Healthier Red Potatoes Au Gratin

Say hello to a healthier version of potatoes au gratin! Made with a rich red wine mornay sauce, this Red Potatoes au Gratin swaps heavier ingredients for lighter, nutrient-filled alternatives for a side dish with a little less guilt.

If comfort food is on the menu, cheesy red potatoes au gratin are a winner every time. Typically made with sliced Russet potatoes topped with grated cheese, heavy cream, lots of butter, then baked until golden brown and cheesy, potatoes au gratin is as indulgent as it gets.

And that is exactly what makes this version even better. You can still enjoy all the taste with fewer calories. With a few simple ingredient swaps, like replacing heavy cream with half and half and decreasing the butter, you can dive right in with a little less guilt. Did you know red potatoes skins are loaded with fiber, B vitamins, iron, and potassium, and they contain fewer calories and carbs than Russet potatoes?

On top of that, these au gratin potatoes are served in mini cocottes. Not only does the side dish look great in these mini cast-iron dishes, but they help control those portions too!

Ingredients you’ll need to make potatoes au gratin:

• The core of a great potato au gratin is most certainly the potatoes. I used red potatoes for this recipe because of their texture, and I leave the skin-on. “Waxy” potatoes hold their shape well, and because you can leave the skin on (it’s very thin), it decreases the prep time required.
• To bring out the cheesy flavors in this recipe, you’ll make a mornay sauce, which is basically a béchamel sauce with cheese added. To make your sauce, you’ll need butter, flour, half and half, sharp cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, and Fontina cheese. Other great cheese options are freshly grated Parmesan cheese and Gruyère.
• To take the cheese sauce flavor even further, you’ll need garlic, a bold red wine (Malbecs are great), and red onion.
• And because everything should be seasoned well, you’ll need Himalayan pink salt, black pepper, garlic powder, ground cumin, and celery salt.
• Before baking, you’ll top your potatoes au gratin with chopped green onion.

Making red potatoes au gratin:

To make this classic, comforting food recipe, you’ll simply slice your potatoes, make your cheese sauce, layer everything inside your STAUB cocotte, and top it off with a little more shredded cheese and green onions.

1. Start with slicing the red potatoes. Place your potato slicer on the desired width, then slice the potatoes thinly. You are looking for 1/4- to 1/8-inch-thick slices. Set this to the side for a later step. (Using a mandoline slicer will make this process easy breezy.)
2. Chop your Fontina cheese block into small pieces. Set this to the side for a later step.
3. To begin the béchamel sauce, heat a saucepan to medium heat, then add 1 tablespoon butter.
4. Once the butter melts add the chopped red onion into the saucepan and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add remaining butter, flour, and garlic into the pot and stir until it binds.
5. Pour the red wine into the pot along with half and half, seasonings, Fontina cheese, Monterey cheese, and cheddar cheese, leaving 1/4 cup of the cheddar cheese to the side for topping. Slightly lower heat and stir ingredients until the cheese sauce reaches a creamy consistency.
6. Layer your mini cocotte, starting with the cheese sauce, and then thinly sliced potatoes, edges overlapping. Continue alternating between the cheese sauce and potato layers until it reaches the top. (This should be around 3 layers of potatoes.)
7. Top off with chopped green onion, then cover and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. After the hour is complete, remove the lid and top off the potatoes with cheddar cheese, baking for an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese melts and is golden brown.

This au gratin recipe is comfort food at its best! Serve alongside your main course and your favorite vegetable for an unforgettable meal.

Looking for other side dish ideas? You should also check out my:

• Creamy Cheddar Mashed Potatoes
• Creamy Baked Four-Cheese Mac and Cheese
• Southern Creamed Corn
• Quick & Easy Creamed Spinach
• Southern Red Beans & Rice

Red Potatoes Au Gratin

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• Author: Eric Jones
• Total Time: 1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

With a few ingredient swaps, this healthier Red Potatoes au Gratin, made with a red wine cheese sauce, transitions perfectly to the table.

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Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 lb red potatoes
• 1/2 lb Fontina cheese block
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/4 cup red wine, malbec
• 1.5 cup half and half
• 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup Monterey jack cheese, shredded
• 1/2 tsp Himalayan pink salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp celery salt
• 1/3 cup green onion, chopped

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Instructions

1. Slice the red potatoes 1/4 to 1/8-inch thick using a mandoline slicer. Set to the side.
2. Chop your Fontina cheese block into small pieces. Set to the side.
3. For the béchamel sauce, heat a saucepan to medium heat, then add 1 tbsp butter and the chopped red onion. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Add the remaining butter, flour, and garlic into the pot and stir until it begins to bind.
5. Add the red wine, half and half, chopped Fontina cheese, Monterey cheese, cheddar cheese (leaving 1/4 cup to the side for topping), Himalayan pink salt, black pepper, garlic powder, ground cumin, and celery salt. Slightly lower heat and stir ingredients to a creamy consistency.
6. Layer each STAUB cocotte, starting with the cheese sauce, then layering the thinly sliced red potatoes, overlapping edges. Continue alternating layers until it reaches the top. Top off with sauce, chopped green onion, and then cover with a lid. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.
7. After the hour is complete, remove the lid and top the potatoes with cheddar cheese baking for an additional 15 to 20 minutes uncovered. Remove from oven. Allow to cool, then serve.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Category: Comfort Food
• Method: Oven Baked
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Calories: 531
• Sugar: 2.9g
• Sodium: 777mg
• Fat: 34.8g
• Carbohydrates: 30.2g
• Fiber: 3g
• Protein: 24g
• Cholesterol: 113mg