Potatoes Au Gratin with Smoked Sausage (2024)

Potatoes Au Gratin with Smoked Sausage are russet potato rounds with smoked sausage nestled in between the potatoes, topped with a creamy cheese sauce. If you love cheesy potatoes, be sure to check out my Scalloped Potatoes too!

Potatoes Au Gratin with Smoked Sausage

Potatoes Au Gratin are similar to scalloped potatoes as they both are potato rounds covered in a cream sauce. The main difference is the addition of cheese to the cream sauce and oftentimes a breadcrumb crust in au gratin potatoes. In fact, au gratin means ‘by grating’, which refers to the added cheese and breadcrumbs.

This recipe was a suggestion from one of my readers and has Velveeta cheese added to the cream sauce as well as smoked sausage in between the potato slices. And, I am so glad I took the suggestion; it is cheesy and delicious!

Potatoes Au Gratin Ingredients

Potatoes:I used russet potatoes for this recipe; starchy potatoes help thicken the sauce and will bake fork-tender. Yukon gold potatoes would also work well. Be sure to wash the potatoes before peeling and slicing them. I will give you some tips on how to make the potato rounds uniform for best results when cooking.

Sausage:I chose a ring of pre-cooked smoked sausage (andouille) in this recipe. You could also use turkey sausage, chorizo, or Polish kielbasa.

Milk:I recommend using whole milk in this recipe. If you use milk with a lower fat content (1% or skim), there is a possibility that the sauce will curdle. Also, make sure the milk is at room temperature before adding it to the sauce.

Cheese:I used Velveeta cheese in this recipe. Velveeta cheese is processed cheese, but it keeps its smooth consistency when melted, which is perfect for the sauce on these potatoes!

Slicing the Potatoes {Tips for Uniform Potato Rounds}

The first thing to do for this Potatoes Au Gratin with Smoked Sausage recipe is to rinse, peel, and slice the potatoes. One of the signature traits of this dish is its uniform potato size. We don’t just scatter the potatoes around and hope for the best, we lay them out perfectly straight, which makes it look beautiful and helps the dish cook evenly.

Be sure to use a mandoline slicer (affiliate link) for uniform slices. Your mandoline should have a “thin slice” blade and I recommend that for this dish. One of the beautiful aspects of this au gratin potato dish is how the potatoes are laid out. To make sure you can replicate it, use your mandoline right on the cutting board. Using it over a bowl will cause the potatoes to separate and they will not be lined up as they are in this recipe. I cut one potato at a time and set them aside while I work on the next one.

What is the Difference Between Au Gratin and Scalloped Potatoes?

As I stated above, there is a difference between au gratin and scalloped potatoes. Traditionally, scalloped potatoes do not have cheese; they have a heavy cream sauce and are much simpler. Au Gratin potatoes, on the other hand, are made with cheese and sometimes sprinkled with breadcrumbs on top.

Another difference between the two recipes is the size of the slices of potatoes. In both cases, the potatoes are cut into rounds; however, scalloped potatoes are generally thicker cut than au gratin.

Can I Freeze Potatoes Au Gratin?

Yes! Once the dish has been baked, let it come to room temperature. (But, don’t let them sit out for more than 2 hours before storing them.) Then, store them in a freezer-safe container that is labeled and dated. They will be good for up to 2 weeks in the freezer.