Description
This colorful Cheesy Root Vegetable Gratin layers thinly sliced sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets with garlic cream, Parmesan, Gruyere, and fresh thyme. It makes a rich, beautiful side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Sunday dinner, or another special gathering.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
- 1 to 2 long sweet potatoes, about 2 inches thick, peeled
- 3 to 4 large parsnips, ends trimmed and peeled
- 3 to 5 small beets, peeled
- 14 tablespoons heavy cream, divided
- 4 ounces Parmesan cheese, finely grated and divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced and divided, plus more for garnish
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 ounce Gruyere cheese, shredded
- Fine salt, to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 3-quart baking dish with the softened butter.
- Slice the sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets into very thin rounds, about 1/8 inch thick. Place each vegetable in a separate bowl.
- Pour 4 tablespoons of heavy cream over the sweet potatoes and 4 tablespoons over the parsnips. Pour 2 tablespoons over the beets.
- Add 1/2 ounce grated Parmesan and 1 teaspoon minced thyme to each bowl. Season each vegetable with salt and black pepper, then gently toss until coated.
- Pour the remaining 1/4 cup cream into the prepared baking dish. Add the minced garlic and spread the mixture into a thin layer. Sprinkle 1/2 ounce Parmesan over the bottom.
- Stand a stack of sweet potato slices on a slight angle along one end of the dish. Follow with a row of parsnips and then a row of beets.
- Repeat the pattern until the dish contains about six snug rows and all the vegetables have been used.
- Season the top with salt and black pepper, then sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan.
- Cover the baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
- Remove the foil and test a center vegetable slice with a thin knife. Sprinkle the shredded Gruyere evenly over the top.
- Return the uncovered gratin to the oven and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the vegetables are fork-tender, the cream bubbles, and the cheese turns lightly golden.
- Let the gratin rest for 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve warm.
Notes
- Use a mandoline for evenly sliced vegetables that cook at the same rate.
- Keep the beets separate and coat them with only a small amount of cream to limit color bleeding.
- The gratin can be assembled, covered, and refrigerated for up to one day before baking.
- When baking the gratin directly from the refrigerator, add 5 to 7 minutes to the covered baking time.
- Whole milk can replace the heavy cream, although the finished sauce will be thinner and less rich.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.
- Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, uncovering during the final few minutes.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 265
- Sugar: 7
- Sodium: 292
- Fat: 17
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 6
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 9
- Cholesterol: 56