Scalloped Potatoes ~ easy, classic cheesy potatoes recipe ~ A Gouda Life (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between scalloped potatoes and cheesy potatoes? ›

What is the difference between au 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.

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 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.

The best potatoes to use for a homemade scalloped potato recipes like this one are baking/frying potatoes, either russet or Idaho. They have dry, light, and fluffy interiors that hold their shape when cooked. The starch in the potatoes helps to thicken the sauce while the casserole bakes.

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!

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.

Watery scalloped potatoes are not good, and is often caused by using the wrong type of potato. This recipe requires starchy potatoes, such as russets or Yukon golds, not waxy potatoes. Another cause is washing or holding the sliced potatoes in water (as outlined in the question above).

Once you've chosen the right potatoes, grab a sharp chef's knife (or a mandoline, if you have one) and carefully slice them as thinly and evenly as possible—ideally one-fourth to one-eighth-inch thick. Potatoes that are too thick or thin will bake up unevenly, and you want the layers to cook up tender.

If raw, once the potato is cut you can store in the refrigerator, covered with water for 12-24 hours. Be sure to keep submerged in water to prevent slices from turning gray or brown. Add a tablespoon of white wine vinegar or concentrated lemon juice to a gallon of water to help keep the potatoes from turning dark.

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.

Can you reverse curdling? ›

Method 3: Add starch or fat.

These ingredients not only prevent curdling, but they can fix it, too. You can heat heavy or whipping cream or make a simple roux. Gradually whisk into your curdled sauce to save it.

Milk can be curdled when it's cold, but the process will take much, much longer, and the grains will be smaller. If you want to curdle it fast, use heat and acid (lemon juice, vinegar, tartaric, citric).

While some potato bakes are cooked in a combo of cream and milk, our favourite version is made on milk alone, bound together with a light roux which prevents the splitting that often occurs.

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.

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).

While the precise origin is unknown, the name for scalloped potatoes is said to derive from an English word, collop, which means to slice thinly. On the other hand, historians have said the name comes from the type of dish it is served in such as the original, oysters with breadcrumbs.

Traditional scalloped potatoes are baked in a milk or cream sauce without cheese. However, the dish I grew up calling “scalloped potatoes” always contained cheese, so I chose to include it in this recipe. You can call these au gratin potatoes, potatoes au gratin, or cheesy scalloped potatoes if you prefer.