Winter Vegetable Gratin with Gruyere (Printable)

Golden layers of root vegetables in creamy sauce with melted Gruyere and crispy breadcrumb topping.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 2 small parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
04 - 1 small rutabaga, peeled and thinly sliced
05 - 1 small leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced

→ Sauce

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
08 - 2 cups whole milk
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
10 - 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

→ Cheese

12 - 1 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
13 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

→ Topping

14 - 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
15 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
16 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish with butter.
02 - Peel and thinly slice all vegetables into uniform rounds for even cooking.
03 - Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute until smooth and bubbly.
04 - Gradually whisk in milk, stirring constantly until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat.
05 - Arrange half the sliced vegetables in the prepared baking dish. Pour over half the sauce and sprinkle with half the Gruyere cheese.
06 - Layer remaining vegetables on top. Pour over remaining sauce and distribute remaining Gruyere and all Parmesan cheese evenly.
07 - Combine breadcrumbs, melted butter, and thyme in a small bowl. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the gratin.
08 - Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
09 - Remove foil and continue baking for 15 minutes until topping is golden brown and vegetables are tender when pierced.
10 - Let gratin stand for 10 minutes to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It turns budget friendly winter vegetables into something company worthy
  • The make ahead nature means less stress when entertaining
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully for lunch the next day
02 -
  • The vegetables should be almost submerged in sauce, if it looks dry add a splash more milk
  • Covering tightly with foil prevents the top from burning before vegetables are tender
  • The gratin is done when a paring knife slides through the thickest vegetable with no resistance
03 -
  • Rub a raw garlic clove inside the buttered dish for invisible aromatic flavor
  • Add a layer of thinly sliced shallots between the vegetable layers for depth
  • Sprinkle extra Parmesan right at the end of baking for a cheese crisp crust

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