22 Golden-Topped Gratin Recipes with Squash, Pasta, Potatoes, and More (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between all gratin potatoes and scalloped potatoes? ›

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.

What Does “Au Gratin” Mean? A “gratin” is any dish that is topped with cheese or breadcrumbs mixed with butter, then heated in the oven or under the broiler until brown and crispy, according to The Food Lover's Companion. The term au gratin or gratinée just refers to anything prepared in that manner.

I don't recommend soaking the potatoes in water ahead of time for our potatoes au gratin (as some recipes call for). Soaking them will cause them to lose some of their starch, which helps to keep this dish creamy. The dish will still get a nice, crisp top without soaking the potatoes.

A gratin is a dish that is topped with cheese, or bread crumbs mixed with bits of butter, then heated in the oven or under the grill until brown and crisp. The terms au gratin or gratinée refer to any dish prepared in such a manner.

If your potatoes aren't cooked properly, they will have a slightly crisp or al dente texture. You want to be sure the dish cooks evenly, so rotate the dish in your oven halfway thru cooking and be sure to test for doneness in more than one spot, in case your oven heats unevenly.

The phrase au gratin literally means "by grating" in French, or "with a crust," from the verb gratter, "to scrape, scratch, or grate." Definitions of au gratin.

If you stored the sliced potatoes in water to prevent discoloring, but didn't drain them well and pat them dry before adding them to the baking dish, you may have added extra water to the dish. You could have also used the wrong kind of potato, as some waxy potatoes can release more water than starchier potatoes.

It can be round, oval or rectangular, and most commonly it is about an inch and a half deep.

What's the Difference Between Scalloped Potatoes, Potato Gratin, and Dauphinoise Potatoes? These three dishes are similar. All are made with sliced potatoes arranged in a shallow baking dish (a gratin dish, perhaps, or a casserole dish) with milk, cream, or a combination of both, and baked.

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.

Can I slice potatoes ahead of time for gratin? ›

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).

Just be sure to dry them well before prepping for roasting. However, if you plan to immediately roast the Yukon Golds right after cutting, you do not need to soak them.

Gratin dauphinois is a speciality of the Dauphiné region of France. The dish is typically made with thinly sliced and layered potatoes, and cream, cooked in a buttered dish rubbed with garlic.

Potatoes au gratin is a side dish made with thinly-sliced layers of cheesy potatoes. “Gratin” is the culinary technique of baking or broiling an ingredient topped with grated cheese and breadcrumbs to create a crispy crust.

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.

Potatoes gratiné

In the US, the dish is referred to variously as funeral potatoes, potatoes au gratin, scalloped potatoes, or au gratin potatoes. In English Canada, it is called scalloped potatoes or potatoes au gratin. In French-speaking Canada, the dish is referred to as patates au gratin.

It is called "funeral" potatoes because it is commonly served as a side dish during traditional after-funeral dinners, but it is also served at potlucks, and other social gatherings, sometimes with different names.

Starchy potatoes, such as Russets or Yukon Golds, are key to thick, velvety sauce and the layered, stacked-slice structure that's the signature look of scalloped potatoes. Russet potatoes make the creamiest sauce. Yukon Golds hold their shape a little better. You won't go wrong with either choice.

Something with a decorative edge made of repeated semicircles is scalloped. The scalloped hem on those curtains you made really suits the 1950s style of your kitchen.