My gluten free au gratin potatoes are a grown-up version of the beloved comfort food side, y'all. A blond roux sets the consistency stage, while evaporated milk and seasonings inject creaminess and just the right amount of supporting flavor. Cheddar, Havarti, and smoked gouda cheeses melt perfectly into the mix, producing a gourmet-quality sauce in minutes. Freshly sliced russet potatoes are situated between three layers of cheese sauce, then baked to browned and bubbly perfection in just about an hour. Yep and yay...
It's A Tale of Three Cheeses, Y'all...
The last couple of weeks were rough for me. Freezing temps, icy rains, and a bit of hail brought on a massive ear infection that put me out of commission for way, way longer than I'd liked. It was pure torture with the pain. And, with me waiting almost constantly for my ears to pop so that I could once again hear what was going on in the world. Ouch!!
Well, by the time I came back to myself, I was ready for a big plate of steaming hot comfort food. I ran out to the grocery to grab a few things. I needed a little bit of this, and a little bit of that. So, I spent some time shopping, and I came home with what I call 'the big groceries' for the week.
I managed to score a two-for-one bagged potatoes deal. And I even got 8 ounces of free cheese for having my grocery's store app. Super yay!! I celebrated that win by treating myself to half a pound of smoked gouda. And, I already had Havarti at home, just waiting for its turn to make it out of my fridge's dairy drawer.
Oh, I was sooo cheese happy, y'all. So, I decided to put them all together for one gluten free comfort food side dish that would snap me right out of my just-getting-over-sickness funk.
After some back and forth, I decided to create this brand new gluten free au gratin. I'm honestly been a big fan of the boxed version all of my life. And, it's also one of the first GF options that I found early on in my gluten free life, which is more than 10 years ago now.
But, this time I decided not to make my usual gluten free au gratin potatoes box. And, to step it up with the cheeses this time. So, I did, y'all!! And I have to admit that I was really nervous. I had never put cheddar, Havarti or smoked gouda cheese together in one dish before. Nor have I ever had them together.
Yes, it was a kitchen gamble. But, I'm super happy to say that it totally worked out! Yep!
These gluten free au gratin potatoes taste amazing. The three cheeses not only pair perfectly, but they taste so grown up, y'all. Eating this alongside my chicken really did brighten my spirits. And put me back on my recipe development game, to boot.
I'm super happy to share this recipe with y'all. And, I can't wait to make it again for me and Mark. Indeed.
How to Make Gluten Free Au Gratin Potatoes
Start the recipe by shredding the cheddar, Havarti, and smoked gouda cheeses:
Then, make a blond roux in a saucepan:
It will look like this when it's done:
Now, add the evaporated milk and seasonings to the pot:
Then, stir in the cheese one by one until a beautiful sauce is achieved:
Then, peel and slice the potatoes:
And make your first layer of potatoes on the bottom of your well-greased cast iron skillet:
Pour ⅓ of the cheese sauce over the first layer of potatoes:
Then, repeat the layering process two more times before popping the casserole into the oven:
And that's it y'all!
The first thing you notice about these gluten free au gratin potatoes is their sophisticated taste. As they say in south Louisiana, 'these ain't your momma's au gratin potatoes." Nope. The different flavors hit your tongue all at once, causing an intriguing medley of flavor bomb explosions to go off in your mouth for minutes.
Next, you relish in the super tender baked potatoes. They literally melt on your tongue, leaving their pops of south Louisiana seasonings residue behind as you reach for your next bite.
Oh, I love these gluten free au gratin potatoes, y'all. And I think you will too.
Share them with those who love all the layers of sophisticated flavors that make you uniquely you. Much food love, and see y'all on the yum side...
Gluten Free Au Gratin Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 2 cups evaporated milk
- ½ teaspoon ground paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
- salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded Havarti cheese
- 1 cup shredded smoked gouda cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan.
- Add the tapioca starch, and stir constantly until a blond roux is achieved.
- Add the milk and seasonings, stir until well-combined.
- Add the cheddar cheese to the pot, and stir until melted into the seasoned milk mixture.
- Repeat process with Havarti and smoked gouda cheeses.
- Lay peeled sliced potatoes along the botto of your well-greased cast iron skillet.
- Use a spoon to pour ⅓ of the cheese over the potatoes.
- Repeat potato and cheese sauce layers two more times.
- Place the skillet in the preheated oven, then cover with a larger-than-normal lid. You want the whole skillet to be covered, but to have a lid over it that won't stick to the cheese throughout baking. (I used the lid for my 7-quart Lodge Dutch oven. It covered the dish completely, and left room for air to get into the skillet. So, when I uncovered the dish at the hour-cooking mark, the au gratin potatoes had the nice browning and blistering that you see in the pictures.)
- Bake for 1 hour. Uncover, and use a fork to test the doneness of the potatoes in the center of the skillet. Remove the skillet from the oven if the potatoes are done.
- If the potatoes are not soft, continue cooking them an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until done.
- Let cool on the countertop for at least 5 minutes before serving.
The information shown is an estimate provided by a third-party, online computer-generated nutrition calculator, not a registered dietitian or certified nutritionist. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods and individual portion sizes, along with other factors.
See our full nutrition disclaimer here.
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