Sausage Potatoes au Gratin
Sausage potatoes au gratin is another way we celebrate the cold weather season and Holiday feasting. Every year, two big batches of our famous original potatoes au gratin makes it way to our Holiday table. It’s one of those dishes that the whole family is hopelessly in love with. All these eaters ask about the potatoes au gratin first, before anyone ever asks about the turkey or desserts.
Watch Video: Delicious Sausage Potatoes au Grain Recipe:
Great Potatoes au Gratin Comfort Recipe with Sausage
It all started with our original potatoes au gratin recipe that we published in 2008. Regardless of how much decadent, calorie-laden, decadent goodness hides behind every serving, there’s rarely ever much left over. It’s occasions like these that when it comes to calorie-conversation, we all say, “who cares?” That’s right, who cares. When the holidays roll around, what’s most important is that were enjoying good food with great people. We’re going to make this beloved dish a little extra special and savory by adding sausage. Yes, sausage in potatoes au gratin sounds like a great plan and pretty much, a whole meal in itself. Especially delicious when we add in a homemade sausage which is insanely good. Well, maybe add some brussels sprouts and our meal is finally complete.
It’s incredibly rewarding dishes like these ring in the holidays in the most delicious way possible. Comforting foods, especially those baked with love in the oven, are what makes our cold days warmer and our souls a little more satisfied.
Always a favorite Sausage Potatoes au Grain
If you’re already a fan of potatoes au gratin and sausage is already a star on your favorites-list, then definitely try these potatoes. And if you’re a purist and don’t like anything interfering with your creamy au gratin? Then make it without the sausage and use the original au gratin recipe we posted a few years ago. Either way, you’ll be pleased to know that what ever you cook, there’s something for everyone. Even the vegetarians!
Scalloped Potatoes vs Potatoes au Gratin?
And for many of you who often ask about the difference between a potatoes au gratin and scalloped potatoes? There’s many varying answers, but traditionally potatoes au gratin (or gratin dauphinoise ) is a French dish where the potatoes are cooked in cream or creme fraiche. No Cheese. Though there are many variations of potatoes au gratin using cheese, most will call potatoes cooked in cheese as scalloped potatoes. Either way, how ever you cook your potatoes, make it your own and share it with those you love. If you’re a mushroom lover, try our mushroom potatoes au gratin recipe.
How to Break Cream Crust for Classic Potatoes au Grain “Gratin Dauphinoise”
Step-by-Step Pictorial for Classic Potatoes Au Gratin Recipe but you can use this as a guide for the sausage version. It’s all about “breaking the crust” to keep the potatoes wonderfully moist and creamy, without drying out.
slice the potatoes nice & thin
use fresh nutmeg, fresh cracked black pepper & sea salt for best taste
layer in all the potatoes @ 1 1/2″ high (doesn’t have to be too precise) & pour in cream
check the cream level by pressing on the potatoes
How to “Break The Crust” – keeping potatoes moist & creamy
(above)- 1st crust break (about 20-25 min cook time) ~ the cream is just starting to form a crust
(above) 2nd crust break (about 40-50 min cook time)
the cream crust is starting to show some color
2nd crust break -gently swirl & break up crust on sides & center to moisten all the top potatoes
3rd crust break (over 1 hour cook time) – the crust is starting to brown
3rd crust break – last crust break, same 2nd break, swirl & re-moisten top. Now time to bake for final crust. About 1.5 hours later, it’s perfection.
Sausage Potatoes au Gratin
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) uncooked sausage
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 4 pounds (1.8 kg) Yukon Gold Potatoes , or similar potato
- 1 Tablespoon (15 ml) Kosher Salt , or to taste
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) fresh cracked coarse Black Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 ml) freshly grated Nutmeg
- 3 1/2 cups (840 ml) Heavy Cream , or more if needed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C. Set aside a 9.5×11-inch baking dish.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high and then add about 1 Tablespoon olive oil. Stir in the sausage and cook for 3-5 minutes, or until browned.
- Peel and slice the potatoes about 1/8″ thick. Put the sliced potatoes into a large bowl.
