The Perfect Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin Recipe for Cozy Nights

Cheesy root vegetable gratin emerges as the ultimate comfort food, promising to elevate your culinary experience with its rustic charm.

Robust underground treasures mingle beneath a golden, crispy cheese blanket that whispers tales of hearty meals.

Every forkful promises a symphony of textures and flavors that dance across your palate with elegant simplicity.

Creamy layers capture the essence of seasonal bounty, redefineing humble ingredients into a sophisticated dish that feels both familiar and exciting.

Kitchen magic happens when these earthy ingredients blend under a blanket of melted cheese, creating something far more extraordinary than its components suggest.

Rich, complex flavors tell a story of traditional cooking techniques meeting modern culinary creativity.

Prepare to fall in love with this soul-warming masterpiece that turns ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary feast.

Pairing Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin with Wine

• Pair with Robust Red Wine: Select a medium-bodied Pinot Noir or Grenache to complement the earthy root vegetables and rich cheesy flavors, cutting through the creaminess while enhancing the dish's complex taste profile.
• Serve with Fresh Herb Salad: Create a light arugula and parsley salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette to balance the gratin's heaviness, providing a crisp, zesty contrast that refreshes the palate between bites.
• Match with Hearty Protein: Add roasted chicken or sliced herb-crusted pork tenderloin alongside the gratin, which will provide a protein-rich accompaniment that highlights the vegetable medley's deep, rustic flavors and creamy texture.
• Accompany with Crisp White Wine: Choose a Sauvignon Blanc or dry Riesling to offer a bright, acidic counterpoint to the gratin's richness, cleansing the palate and adding a refreshing element to the meal.

Fun Variations of Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin

• Rustic Autumn Medley: Swap some root vegetables with butternut squash, carrots, and turnips for a seasonal blend that captures fall's warmth and rich earthy flavors.
• Mediterranean Herb Fusion: Replace Parmesan with crumbled feta cheese and add oregano and rosemary to create a Greek-inspired vegetable gratin with bright, aromatic notes.
• Spicy Southwestern Spin: Incorporate diced green chiles, sprinkle smoked paprika, and use pepper jack cheese to transform the gratin into a zesty, bold side dish with southwestern flair.
• Vegan Creamy Option: Substitute dairy cream with coconut milk, use nutritional yeast instead of cheese, and add cashew cream for a plant-based version that maintains the original recipe's luxurious texture and depth of flavor.

Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin for a Cozy Meal

• Discover Colorful Veggie Layers: Dive into a stunning visual feast where sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets create a rainbow of vibrant colors and textures in every delightful bite.
• Melt-in-Your-Mouth Cheesy Comfort: Experience the ultimate creamy indulgence with rich Parmesan and gruyere cheeses that transform humble root vegetables into a luxurious, decadent side dish.
• Quick and Easy Gourmet Cooking: Prepare an impressive restaurant-quality gratin in under an hour with simple techniques like mandoline slicing and layering, making sophisticated cooking accessible to home chefs of all skill levels.
• Nutrient-Packed Flavor Explosion: Enjoy a wholesome meal that delivers a perfect balance of vitamins, fiber, and protein while satisfying your taste buds with herb-infused, creamy goodness that feels both healthy and indulgent.

Essential Ingredients for Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin

• Sweet Potatoes, Parsnips, Beets: Colorful, nutritious root vegetables that create a beautiful layered presentation with different textures and flavors.

• Heavy Cream: Provides rich, smooth base that helps vegetables cook evenly and adds luxurious creaminess.
• Parmesan Cheese, Gruyere Cheese: Adds deep, nutty flavor and creates golden, crispy cheese crust on top of the gratin.

• Fresh Thyme: Brings earthy, aromatic herb notes that complement the sweet and savory root vegetables.
• Garlic: Adds subtle, warming background flavor to enhance overall dish complexity.
• Salt, Black Pepper: Essential seasonings that balance and intensify the natural flavors of vegetables and cheese.

• Butter: Used for greasing baking dish to prevent sticking and add subtle richness.

How to Make Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin

Step 1: Prepare the Oven

Heat the oven to 400˚F and generously butter a 3-quart baking dish to prevent sticking.

Step 2: Slice Vegetables Carefully

• Sweet potatoes
• Parsnips
• Beets

Place each vegetable type in a separate bowl.

Step 3: Add Creamy Goodness

• For sweet potatoes and parsnips
• For beets

Step 4: Season Vegetable Layers

• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Minced thyme
• Generous salt and pepper

Toss until vegetables are evenly coated.

Step 5: Create Creamy Base

Pour cream into the buttered baking dish and sprinkle with garlic and Parmesan.

Step 6: Arrange Vegetable Layers

• Start with sweet potato slices
• Add parsnip slices
• Follow with beet slices

Place slices on their sides for beautiful presentation.

