How to Make Scalloped or Au Gratin Potatoes in Advance (2024)

FAQs

Can you leave uncooked scalloped potatoes in the fridge? ›

You can assemble the dish and refrigerate for about 8 hours before baking, or you can bake it and refrigerate for about 24 hours before serving. To reheat, cover with foil and warm in a 350°F oven for about 20 minutes. Unfortunately, this dish does not freeze well.

If raw, once the potato is cut you can store in the refrigerator, covered with water for 12-24 hours. Be sure to keep submerged in water to prevent slices from turning gray or brown.

Our favorite scalloped potatoes recipe is a must-make dish for holiday meals—from Easter to Thanksgiving to Christmas—and any celebration in between. Not only is this rich potato side dish a crowd-pleaser, it's a winner for the cook as it can be assembled ahead of time and baked when it's time to eat.

The best (and most popular) way to keep cut potatoes from turning brown is to completely submerge them in a bowl of water. Store the water-covered potatoes in a bowl in the refrigerator until you're ready to use them, up to one day in advance.

If you'll be cooking the potatoes in the next few hours, you can leave them submerged in water at room temperature, Tiess says. If it will be longer than a few hours, place them in the refrigerator. Peeled, sliced, submerged, and refrigerated potatoes should be cooked within 24 hours.

My sauce is watery

If you stored your potatoes in water to prevent discoloring, be sure to drain them well and pat them dry before adding to your casserole. Some of the waxier potatoes can release more water than starchier ones, so look for good baking potatoes like russet or Yukon golds.

Peel potatoes using a vegetable peeler. It's best to leave them whole, but you can go ahead and cube or dice them if you want — just don't slice them too thin. Fill a bowl with cool water, submerge the potatoes, then cover with plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator overnight.

Potatoes or rice can remain rock-hard after prolonged cooking. Starch will not swell if it is acidic. If you have a lot of sour cream in your scalloped potatoes or add something acidic, your potatoes may not soften. You can cook the potatoes with heavy cream or milk and then, after they soften, stir in sour cream.

Ideally store in a heated bread warmer drawer. Another option are the portable warming cabinets (sometimes used to slow cook meats or in catering and banquet business).

Scalloped potatoes and potato gratins are ideal for freezing, giving you a jump-start on dinner. It's best to cook the dish until the potatoes are getting tender and starting to brown but are not fully cooked. Cool completely, wrap well and freeze for up to two weeks.

Can I bake potatoes ahead of time and reheat? ›

Cool baked potatoes completely, place them in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag and refrigerate them. The USDA says they can be safely refrigerated for 3 to 4 days. Like all foods that have been cooked and cooled, potatoes should be reheated to at least 165 degrees F.

Instead, the IPC recommends refrigerating the slices in a large bowl of water with a tablespoon of white wine vinegar or lemon juice. Make sure the potatoes are completely submerged and don't store them beyond 24 hours. When you're ready to use them, drain the water and pat the potatoes dry.

Ina Garten Is Ditching Mashed Potatoes for This 5-Ingredient, Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Recipe. The best part (well, besides all the cheese)? You can prep it a day in advance.

Leftover scalloped potatoes should be covered and refrigerated and can be kept up to 1 week. To reheat several servings of the scalloped potatoes in the same casserole dish used to bake them in, covered with foil at 350°F oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through.

Wash the potatoes well when you're ready to cook them. Don't store potatoes in the fridge. Raw potatoes have lots of starches, and the cold temperatures can turn the starches into sugars. This can make your potatoes turn sweeter and darker during cooking.

If you're here, you'll probably be glad to know that yes, you can peel and cut potatoes the day before you plan to serve them — and that it's super easy! All you have to do is submerge the bare potato pieces in water and refrigerate (more on that later).

Refrigerating boiled potatoes can contribute to the formation of potential carcinogens. When cold-stored potatoes are reheated at high temperatures, the sugars and amino acids in the potatoes may react to form acrylamide, a substance linked to cancer. To minimise this risk, consider alternative storage methods.