- Season the potatoes with about 1 Tablespoon salt, 2 teaspoons black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg. Toss the slices to coat evenly. Slap a potato slice against your tongue to test for seasoning. It should be noticeably seasoned but not overpoweringly so.
- Layer the potatoes and sausage into the baking dish, pressing down on the top so everything is fairly level.
- Pour the 3 1/2 cups cream over potatoes just to the point where you can press down on the top layer and the top potato slices disappear under the cream. Give a couple presses down on the potatoes and then taste cream for seasoning. It should give you a good indicator of how salty the final dish will be. Add a sprinkle more salt if it tastes bland.
- READ our article for step by step photos teaching you how to "break the cream crust". Bake at 350°F/175°C for a total of about 1 1/2 hours (larger batches will take longer). After the first 40 minutes and about every 20 minutes or so afterwards, open the oven and with the back of a large spoon, break the crust the cream is starting to form and turn over any of the top sausage pieces that may be beginning to brown. (On the final "crust breaking" the consistency of the cream should noticeably thicker and have absorbed into the potatoes a decent amount). For the final 20-30 minutes, leave everything untouched to form a golden top. Cream should be nearly all broke down and absorbed with just a bit of creamy, buttery-ness between the potato slices.
- Remove from oven allow to cool a bit before serving. It will retain an intense heat for at least 10-15 minutes.
Notes
Video
Nutrition Information per Serving
Easy Comfort Food Recipes for Family
- Sausage galette with zucchini and ricotta cheese
- Cutting back on pasta? try our spaghetti sqush with sausage recipe.
- check out all our holiday potatoes for your menu
- cheesy brussels sprouts gratin
- This recipe was originally published in 2013 and re-published with a new delicious video.
I’m so glad I found this recipe. I tried it out and it was so good. I’m gonna be making this again for Thanksgiving.
I want to make batches for my family that are basically completely cooked but just need to be warmed up, are there any extra steps you would suggest for the warming process?
Hi Amanda, when warming up we usually dish out individual servings and heat it in the microwave. This method has always kept the potatoes creamy without drying out too much.
If you want to warm a whole casserole dish, we suggest taking it out of the fridge and let it come to room temp for about 1-2 hours. That way when you reheat at 350F in the oven, it won’t dry out too much.
This is by far the best potato casserole recipe I’ve ever had. I made this for Thanksgiving and everyone was in love. I’m making it again for Christmas per everyone’s request.
Yummm! I can’t wait to make this again for the family! They loved it!
Your instructions are so easy to understand! I’m glad you included pictures of the steps! Will be making this for Thanksgiving.
I made this with hamburger and yellow onions. otherwise exactly as stated. It was great! Not salt at all and needed no extra cheese.. I will be making this again its also quick and easy, you just can’t go wrong with this.
Gorgeous photos, as always. Personally, I might have added some kind of vegetable like kale, but I think it sounds delicious as written. Happy Thanksgiving!
Agh – I am SO hungry and this looks SO good!!
Wow. That looks insanely delicious. I’m sure everyone in my family would devour this dish!
oh wow, that’s it, i’m doing two au gratin dishes this year …. one with sausages and one without for the non meat eaters. thanks for the recipe! Can’t wait to see shots of Australia.
Trying to lick my screen right now…so delicious looking!
I am so with you about the diet thing. In Australia particularly bad with summer coming at Christmas; so this kind of food and summer swim suits do not mix.
This is amazing, I have all the ingredients for this too. I got to try this tomorrow.
Oh gosh this is insane. Who doesn’t adore sausage?
You are so right… if you are concerned about calories, eat salad, that means more of the good stuff for the rest of us!
I think I have some homemade Andouille sausage I made a few months ago in the freezer, that would be perfect in this! Thanks for the great idea!
BTW… I purchased Bountiful and I must tell you how impressed I was and still am! I was expecting a great cookbook, just from following y’all, but what I got was far beyond my expectations. I spent the better part of the weekend curled up in my bed (it was raining here in New Orleans so the timing was perfect) reading every last page! Y’all did a fantastic job and it’s everything a GREAT cookbook should be!!
This sounds so incredibly delicious. I’m going to try this for Thanksgiving, hopefully without mutiny. 🙂
Mmmm… so comforting and perfect for the holidays!