Step 7: Final Seasoning

Lightly sprinkle top layer with salt, pepper, and remaining Parmesan.

Step 8: Initial Baking

Cover dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes until vegetables soften.

Step 9: Cheese Topping

Remove foil and spread shredded gruyere evenly across the surface. Bake uncovered for 18-20 minutes until vegetables are fork-tender and cheese is golden brown.

Step 10: Serve and Garnish

Sprinkle fresh thyme leaves on top and serve piping hot directly from the oven.

Tips for Perfect Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin

• Slice Precisely: Use a sharp mandoline to create uniform, thin vegetable rounds that cook evenly and look professional.
• Cream Coating: Ensure each vegetable is thoroughly coated with cream to enhance moisture and prevent drying during baking.
• Layer Strategically: Arrange vegetable slices on their sides in a tight, overlapping pattern to create a visually stunning and compact gratin.
• Cheese Selection: Choose high-quality Parmesan and gruyere for maximum flavor complexity and rich, melty texture.
• Foil Protection: Cover the dish initially to steam vegetables, then uncover to achieve beautiful golden-brown caramelization on top.

Storing and Reheating Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin

• Refrigerate remaining gratin in an airtight container within two hours of cooking. Store up to three days in the refrigerator for maximum freshness and flavor retention. Seal tightly with plastic wrap or a fitted lid to prevent moisture loss and protect against absorbing other food odors.
• Reheat using the oven method for best results. Preheat your oven to 350˚F and transfer the gratin to an oven-safe dish. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excessive drying and maintain the original creamy texture. Warm for 15-20 minutes until heated completely through, checking midway to ensure even temperature distribution.
• Microwave works as a quick alternative when time is limited. Place a single serving on a microwave-safe plate and heat in 30-second intervals, stirring gently between each interval.

Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin Recipe

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4.9 from 20 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

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Description

Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin brings rustic French countryside comfort to winter tables. Layers of earthy parsnips, sweet potatoes, and turnips meld with rich Gruyère cheese, creating a golden-crusted masterpiece that warms souls and delights palates.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Root Vegetables:

• 1 to 2 long sweet potatoes, peeled and about 2 inches thick
• 3 to 4 large parsnips, ends trimmed and peeled
• 3 to 5 small beets, peeled

Cheeses:

• 4 ounces (113 grams) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 ounce (28 grams) shredded Gruyere cheese

Seasoning and Additional Ingredients:

• 14 tablespoons (207 milliliters) heavy cream, divided
• 1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon (3 grams) fresh minced thyme plus more for garnish
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (204 degrees Celsius) and generously coat a 3-quart (2.84 liters) baking dish with unsalted butter.
2. Use a mandoline to create uniform, thin rounds of sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets, placing each vegetable in separate mixing bowls.
3. Drizzle of heavy cream over the sweet potato and parsnip slices, and of cream onto the beet rounds.
4. Gently sprinkle ½ ounce (14 grams) of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and of finely chopped thyme leaves onto each vegetable bowl; season thoroughly with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, then toss until vegetables are evenly coated.
5. Pour the remaining ¼ cup (60 milliliters) of cream into the prepared baking dish, then scatter minced garlic and an additional pinch of Parmesan cheese across the bottom.
6. Create alternating rows of vegetable slices, starting with sweet potatoes at one end, followed by parsnips, then beets, repeating until six rows are formed.
7. Lightly dust the top layer with extra salt, pepper, and remaining Parmesan cheese to enhance the flavor profile.
8. Hermetically seal the dish with aluminum foil and bake for approximately 30 minutes, or until the vegetables become notably tender.
9. Remove the foil, evenly distribute shredded Gruyère cheese across the surface, and return to the oven for an additional 18 to 20 minutes until the vegetables are fork-tender and the cheese transforms into a golden, bubbling crust.
10. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves immediately before serving this decadent vegetable gratin piping hot.

Notes

• Layering vegetables requires precision and patience, creating a visual feast that’s as stunning as it is delicious.
• Mandoline slicing ensures uniform vegetable thickness, guaranteeing even cooking and beautiful presentation.
• Cream and Parmesan cheese transform humble root vegetables into a luxurious, indulgent side dish bursting with flavor.
• Alternating vegetable rows builds complexity, allowing each type to shine while creating an eye-catching color gradient.
• Covering with foil initially steams vegetables to tenderness, then uncovering allows beautiful caramelization and cheese melting.
• Fresh thyme adds a final aromatic touch, elevating this gratin from simple to extraordinary.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 50 minutes
• Category: Dinner, Appetizer
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: French

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 250 kcal
• Sugar: 5 g
• Sodium: 300 mg
• Fat: 15 g
• Saturated Fat: 10 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 28 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Protein: 8 g
• Cholesterol: 40 mg