Au gratin
Au gratin dishes are casseroles with a crispy, golden brown topping of cheese or bread crumbs. The word “gratin” comes from the French word for “crust.”
Au gratin recipes have been around for centuries. The first recorded recipe was published in 1651, in a French cookbook called “La Varenne’s Cookery.” This recipe was for a dish called “Potage au Gratin,” which was a soup made with bread crumbs and cheese.
Recipes for au gratin dishes became popular in America in the 19th century. One of the first American cookbooks to include a recipe for au gratin potatoes was “The Boston Cooking-School Cook Book,” published in 1896.
Advice
potatoes
When making au gratin potatoes, it's important to use starchy potatoes such as russet potatoes, as they will hold their shape during cooking. Start by pre-cooking the potatoes in boiling water until they are just tender. Then, layer the potatoes in a baking dish and season with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. For the creamy topping, mix together cream, garlic, and cheese before pouring it over the potatoes. Bake the potatoes in the oven until the top is golden and bubbly. Finally, let the potatoes cool slightly before serving.
Questions
What does au gratin au mean?
Au gratin au is French for "with gratings," and refers to a dish that is topped with cheese, breadcrumbs, or other grated ingredients. The dish is usually baked or broiled until the topping is golden brown and crunchy.
What is au gratin vs scalloped?
Au gratin is a dish that is typically made with a cheese or cream sauce and topped with browned bread crumbs or grated cheese. Scalloped is a dish that is made with a white sauce and usually includes some type of sliced or diced potato. Both dishes are creamy and cheesy, but au gratin has a crunchy topping and scalloped does not.
What is au gratin made of?
Au gratin is typically made of thinly sliced potatoes, topped with cheese and bread crumbs, then baked or broiled until the cheese is melted and the potatoes are cooked through. Other ingredients, such as cream, garlic, or herbs, can also be added to the dish.
What does gratin mean in cooking?
Gratin is a French cooking technique in which a dish is topped with a browned crust of breadcrumbs, cheese, or a béchamel sauce. It is usually baked in an oven until the topping is golden and bubbly.
Does gratin always have cheese?
No, gratin does not always have cheese. There are many variations on gratin recipes, some of which do not contain cheese.
What Flavour is au gratin?
Au gratin is not a flavor, but rather a type of cooking technique. It involves topping a dish with cheese and/or breadcrumbs and then baking or broiling it until the cheese is melted and lightly browned.
Jump to: Ingredient Breakdown Insights
Recipes
Potatoes au Gratin
- salt
- parmesan cheese
- nutmeg
- butter
- half
- potato
Fluke au Gratin
- salt
- chive
- parsley
- white wine vinegar
- lemon juice
- garlic
- shallot
- bread crumb
- white wine
- fluke
- mushroom
- butter
Potatoes au Gratin
- salt
- cream
- starchy potato
- pepper
- thyme
- garlic
- gruyère cheese
- butter
Potatoes Au Gratin
- heavy cream
- salt
- onion flake
- milk
- garlic
- cheddar cheese
- all purpose flour
- butter
- russet potato
- salt
Classic Potatoes au Gratin
- parmesan cheese
- salt
- thyme
- butter
- black pepper
- shallot
- heavy cream
- gruyère cheese
- russet potato
- garlic
Classic French Spinach au Gratin
- bread crumb
- milk
- onion
- heavy cream
- parmesan cheese
- thyme
- black pepper
- spinach
- all purpose flour
- butter
- salt
Easy Microwaved Potatoes Au Gratin
- mushroom soup
- milk
- cheddar cheese
- yukon gold potato
- cooking spray
Cabbage au Gratin With Cheddar Cheese
- saltine
- milk
- cheddar cheese
- cabbage
- black pepper
- all purpose flour
- pimiento
- butter
Cheesy Hasselback Potato Au Gratin
- thyme
- gruyère cheese
- manchego cheese
- heavy cream
- butter
- olive oil
- garlic
- potato
- salt
Cheesy Potato Au Gratin with Buttery Ritz Cracker Crumbs.
