Vegan Potatoes Au Gratin Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Which is better scalloped potatoes or au gratin? ›

Scalloped potatoes also won't be as crispy in texture as au gratin. Both are golden brown and creamy, but if it's crispiness and crunchiness you're after, au gratin will probably be your best bet. Either one is sure to be a hit with your dinner guests, but it just depends on what sort of vibe you're going for!

Too Much Liquid: Using excessive cream and milk can result in a watery dish. Potato Type: High water content potatoes (like red or new) instead of starchy types (like Russet or Yukon Gold) can make the gratin watery.

High oven temperatures can make the milk's components break apart, again leaving the proteins free to clump together. To prevent curdling, cook your scalloped potatoes at a lower temperature and across a longer period of time.

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. adjective. cooked while covered with browned breadcrumbs (and sometimes cheese)

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.

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.

The best way to prevent curdling in scalloped potatoes is to start with high starch potatoes, such as Russets, that will help to thicken the sauce, use very fresh cream or half-and-half rather than whole or low-fat milk, and thicken the cream with flour or corn starch to make a sauce rather than topping the ingredients ...

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.

Let sit until room temperature and then drain and place in a glass pan (not metal) and refrigerate before using the next day. This is the perfect way to make sure the potatoes layered in a casserole dish are cooked when heated and serving.

Once they have been peeled and cut, raw potatoes will turn brown quickly. This process, which is called oxidation, happens because potatoes are a naturally starchy vegetable. And when exposed to oxygen, starches turn gray, brown, or even black. An oxidized potato is completely safe to eat.

How to thicken up scalloped potatoes? ›

Flour: The flour provides the initial thickening for the potatoes' sauce. The potatoes' starch and evaporation in the oven provide much rest. Milk: The milk in the recipe adds protein, but it's mostly the main ingredient in the smooth, rich sauce.

The difference comes down to cheese. Scalloped potato recipes are usually baked in a basic cream sauce until soft and tender, with no cheese topping. Potatoes au gratin are a bit more decadent. They are made with lots of cheese sprinkled in between the layers of potatoes and also on top of the casserole.

Serve potatoes au gratin with a roast pork loin or beef tenderloin, alongside a green salad. There's nothing like au gratin potatoes to take any meal over the top. The creamy, decadent, and oh-so satisfying recipe is sure to please everyone at your table.

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. Instead of simply layering grated cheese and milk or cream with the potatoes, you need to make a smooth cheese sauce.

Why are they called funeral potatoes? Funeral potatoes get their unique name from being a crowd-pleasing casserole served as a side dish at after-funeral luncheons (particularly in the culture of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints).

Soak the potatoes in water.

Turns out that grandmas trick was the perfect way to keep these potatoes moist.

Starch Will Not Swell–Rock-Hard Scalloped Potatoes

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.

Potatoes gratiné

Sliced raw potatoes may also be baked in a liquid or sauce that steams them and forms a golden crust on top. In the US, the dish is referred to variously as funeral potatoes, potatoes au gratin, scalloped potatoes, or au gratin potatoes.