Gratin made with potatoes and root vegetables are a new must as far as Thanksgiving side dish recipes go. This potato au gratin with gruyere is super cheesy yet also gluten free made with Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour.
Victoria a local chef in Salt Lake City is a genius when it comes to healthy, seasonal recipes. She originally gave me the idea for this delicious root vegetable gratin recipe years ago at a small gathering we created together around holiday dishes. All of her recipes from that evening were amazingly delicious, using seasonal vegetables, and healthy substitutes, but this one was a favorite.
Since then, I’ve been altering this recipe every year, adding this or that, trying out different cheeses, and now also trying with with a gluten free flour. This updated recipe is my favorite thus far. The gruyere cheese really puts it over the top.
Au Gratin with Gruyere from Scratch
When making au gratin from scratch you need a few simple ingredients, root vegetables of any type, cheese and seasonings. The secret to making au gratin from scratch is using a food processor to thinly slice all of the potatoes and root veggies. This speeds up the process tremendously. Make sure and slice up the potatoes right before you’re ready to use them because if you do it too soon then they will start to discolor.
This root vegetable gratin recipe is actually quite simple and the beauty of it is, you can use whatever root vegetables you have on hand.
Substitutions for potatoes in gratin
Instead of the traditional, all potato gratin, this recipe has a blend of several root vegetables. If you don’t have celery root or maybe your just a little uncomfortable with the large gnarly brown root, try the pretty purple and white root vegetable- rutabaga or the slightly bitter turnip. Rutabagas are slightly more sweet, while celery root taste similar to celery but more mellow, and turnips have a flavor similar to horseradish, which my husband loves.
Making Gluten free Au Gratin
Most au gratin recipes are naturally gluten free. The recipe that I began with years ago has some flour in it to help soak up some of the half and half, and to cause the potatoes and veggie to stick together more. I have since altered it to use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour which works perfectly find and doesn’t add any extra flavor or texture.
This layered root vegetable gratin has been a crowd pleaser ever since first creating it years ago for our gathering and it has even gotten better over the years.
Becky Rosenthal
A healthier version of potato au gratin using root vegetables and gluten free flour.
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Holiday
Ingredients
- 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4” thick
- 2 russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/4” thick
- 1 rutabaga, celery root, or turnip peeled and sliced 1/4 “ thick
- 1/3 cup gluten free flour*
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- 1 1/2 cups gruyere cheese, shredded
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 Thai chili, minced, or 2 teaspoons Red Chile flakes
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup scallions, chopped
- 1 teaspoon fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375.
Use a food processor to thinly slice up the potatoes and root vegetables.
In a small sauce pan combine the half and half, scallions, garlic, chilies and herbs. Bring to a simmer. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.
Layer sweet potatoes in a baking dish coated with pan spray. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of gluten free flour. Add a layer of cheese. Pour some of the half and half mixture over the potatoes. Add a layer of russet potatoes, flour and some more cream. Continue layering until all of the potatoes, root vegetables, flour and half and half have been used. Top vegetables with remaining grated cheese.
Cover pan with aluminum foil and bake in over for 50-60 minutes. Remove foil for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove from oven and serve.
Notes
The gluten free flour in this recipe helps the gratin set and stick together. Gluten free flour and all purpose flour may be used here interchangeably.
Keyword gluten free, potatoes au gratin
Posted in
Fall, Recipes, Seasonal, Side Dish, Vegetarian, Vintage Mixer
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FAQs
A “gratin” is any dish that is topped with cheese or breadcrumbs mixed with butter, then heated in the oven or under the broiler until brown and crispy, according to The Food Lover's Companion. The term au gratin or gratinée just refers to anything prepared in that manner.
What goes well with gratin? ›
Au Gratin potatoes are rich. Serve them with leaner proteins such as beef tenderloin, grilled or roasted chicken, and pan-seared fish. Another excellent pairing for Au Gratin potatoes is a fresh salad with herbs and a tart vinaigrette. Au Gratin potatoes make a great casserole and are a great entrée themselves.
