Winter Vegetable Gratin Gruyere (Printable)

Layers of winter vegetables with creamy sauce and Gruyere cheese baked to golden perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 cups butternut squash, peeled and thinly sliced
02 - 2 cups parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
03 - 2 cups Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
04 - 1 cup leeks (white and light green parts), thinly sliced

→ Sauce

05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
06 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (use gluten-free flour for gluten-free option)
07 - 1 1/2 cups whole milk
08 - 1 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

→ Cheese & Topping

12 - 2 cups Gruyere cheese, grated
13 - 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
14 - 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (use gluten-free breadcrumbs if needed)
15 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
16 - 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish.
02 - Peel and thinly slice butternut squash, parsnips, Yukon Gold potatoes, and leeks.
03 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
04 - Gradually whisk in whole milk and heavy cream. Cook, whisking until the sauce thickens and is smooth, about 3 to 5 minutes.
05 - Stir in ground nutmeg, salt, and black pepper. Remove from heat.
06 - Arrange half of the sliced vegetables evenly in the baking dish, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle with half of the grated Gruyere. Repeat with remaining vegetables and top with the rest of the Gruyere.
07 - Pour the warm sauce evenly over the layered vegetables and cheese.
08 - In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, olive oil, and fresh thyme leaves if using. Sprinkle mixture evenly over the gratin.
09 - Cover the dish loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes.
10 - Remove foil and continue baking for 20 minutes or until the top is golden and bubbly.
11 - Allow the gratin to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

# Expert Hacks:

01 -
  • The creamy sauce seeps into every layer, turning simple winter vegetables into something rich and comforting.
  • It holds together beautifully when you slice it, so serving feels a little fancy even on a weeknight.
  • You can prep the whole thing a few hours ahead and just slide it into the oven when you're ready.
02 -
  • Slice the vegetables as evenly as possible or some pieces will be mushy while others stay crunchy.
  • Don't skip the resting time after baking, the gratin needs those 10 minutes to set or it will fall apart on the plate.
  • Use freshly grated Gruyere instead of pre-shredded, the anti-caking agents in bagged cheese keep it from melting smoothly.
03 -
  • A mandoline makes slicing fast and uniform, but watch your fingers and use the guard every single time.
  • Taste your sauce before you pour it over the vegetables, it should be well-seasoned because the vegetables will mellow it out.
  • If the top is browning too quickly, tent it loosely with foil for the last few minutes and it will finish cooking without burning.

Go Back