Winter Vegetable Gratin Gruyere (Print Version)
Golden baked winter vegetables layered with creamy Gruyere cheese for a comforting meal.
# Recipe Ingredients:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 medium parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
03 - 1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced
04 - 1 small celery root (celeriac), peeled and thinly sliced
05 - 1 medium leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
→ Cheese & Cream
06 - 2 cups (7 oz) Gruyere cheese, grated
07 - 1 ½ cups (12 fl oz) heavy cream
08 - ½ cup (4 fl oz) whole milk
→ Seasonings
09 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
10 - 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
11 - ¼ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
12 - 1 tsp salt
13 - ½ tsp black pepper
→ Topping
14 - ½ cup (1.25 oz) fresh breadcrumbs (gluten-free optional)
15 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
16 - 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and grease a 9x13-inch (23x33 cm) baking dish with butter.
02 - Combine heavy cream, whole milk, minced garlic, thyme, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper in a small saucepan. Heat gently over low heat until warmed through without boiling.
03 - In a large bowl, gently toss all sliced vegetables. Spread half of the vegetables evenly in the prepared baking dish.
04 - Sprinkle half of the grated Gruyere cheese over the vegetables. Layer the remaining vegetables on top, then cover them with the remaining Gruyere.
05 - Evenly pour the warm cream mixture over the layered vegetables and cheese.
06 - Mix breadcrumbs, melted butter, and Parmesan cheese if using in a small bowl. Sprinkle this topping evenly over the gratin.
07 - Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
08 - Remove foil and continue baking for an additional 20 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the top is golden brown.
09 - Allow the gratin to rest for 10 minutes before serving to set flavors.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The vegetables stay tender but never mushy, which honestly took me a few tries to figure out.
- Gruyere cheese melts into something almost magical, especially when mixed with that creamy sauce.
- It's elegant enough for guests but casual enough for a weeknight dinner.
- You can prep everything hours ahead and bake it when you're ready.
02 -
- Slice everything roughly the same thickness, or the thinner pieces will get mushy while thicker ones stay hard.
- That warm cream sauce matters more than you'd think; cold cream poured over cold vegetables just doesn't distribute properly and the cooking time becomes unpredictable.
03 -
- Use a mandoline or the thin blade on a box grater for vegetables if you have one; it ensures they're thin and uniform enough to cook evenly.
- Bring everything to room temperature before baking if you've prepped ahead, or add 10 minutes to the covered baking time to account for the cold start.