Description
A hearty and colorful gratin featuring layers of sweet potatoes, parsnips, and beets baked in a creamy herb sauce with a crispy cheese topping. Perfect for a comforting side dish or a vegetarian main course.
Ingredients
- 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 medium parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 medium beets, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
- 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, for greasing
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the heavy cream, milk, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Heat over medium heat until just simmering, then remove from heat.
- Arrange a layer of sweet potato slices in the bottom of the prepared dish. Top with a layer of parsnips, then beets, repeating until all vegetables are used, slightly overlapping the slices.
- Pour the warm cream mixture evenly over the layered vegetables.
- Cover the dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil and sprinkle the Gruyère and Parmesan cheeses over the top.
- Bake, uncovered, for an additional 20-25 minutes until the top is golden brown and bubbly, and the vegetables are tender when pierced with a knife.
- Let the gratin rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
You can customize the seasonings to taste. For a lighter version, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream and use a reduced-fat cheese. Try adding a pinch of cayenne for a subtle kick.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Method: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American