These Kansas City Au Gratin Potatoes Have Earned a Permanent Spot in My Freezer (I Eat Them with Everything!)

If there’s one thing I’ve learned since I started this gig here at The Kitchn, it’s that easy, quick meals don’t necessarily have to be basic. While there are plenty of recipes that check both boxes — we even have a list of 60 dinners that’ll take you 20 minutes to make — there’s an option out there that requires even less effort on your part. I’m talking about direct-to-consumer food brands that deliver restaurant-quality meals right to your door. You can cut out the trip to the grocery store and prepping ingredients and get right to the good stuff pretty much instantly.

We have plenty of favorites, ranging from ramen noodle brands to online butcher shops, and Kansas City Steak Co. ranks highly on our list. I was first introduced to the brand earlier this summer, when I had the chance to attend QVC’s Foodie Fest. There, the company was serving its top-tier hot dogs, which had me wowed at first bite. I was champing at the bit to try another item on its extensive menu, and I decided to go with its au gratin potatoes. Unsurprisingly — I love Kansas City Steak Co. and potatoes — it was a match made in heaven. Read on to find out why I’m stocking up!

In total, it’s safe to say that au gratin potatoes will take well over an hour to get on the table, and that’s if you’ve got some experience making them. Instead of slicing the potatoes, creating a cheese sauce, and trying to layer it to perfection, you can go with this single-step option instead. In your order, you’ll get eight individual servings, in which the golden potatoes are covered in a blend of butter, cream, garlic, and Gruyère and cheddar cheese. Just pop them in the oven or air fryer, and then your side dish is ready to go!

I’m pretty short on time with my hectic schedule, so my meals are typically not that elaborate. I always thought something as involved as a layered potato casserole was out of the question — but not anymore since I’ve started keeping these stocked in my freezer. These individual portions of au gratin potatoes are amazing for a number of reasons: For one, you don’t even have to wait for them to thaw. Straight from the freezer, you can place them in the oven and they’ll be ready in half the time it would take to make the dish from scratch. Another pro? It’s so much easier to manage than a large casserole dish. It saves you from dealing with a mess and leftovers. Plus, when you’re entertaining, serving each portion is a breeze! And don’t even get me started on how dang delicious these potatoes are. Everything is portioned perfectly — the potatoes aren’t drowning in cheese, so every ingredient shines.

Since these potatoes arrived at my door — it’s worth mentioning that I had no problems with the delivery and packaging — I’ve eaten them for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The dish’s versatility is probably my favorite feature and why I have no qualms about spending $49 on something like this. However, you can score them for even less than usual if you’re a new QVC customer. With the code HELLO20, the cost will go down to only $29. Trust me, it’s totally worth it!

Buy: Kansas City Steak Co. (8) 4-oz Potatoes Au Gratin, $49