Make This Lazy Potatoes au Gratin With Alfredo Sauce

As soon as the weather started to chill down, I started thinking about Thanksgiving sides. That might sound unreasonably early but I’m about to make it rain potatoes. For an incredibly simple, time-saving twist on the classic, make potatoes au gratin with jarred Alfredo sauce.

To straighten out any confusion: scalloped potatoes don’t traditionally contain cheese. Even the “gratin” in “potatoes au gratin” just refers to the browned crust on top, which could be browned breadcrumbs or cheese. I like cheese in them all, so inevitably, my scalloped potatoes turned into a gratin. Call it what you will, but this dish is creamy, rich, simple, and a side dish to rival the best for Thanksgiving.

This recipe cuts an important corner, but still manages to keep “from scratch” integrity. You still have to peel and slice potatoes; prepping vegetables is part of the love and care that goes into cooking (and something you can easily delegate). It’s the thick, gravy-like sauce that can be a giant pain in the rump. Instead of dirtying up pots and utensils, or ending up with an unfortunate chunky roux, buy a couple jars of Alfredo sauce. It’s creamy, thick, and well seasoned. I use Rao’s Alfredo sauce, but you can use any jarred Alfredo sauce that you like. Which is great, because going forward I might need suggestions. (Rao’s has recently switched hands, and I haven’t tasted the sauce since Campbell’s got a hold of it. If you have a jarred brand you love, tell me about it in the comments.)

How to make potatoes au gratin with jarred Alfredo sauce

1. Prep the potatoes

You’ll need two 15-ounce jars of Alfredo sauce and three pounds of russet potatoes. You can use any potato that keeps its integrity over long cooking periods, like white potatoes or red potatoes, but russets come in large sizes, which makes peeling easier. Peel and slice the potatoes. You can do this with a mandolin or by hand, just keep the slices about 1/8-inch thick. Any thinner than that, and the potato slices can get mushy after baking.

2. Layer the two ingredients

Butter a nine by 13-inch casserole dish and spread a couple spoonfuls of alfredo sauce on the bottom, about a quarter cup. Shingle about a third of the potatoes onto the sauce. Top it with a cup or so of Alfredo sauce and lay another third of the potato slices down. Repeat with another dose of sauce, and the final layer of potatoes. Smear the final amount of Alfredo over the top and cover the pan with foil.

3. Bake

Bake the potatoes for 30 minutes at 350°F, uncover the dish and raise the temperature to 400°F. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes to reduce the sauce and brown the top. If you need a crispy, browned topping, you can add a sprinkle of panko or parmesan during the last 15 minutes too.

Cool the dish for at least 20 minutes before slicing. That may seem like a long time, but it will burn the roof of your mouth when it’s freshly out of the oven. I promise it will still be hot when you dig in. My favorite way to enjoy this dish is with a big scoop of peas, but it is lovely served with any roasted meats, and veggies of all sorts.

Alfredo Potatoes au Gratin

Ingredients:

• 2 jars of Alfredo sauce (15 ounces each)
• 3 pounds of russet potatoes
• Butter for the casserole dish
• A quarter cup of panko or parmesan (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 13 by nine-inch casserole dish.

Peel the potatoes and slice them into ⅛ to ¼-inch discs. Spread ¼ cup of the Alfredo sauce into the bottom of the casserole dish. Shingle a third of the potatoes into the casserole dish, and top that layer with a cup of Alfredo sauce. Repeat this with two more layers of potatoes and sauce, making sure to end with the sauce.

Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350°F for 30 minutes. Uncover the dish and raise the heat to 400°F. Bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, or until bubbly and well browned on top. If you’re using a topping, add it before it goes back into the oven for the last 15 minutes.