Vegetable Au Gratin Recipe
Vegetable au Gratin is a creamy baked dish made with mixed vegetables coated in a smooth white sauce and topped with melted cheese. It’s comforting, mild and easy to customise with your choice of vegetables. The sauce keeps everything tender and flavorful. Veg au Gratin is a great option for a simple dinner or a cozy weekend meal.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
WHITE SAUCE
- 3 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 3 tablespoons whole wheat flour or 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1.5 cups cold milk
- ⅓ teaspoon ground black pepper powder
- ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg or ground nutmeg or about 2 Pinches
- 2 tablespoon grated or shredded cheddar cheese optional
- ½ teaspoon mix dried herbs like parsley oregano, basil etc for sprinkling, add as required
- salt as required
TO COOK
- 3 cups water for cooking veggies
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- VEGGIES
- ⅓ cup chopped carrots
- ⅓ cup sliced baby corn
- 1 to 1.25 cups chopped cauliflower florets
- ¼ cup chopped french beans
- ½ cup green peas or sweet corn kernels
- 1 cup chopped button mushrooms
- ¾ to 1 cup chopped potato or 1 medium to large sized potato
- ¼ cup chopped bell pepper optional
- OR
- a total of 2.5 cups chopped vegetables including the mushrooms
MORE
- 1 to 2 teaspoons softened butter for greasing the baking pan
TOPPINGs
- ½ cup grated cheddar cheese or mozzarella cheese or add as required
- ⅓ cup bread crumbs optional
Instructions
- Rinse, peel and chop all the vegetables into small, even pieces so they cook evenly. Keep everything ready before you start.
- Bring water to a boil in a pot with a little salt. Add the vegetables that take longer to cook first, then add the quicker-cooking ones. Cook until they are fork-tender but not mushy.
- Drain the vegetables thoroughly using a strainer. They should not retain any extra water, or the sauce will turn thin. Set aside.
- To make the white sauce, melt butter in a saucepan on low heat. Add the flour and whisk continuously to make a smooth roux. Cook until it becomes pale golden and smells nutty.
- Slowly pour in cold milk while whisking so no lumps form. Continue cooking on low heat, stirring often, until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Season the sauce well with pepper, nutmeg and salt. If you want a richer gratin, you can mix in a little cheese at this stage.
- Add the cooked vegetables to the warm white sauce and gently fold so all the pieces are coated evenly.
- Grease a baking dish with butter and spread the vegetable–white sauce mixture in an even layer.
- Top with grated cheese. If you prefer a crispy top, sprinkle breadcrumbs or panko over the cheese.
- Bake in a preheated oven until the cheese melts, the top turns golden and the edges look slightly bubbly.
- Allow the Veg au Gratin to rest for a few minutes before serving so it sets slightly and is easier to scoop.
Notes
Make sure the white sauce is thick so the gratin bakes well. Use a cheese that melts easily and grate it fresh. Add any vegetables you like but match them by cooking time. Mushrooms add good flavor but are optional. Panko breadcrumbs give a crisp topping, but you can skip breadcrumbs completely. You can also roast the vegetables instead of boiling them.
