The Difference Between Au Gratin and Scalloped Potatoes

Potatoes au gratin is a side dish made with thinly-sliced layers of cheesy potatoes. “Gratin” is the culinary technique of baking or broiling an ingredient topped with grated cheese and breadcrumbs to create a crispy crust. Most potatoes au gratin recipes will also call for a sprinkling of gruyere cheese in between each layer, as well as baking the casserole in a creamy sauce.

Making au gratin potatoes involves cutting potatoes thinly into rounds, dredging them in all-purpose flour, and layering them in a casserole dish with cheese (like Gruyère or sharp cheddar cheese) between each layer. The dish is baked until golden brown, topped with salt and black pepper to taste, and ready to serve. Red or Yukon gold potatoes are ideal for au gratin because of their high starch content and ability to absorb the cheesy flavor.

Scalloped potatoes is a dish of sliced potatoes baked in an herb-infused cream sauce. Some scalloped potato recipes may call for cheese either inside or on top of the dish, although traditional scalloped potato casseroles do not contain cheese. Instead, the potato slices are cooked in a cream sauce made of whole milk, heavy cream, and fresh herbs.

Scalloped potatoes are typically served along with pork chops or ham and served on Easter in North America. Scalloped potatoes are usually made with russet or Yukon gold potatoes since they bake well and absorb the cream nicely, but you can also make scalloped potatoes with sweet potatoes.

Scalloped and au gratin potatoes are often used interchangeably, as the two dishes are very similar. Here are some of the similarities between these two rich dishes.

1. 1. The potatoes are sliced similarly. Potatoes au gratin and scalloped potatoes both involve a number of layers of potatoes that are peeled and sliced into rounds. The potatoes are then baked in a cream or cheese sauce.
2. 2. Both are baked. Scalloped potatoes and potatoes au gratin are both baked in casserole or baking dishes until they are crispy and done on top, and tender and creamy in the middle. You can easily make both dishes in advance, then refrigerate them covered with aluminum foil until you’re ready to reheat them in the oven.
3. 3. Both involve creamy, rich ingredients. Both of these dishes will involve sliced potatoes and some sort of milk or cream sauce in which to cook them.
4. 4. Both are holiday dishes. Both dishes are associated with special occasions such as holidays, celebrations, and even funerals. A scalloped potato casserole topped with cheese is also known as ‘funeral potatoes’ in parts of North America.

Though scalloped potatoes and potatoes au gratin have many similarities, there are a few traits that differentiate them.

1. 1. Au gratin potatoes are sliced thinner. The layers in scalloped potato dishes tend to be slightly thicker than those used in potatoes au gratin. Au gratin potatoes are typically sliced around ¼ inch thick to allow the cheese and cream to soak into the potatoes. People often use a slicer or mandoline to create these slices, while scalloped potatoes are easier to slice by hand.
2. 2. Scalloped potatoes don’t use cheese. Scalloped potatoes traditionally do not include cheese, though some newer recipes might add cheese as a modification. Au gratin potatoes, on the other hand, calls for sprinkled cheese to be sprinkled in between each potato layer, as well as on the top of the dish.
3. 3. Au gratin potatoes use breadcrumbs. Potatoes au gratin typically calls for breadcrumbs mixed with cheese to create a crunchy crust on the dish. Scalloped potatoes typically do not call for breadcrumbs.

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