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

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Fluke au Gratin

  • salt
  • chive
  • parsley
  • white wine vinegar
  • lemon juice
  • garlic
  • shallot
  • bread crumb
  • white wine
  • fluke
  • mushroom
  • butter
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Potatoes Au Gratin

  • heavy cream
  • salt
  • onion flake
  • milk
  • garlic
  • cheddar cheese
  • all purpose flour
  • butter
  • russet potato
  • salt
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Seafood au Gratin

  • crabmeat
  • lemon juice
  • cod
  • white wine
  • tabasco
  • egg yolk
  • half
  • parmesan cheese
  • all purpose flour
  • butter
  • salt
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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
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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
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Potatoes Au Gratin

  • panko bread crumb
  • thyme
  • gruyère cheese
  • heavy cream
  • salt
  • parmesan cheese
  • white
  • garlic
  • russet potato
  • butter
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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
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Potatoes Au Gratin

  • garlic
  • heavy cream
  • salt
  • pepper
  • nutmeg
  • parmesan cheese
  • russet potato
  • butter
  • gruyère cheese
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Potato Leek Au Gratin

  • milk
  • heavy cream
  • stone mustard
  • pepper
  • nutmeg
  • russet potato
  • blue cheese
  • parmesan cheese
  • garlic
  • leek
  • chive
  • salt
  • butter
  • gruyère cheese
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Potatoes au Gratin

  • nutmeg
  • all purpose flour
  • mustard
  • heavy cream
  • garlic
  • onion
  • chive
  • salt
  • red potato
  • butter
  • gruyère cheese
  • cheddar cheese
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Campanelle Au Gratin

  • pepper
  • salt
  • sugar
  • campanelle pasta
  • olive oil
  • qt milk
  • tropea onion
  • cornstarch
  • parmesan cheese
  • butter
  • all purpose flour
  • taleggio cheese
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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
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Cod au Gratin

  • stale bread
  • fig
  • null grape must
  • nullc raisin
  • nullc walnut
  • null olive oil
  • null garlic
  • nulloz cod
  • null parsley
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Macaroni au Gratin

  • salt
  • bread crumb
  • all purpose flour
  • comté
  • elbow macaroni
  • nutmeg
  • onion
  • butter
  • bay leaf
  • clove
  • milk
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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
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Cauliflower au Gratin

  • salt
  • onion
  • black pepper
  • bread crumb
  • parmesan cheese
  • hot milk
  • cheese
  • all purpose flour
  • butter
  • cauliflower

Ingredient Breakdown

 
salt
butter
parmesan cheese
garlic
milk
olive oil
all purpose flour
thyme
heavy cream
onion
gruyère cheese
black pepper
nutmeg
parsley
pepper
bread crumb
russet potato
chive
cheddar cheese
potato
shallot
egg yolk
zucchini
white wine
spinach
mustard
half
lemon juice
cream
mushroom soup
yukon gold potato
cooking spray
manchego cheese
cayenne pepper
broccoli
egg
basil
panko bread crumb
white
cream cheese
grana padano cheese
qt milk
marjoram
white bread
squash blossom
null olive oil
null garlic
scallop
white wine vinegar
fluke
mushroom
starchy potato
onion flake
saltine
cabbage
pimiento
ritz cracker
sage
brie
fish
panko breadcrumb
crabmeat
cod
tabasco
cantal cheese
poultry seasoning
bacon
evaporated milk
dijon mustard
ground beef
beef broth
mayonnaise
greek yogurt
red wine
brioche bun
butter lettuce
sharp
vegetable
butternut squash
white potato
goat cheese
light cream cheese
chicken broth
mozzarella cheese
yukon gold
rosemary
stone mustard
blue cheese
leek
semolina
bass
brussel sprout
onion powder
red potato
sugar
campanelle pasta
tropea onion
cornstarch
taleggio cheese
parmigiano cheese
vegetable stock
eggplant
veal
bread
cherry tomato
stale bread
fig
null grape must
nullc raisin
nullc walnut
nulloz cod
null parsley
oregano
homestyle bread
comté
elbow macaroni
bay leaf
clove
fennel
penne pasta
sardine
pine nut
raisin
anchovy
chervil
lemon
pickled caper
sesame seed
sesame roll
clarified butter
marsala wine
oyster
alto adige pgi speck
yogurt
beet
carrot
ricotta cheese
null egg
null butter
null grana padano cheese
null nutmeg
null pepper
null salt
hot milk
cheese
cauliflower

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%