Description
Ina Garten’s root vegetable gratin combines creamy parmesan sauce with earthy root vegetables. Rich layers of potatoes, parsnips, and carrots create a comforting side dish that elevates seasonal produce for dinner guests.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (pound) sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inches thick
- 1 lb (pound) celery root, peeled and sliced ¼ inches thick
- 1 lb (pound) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced ¼ inches thick
- 2 cups grated Gruyère cheese (6 oz with rind)
- 2 ¼ cups heavy cream
- 1 ½ cups sliced yellow onion (1 large)
- 2 cups (¼-inch-sliced) fennel, top and core removed
- ½ cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
- 2 ½ cups coarse fresh bread crumbs, crusts removed
- ¼ cup good olive oil
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (3 cloves)
- 2 tsps minced fresh thyme leaves
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Warm oven to 350°F and generously grease a large oval baking dish with butter or cooking spray to prevent adherence.
- Aromatic Foundation: Heat olive oil in a sauté pan over medium temperature. Sauté onions and fennel until translucent and lightly caramelized, approximately 10 minutes. Incorporate minced garlic and cook briefly to release its robust flavor profile.
- Mixture Creation: Combine sautéed aromatics with celery root, Yukon Gold potatoes, heavy cream, chicken stock, Gruyere cheese, thyme leaves, salt, and pepper in a spacious mixing bowl. Blend ingredients thoroughly to ensure harmonious flavor distribution.
- Assembly and Topping: Transfer vegetable mixture into prepared baking dish, pressing gently to create an uniform layer. Drizzle additional olive oil across the surface and sprinkle breadcrumbs evenly to develop a crisp, golden crust.
- Baking and Resting: Bake uncovered for 1.5 hours until vegetables become tender and top achieves a rich, bubbling golden-brown appearance. After removing from oven, let the gratin rest for 15 minutes to allow flavors to meld and ingredients to set before serving.
Notes
- Prep Smart: Select fresh, firm root vegetables for best texture and flavor intensity.
- Layer Carefully: Slice vegetables uniformly to ensure even cooking and consistent tenderness throughout the gratin.
- Cheese Selection: Use high-quality aged Gruyere for deeper, nutty flavor profile that elevates the entire dish.
- Resting Matters: Let gratin sit 15 minutes after baking to allow ingredients to absorb liquid and stabilize, creating a more cohesive and delicious final result.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 529
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 575 mg
- Fat: 40 g
- Saturated Fat: 24 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 10 g
- Cholesterol: 100 mg