- gruyère cheese
- ritz cracker
- all purpose flour
- cayenne pepper
- butter
- sage
- heavy cream
- garlic
- brie
- russet potato
- butter
- salt
Quick Fish au Gratin
- mushroom soup
- bread crumb
- fish
- parmesan cheese
- milk
- butter
Garlic Calamari Au Gratin
- black pepper
- salt
- butter
- panko breadcrumb
- parmesan cheese
- garlic
- parsley
Seafood au Gratin
- crabmeat
- lemon juice
- cod
- white wine
- tabasco
- egg yolk
- half
- parmesan cheese
- all purpose flour
- butter
- salt
French Green Vegetable au Gratin
- bread crumb
- broccoli
- zucchini
- onion
- olive oil
- cantal cheese
- milk
- poultry seasoning
- parmesan cheese
- black pepper
- spinach
- all purpose flour
- butter
- salt
Spanish Potatoes au Gratin (Patatas Gratinadas)
- manchego cheese
- onion
- thyme
- milk
- egg
- bacon
- olive oil
- potato
- salt
Potatoes Au Gratin
- salt
- milk
- heavy cream
- onion
- nutmeg
- garlic
- thyme
- potato
- all purpose flour
- butter
- cheddar cheese
- gruyère cheese
- evaporated milk
- black pepper
- thyme
Gruyère-Crisped Potatoes Au Gratin
- salt
- cayenne pepper
- black pepper
- yukon gold potato
- garlic
- heavy cream
- gruyère cheese
- basil
- nutmeg
Potatoes Au Gratin
- panko bread crumb
- thyme
- gruyère cheese
- heavy cream
- salt
- parmesan cheese
- white
- garlic
- russet potato
- butter
Butternut Squash & Cheddar Potatoes au Gratin
- milk
- sharp
- vegetable
- mustard
- butternut squash
- parmesan cheese
- cream cheese
- white potato
- salt
French Onion Stuffed Burgers au Gratin
- olive oil
- parsley
- dijon mustard
- salt
- parsley
- ground beef
- thyme
- pepper
- beef broth
- mayonnaise
- greek yogurt
- red wine
- salt
- onion
- onion
- brioche bun
- gruyère cheese
- butter lettuce
Goat Cheese Potatoes au Gratin
- panko bread crumb
- thyme
- salt
- goat cheese
- heavy cream
- parmesan cheese
- white
- garlic
- russet potato
- butter
Lightened-Up Creamed Spinach au Gratin
- olive oil
- salt
- black pepper
- nutmeg
- light cream cheese
- parmesan cheese
- spinach
Potatoes Au Gratin
- garlic
- heavy cream
- salt
- pepper
- nutmeg
- parmesan cheese
- russet potato
- butter
- gruyère cheese
Potatoes au Gratin with Caramelized Onions and Roasted Garlic
- chicken broth
- mozzarella cheese
- butter
- olive oil
- salt
- salt
- cheddar cheese
- all purpose flour
- pepper
- milk
- yukon gold
- butter
- garlic
- olive oil
- onion
- rosemary
- thyme
- cooking spray
- salt
Potato Leek Au Gratin
- milk
- heavy cream
- stone mustard
- pepper
- nutmeg
- russet potato
- blue cheese
- parmesan cheese
- garlic
- leek
- chive
- salt
- butter
- gruyère cheese
Semolina gnocchi au gratin with broccoli and sea bass
- butter
- chive
- olive oil
- grana padano cheese
- parsley
- pepper
- salt
- qt milk
- broccoli
- semolina
- shallot
- egg yolk
- bass
Brussel Sprouts Au Gratin
- brussel sprout
- milk
- parmesan cheese
- mustard
- onion powder
- salt
- butter
- all purpose flour
- cream cheese
Onions au Gratin with Fresh Herbs
- basil
- chive
- olive oil
- oregano
- marjoram
- parsley
- salt
- thyme
- onion
- homestyle bread
Campanelle Au Gratin
- pepper
- salt
- sugar
- campanelle pasta
- olive oil
- qt milk
- tropea onion
- cornstarch
- parmesan cheese
- butter
- all purpose flour
- taleggio cheese
Stuffed Veggies Au Gratin
- butter
- olive oil
- garlic
- marjoram
- parmigiano cheese
- parsley
- pepper
- salt
- vegetable stock
- eggplant
- shallot
- veal
- egg
- onion
- white bread
- zucchini
- milk
- bread
- cherry tomato
- squash blossom
Cod au Gratin
- stale bread
- fig
- null grape must
- nullc raisin
- nullc walnut
- null olive oil
- null garlic
- nulloz cod
- null parsley
Potatoes au Gratin
- nutmeg
- all purpose flour
- mustard
- heavy cream
- garlic
- onion
- chive
- salt
- red potato
- butter
- gruyère cheese
- cheddar cheese
Macaroni au Gratin
- salt
- bread crumb
- all purpose flour
- comté
- elbow macaroni
- nutmeg
- onion
- butter
- bay leaf
- clove
- milk
Penne au Gratin With Sardines and Wild Fennel
- olive oil
- grana padano cheese
- salt
- fennel
- penne pasta
- sardine
- bread crumb
- pine nut
- raisin
Scallops Au Gratin With Capers and Anchovies
- anchovy
- chervil
- white wine
- olive oil
- lemon
- pickled caper
- salt
- sesame seed
- sesame roll
- scallop
- clarified butter
- egg yolk
Oysters au Gratin with Speck and Marsala Cream
- chive
- salt
- marsala wine
- egg yolk
- oyster
- cream
- alto adige pgi speck
Scallops au Gratin With Zucchini and Yogurt Sauce
- olive oil
- parsley
- salt
- zucchini
- yogurt
- white bread
- beet
- scallop
Stuffed Squash Blossoms au Gratin
- squash blossom
- zucchini
- carrot
- ricotta cheese
- null egg
- null butter
- null olive oil
- null garlic
- null grana padano cheese
- null nutmeg
- null pepper
- null salt
Cauliflower au Gratin
- salt
- onion
- black pepper
- bread crumb
- parmesan cheese
- hot milk
- cheese
- all purpose flour
- butter
- cauliflower
Ingredient Breakdown
Insights
Staple Ingredients
- salt 62%
- butter 54%
Common Ingredients
- garlic 36%
- parmesan cheese 36%
- milk 31%
- heavy cream 28%
Usual Ingredients
- gruyère cheese 26%
- thyme 26%
- all purpose flour 23%
- black pepper 21%
- olive oil 18%
- russet potato 18%
- nutmeg 15%
- onion 15%
- pepper 15%
Rarey Ingredients
- cheddar cheese 13%