Basic Potatoes Au Gratin

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Busy day ahead? This simple recipe for potato au gratin can be assembled and kept in the refrigerator overnight. For a luscious and easy dinner recipe, add some smoked salmon.

R091047
Prep Time:
40 mins
Bake Time:
1 hrs 30 mins
Stand Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 20 mins
Servings:
8
Yield:
8 side-dish servings

Ingredients

  • 6 medium potatoes (2 lb.), peeled, if desired, and thinly sliced (about 6 cups)

  • ½ cup chopped onion (1 medium)

  • 2 large garlic cloves, minced

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil or cooking oil

  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 3 cup milk

  • 1 cup shredded Parmesan (4 oz.)

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook potatoes in lightly salted boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain; set aside.

  2. For sauce, in a saucepan cook onion and garlic in hot oil over medium heat until tender. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add milk all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat.

  3. In a greased 2-1/2- to 3-quart au gratin or rectangular baking dish or two 1-1/2-quart au gratin dishes layer half the potatoes. Pour half the sauce over potatoes. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat with remaining potatoes and sauce. Cover and refrigerate remaining cheese. Cover gratin and refigerate overnight.

  4. Bake, covered, for 50 minutes for large dish, and 40 minutes for small dishes. Uncover; top with remaining cheese. Bake 40 to 50 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and top is golden. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 side-dish servings.

Seafood and Goat Cheese Gratin:

Add 1 tablespoon snipped fresh tarragon to sauce. Layer 8 ounces smoked salmon or whitefish, skin removed and salmon flaked, on first layer of potatoes before adding sauce. Substitute goat cheese for Parmesan cheese. Served with a green vegetable, this gratin becomes a main dish. Each serving: 331 cal., 13 g total fat (5 g sat. fat), 35 mg chol., 961 mg sodium, 37 g carbo., 3 g fiber, 18 g pro. Daily Values: 7% vit. A, 39% vit. C, 26% calcium, 16% iron.

Mushroom and Blue Cheese Gratin:

Cook 3 cups sliced cremini mushrooms with the onion and garlic. Add 4 teaspoons snipped fresh sage to sauce. Substitute crumbled blue cheese for Parmesan cheese. Each serving: 238 cal., 10 g total fat (4 g sat. fat), 18 mg chol., 541 mg sodium, 28 g carbo., 2 g fiber, 10 g pro. Daily Values: 6% vit. A, 30% vit. C, 20% calcium, 12% iron.

To serve right away:

Bake, covered, for 35 minutes for larger dishes and 20 minutes for smaller dishes. Uncover; top with remaining cheese. Bake 35 minutes more or until potatoes are tender and top is golden.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

220 Calories
8g Fat
27g Carbs
10g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 220
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 8g 10%
Saturated Fat 3g 15%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 511mg 22%
Total Carbohydrate 27g 10%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 10g
Vitamin C 17.7mg 89%
Calcium 252.4mg 19%
Iron 2mg 11%
Potassium 681mg 14%
Folate, total 28.2mcg
Vitamin B-12 0.5mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.3mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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