What method of cooking can root vegetables be cooked through? ›
Roasting in the oven and boiling on the stove are both popular ways to cook root vegetables. You can also braise them. Braising means to cook in fat and then in a little liquid. Or you can grill them over an open fire or gas grill.
What is gratin on a menu? ›
A gratin is a dish that is topped with cheese, or bread crumbs mixed with bits of butter, then heated in the oven or under the grill until brown and crisp. The terms au gratin or gratinée refer to any dish prepared in such a manner.
Is gratin unhealthy? ›
As such, anything made with a cream sauce and cheese is probably not going to scream healthy. However, using non-fat milk instead of heavy cream or whole milk, omitting the cheese and cutting back on the salt are easy modifications that can lower the calories, sodium and saturated fats.
What is a substitute for cream in gratin? ›
Substituting Milk for Heavy Cream
Whole milk alone can work in some instances as a substitute. At 3.5%, its fat content is low, but it's a good substitute in mashed potatoes or potatoes au gratin.
What is the cooking technique of gratin? ›
Derived from the French verb gratiner — to broil — gratin is a process that involves topping a dish with either cheese or buttery breadcrumbs and baking or broiling until crispy. While potatoes au gratin is most traditional, the contents beneath the golden crust can vary widely.
Which is better scalloped or au gratin? ›
The difference comes down to cheese. Scalloped potato recipes are usually baked in a basic cream sauce until soft and tender, with no cheese topping. Potatoes au gratin are a bit more decadent. They are made with lots of cheese sprinkled in between the layers of potatoes and also on top of the casserole.
What does gratin literally mean? ›
The etymology of gratin is from the French language words gratter, meaning "to scrape" (from having to scrape the food out of the dish it was cooked in). The technique predates the current name, which did not appear in English until 1846 (OED, s.v. "gratin").
Which root vegetables take longest to cook? ›
Root vegetables like sweet potatoes, carrots and turnips take the longest, followed by hard squash and cruciferous vegetables like butternut squash, cauliflower and broccoli. Tender items like cherry tomatoes or zucchini come next, then cooking greens, which have the shortest roasting time.
“Starting root vegetables out in cold water and heating the outside layers gradually allows for what turns out to be a fairly complex process. The cell walls get reinforced and become more resistant to the effects of overcooking.”
How deep should a gratin dish be? ›
Butter a gratin dish (which should be long and large and about 5 cm (2 in) deep) and sprinkle 2 chopped garlic slices on the bottom, a pinch of salt and pepper and more nutmeg.
What do you use a gratin dish for? ›
The Au Gratin dish is typically used for making gratins, roasting, and baking.
What does gratin mean in French? ›
The phrase au gratin literally means "by grating" in French, or "with a crust," from the verb gratter, "to scrape, scratch, or grate." Definitions of au gratin. adjective. cooked while covered with browned breadcrumbs (and sometimes cheese)
What is the definition of gratin? ›
gra·tin ˈgra-tᵊn ˈgrä- 1. : a brown crust formed on food that has been cooked au gratin. also : a dish so cooked.
What's the difference between scalloped and au gratin? ›
Au Gratin potatoes contain cheese, whereas Scalloped Potatoes do not. Scalloped potatoes typically contain cream but can also contain flavorful stock instead of dairy. Try our Classic Au Gratin Potatoes Recipe or Classic Scalloped Potatoes Recipe.
Why is it called a gratin? ›
The etymology of gratin is from the French language words gratter, meaning "to scrape" (from having to scrape the food out of the dish it was cooked in). The technique predates the current name, which did not appear in English until 1846 (OED, s.v. "gratin").
What makes gratiner different from regular broiling? ›
A gratin is always baked and/or broiled in a shallow dish. The topping is traditionally cheese or breadcrumbs, and they should get crispy under the broiler. “Gratin” is derived from the French verb gratiner—to broil. Gratter (to scratch or scrape) is a close verb, and definitely suggestive of a gratin's crispy crust.
