Cast Iron Skillet Scalloped Potatoes (Au Gratin Potatoes) Recipe

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This beautiful and delicious scratch made cast iron skillet scalloped potato (potatoes au gratin) recipe is all about heavy whipping cream, Parmesan cheese, and a crispy browned top.

Scalloped Potatoes Cooked Golden Brown in Cast Iron Skillet with Thyme garnish. Top view.

Don't have a cast iron skillet for making skillet potatoes? Cool - make potatoes au gratin in a dutch oven or a baking pan.

Scratch made scalloped potatoes crisp up perfectly in a cast iron skillet or dutch oven and look rustic and beautiful. They also taste amazing.

The difference between au gratin potatoes, scalloped potatoes, and Gratin Dauphinois:

What's the difference between a scalloped potatoes and potato au gratin recipe? Not much - traditionally scalloped potato recipes are made with cream or milk and flour where au gratin potaotes are topped with cheese or bread.

These days we use both cheese and milk or cream, so we can call it what we want - it's all comfort food in the end.

Gratin Dauphinois is traditionally made with thinly sliced potatoes that have not been pre-cooked and are cooked at a lower temperature for longer in cream with no cheese.

Ingredients on wood cutting board: salt and pepper shakers, 2 cups of milk in measuring cup, 5 potatoes, red vegetable peeler, 2 bay leaves, bottle of thyme, cast iron skillet, green mandolin. — *Ingredients and Equipment for Scalloped Potatoes (Au Gratin) Recipe. Use a regular 8x8 baking dish if you don't have a cast iron skillet.*

What kind of potato for scalloped potatoes? What kind of cream or milk?

Use any potato for this scalloped potato recipe but russet is starchy and also absorbent which is good for soaking up the cream sauce. Having said that, yukon gold is also a great all purpose potato that will still get soft but retain a little more texture, which is what I prefer.

In a pinch, use the potato you got and don't sweat life.

Heavy cream doesn't generally curdle when heated (especially at a lower heat) due to the high fat content.

If you decide to use a lower fat dairy product you may see some curdling due to the lower fat and higher protein molecules binding together. Add a little cornstarch or flour to inhibit the proteins from binding and stop the curdling.

Cream, nutmeg, bay leaves, and thyme in heavy whipping cream in a cast iron skillet. — *Gently warming up the cream, thyme, bay leaves, and nutmeg before adding to the potatoes.*

Quick Tips for Cast Iron Skillet Scalloped Potatoes

Buttering the casserole dish or cast iron pan helps to brown the edges and prevent the potatoes from sticking.

If you are using a cast iron skillet for au gratin potatoes, give it a quick wipe down with a paper towel before buttering the edges and bottom. I'm using a 10 inch cast iron skillet for this au gratin recipe.

Do you love cheese? Knock it out! Add any cheese and/or more cheese to this scalloped potato recipe and the technique will still work.

Love melty yellow cheddar cheese? Do it! Leave a comment below and tell me what you did. Cheesy scalloped potatoes are pretty difficult to mess up.

Like ham or bacon with your scalloped potatoes? Add cooked bacon or pancetta or grate or dice already cooked ham and cook it with the potatoes.

Cast Iron Skillet Scalloped Potatoes FAQS

Do you skin / peel the potatoes for scalloped potatoes?

I do. But you don't have to. It's a texture preference issue. I prefer scalloped potatoes to have a consistent tender texture so peel the potatoes. If you are in a hurry or wanted something more rustic then leave them unpeeled.

What kind of potato do you use for potatoes au gratin?

Yukon gold potatoes or russet potatoes work best for scalloped potatoes because they are more starchy and soak up and thicken sauce. Yukon golds hold their form a little better whereas russets can fall apart if cooked too long, so boil russets for less time initially.

Why does the milk curdle in my skillet scalloped potatoes?

Milk curdles when heated. The lower the fat in milk, the more it curdles. Starting with a high fat cream like heavy whipping cream helps a lot. Using russet potatoes also helps because they are high in starch and help naturally thicken the sauce without the addition of flour or cornstarch.