Description
This Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin is a comforting dish featuring thinly sliced sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets layered and baked in a creamy mixture of heavy cream, Parmesan, and Gruyere cheese. Infused with fresh thyme and garlic, it makes a deliciously cheesy and creamy side dish perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 long sweet potatoes (about 2 inches thick), peeled
- 4 large parsnips, ends trimmed and peeled
- 5 small beets, peeled
Dairy & Cheese
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 14 tablespoons heavy cream, divided
- 4 ounces grated Parmesan, divided
- 1 ounce shredded Gruyere cheese
Herbs & Seasonings
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced thyme, divided plus more for garnish
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Dish: Preheat your oven to 400˚F and grease a 3-quart baking dish with the softened butter to prevent sticking.
- Slice Vegetables: Using a mandoline or sharp knife, slice the sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets into very thin rounds. Place each type of vegetable into separate bowls.
- Mix Vegetables with Cream and Seasonings: Pour 4 tablespoons of heavy cream over the sweet potatoes and the parsnips each, and 2 tablespoons over the beets. Add ½ ounce grated Parmesan and 1 teaspoon of minced thyme to each bowl. Season each bowl generously with salt and pepper and toss to coat all slices evenly.
- Prepare Baking Dish Base: Pour the remaining ¼ cup of heavy cream into the bottom of the baking dish, then sprinkle with ½ ounce grated Parmesan and the minced garlic to create a flavorful base.
- Assemble Gratin: Arrange the vegetables in rows in the baking dish, starting with sweet potatoes standing up on a bias along the top edge, followed by parsnips, then beets. Repeat to create 6 rows total of root vegetables.
- Season and Cover: Season the top of the gratin with salt, pepper, and the remaining grated Parmesan. Cover the dish tightly with foil.
- Bake Covered: Bake for 30 minutes until the vegetables are starting to soften.
- Add Gruyere and Continue Baking: Remove the foil and sprinkle shredded Gruyere on top. Return the dish to the oven, uncovered, and bake for an additional 20 minutes until the vegetables are fork tender, cheese melted, and top is lightly browned.
- Garnish and Serve: Finish with a sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves and serve warm.
Notes
- Makes 1 (3 quart) casserole suitable for about 8 servings.
- Nutrition facts are based on the lowest quantity of vegetables in each range to give a conservative estimate.
- You can prepare this dish up to a day ahead and refrigerate tightly covered. Add 5-7 extra minutes of baking time when cooking from refrigerated.
- Be prepared for the beets to bleed color into the cream if prepping ahead; this won’t affect flavor but will change appearance.
- To minimize beet bleeding, coat beet slices lightly with cream and ensure only a thin cream layer is spread on the baking dish bottom.
- Adjust amount of cream based on the size of your baking dish; aim for just enough to keep vegetables moist and creamy.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 350 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 14 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
