that it's super easy! All you have to do is submerge the bare potato pieces in water and refrigerate (more on that later).

Baked potatoes can be prepared a day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. To reheat, wrap them in foil and place them in a 350°F oven for about 20-30 minutes, or until heated through. You can also partially bake the potatoes and then finish them off on the day you plan to serve them.