Christmas is done and dusted, and it’s time for something different—something filling, warming, and perfect for cozy winter evenings. For me, that dish is vegetable gratin. It’s simple to prepare, versatile, and can be made with whatever vegetables you have on hand.
This gratin is one of my favorite winter dishes. It’s easy to make (read: there’s not much that can go wrong), it doesn’t take much time or effort, and most importantly, I can adapt it based on what I have at home that needs to be used up. The combination of potatoes, cream, and Parmesan is incredibly satisfying, and few things are as comforting as enjoying it after a long winter walk.
How to Make Vegetable Gratin?
1. Prepare the Vegetables:
Peel and slice root vegetables into thin slices (around 2–3 mm). If you have a mandoline slicer or a food processor with a slicing attachment, this will be a breeze. If not, use a standard grater or a sharp knife.
2. Pre-cook:
In a saucepan, heat cream, milk, and minced garlic. Season with salt to taste. When the milk mixture starts to boil, add the sliced vegetables and simmer gently until the mixture thickens and the vegetables begin to soften. This will take about 10 minutes.
3. Bake:
• If you have a casserole dish that can go from the stovetop to the oven, simply sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top and transfer it directly to an oven preheated to 180°C (350°F).
• If not, transfer the mixture to a baking dish, sprinkle with cheese, and bake for about 20–30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.
What Kind of Cookware to Use?
• Do you have an oven-safe casserole dish? Perfect! Use a wide cast-iron or similar dish, and you can cook and bake everything in one pot.
• Don’t have one? No problem. Use a regular pot for cooking, then transfer the mixture to a baking dish. You’ll have one extra pot to wash, but the result will still be fantastic.
Why You’ll Love It:
• Versatility: Adapt it to what you have at home—potatoes, sweet potatoes, carrots, celery root, parsnips—it all works.
• Simplicity: There’s nothing complicated about a gratin, and it requires minimal effort.
• Satisfying Flavor: The combination of cream and cheese creates a creamy texture and golden crust that’s irresistible.
Creamy vegetable gratin
Ingredients
- 1 Kg Root vegetables
- 250 Ml Double cream
- 200 Ml Milk
- Pinch of Salt
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 25 G Parmesan optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180℃.
- Clean your root vegetables and cut into thin slices. Use a food processor with a slicing attachment or a mandolin to speed the process up.
- Heat up the milk, cream and pressed garlic in a large casserole. Season with salt. When the mixture starts bubbling, add the sliced vegetables and cook gently for about 10miutes, for the mixture to thicken up and the vegetables to soften slightly.
- If you’re using an oven-safe casserole, grate the Parmesan (if using) over the vegetables and place in the oven.
- Alternatively, transfer the mixture to a baking dish, sprinkle over the Parmesan and place the dish in the oven.
- Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables are completely soft and the surface is golden.
I am a mother of three with a passion for cooking and healthy lifestyle. My goal is to show all families that it’s actually really simple to cook healthy, everybody can eat great food, feel great and never stress about food.
