A gratin is one of the classic ways to serve celeriac and one that suits its flavour perfectly. This celeriac gratin recipe is easy to make and easy to adapt, so make it just the way you like it.
Celeriac gratin
It’s no secret that I am fond of celeriac. This lovely subtle vegetable deserves to feature more prominently in our diets.
A gratin is one of the classic ways to present celeriac. The delicate flavour stands up to all that unctuous cheese and cream, and the lighter texture makes this a less stodgy alternative to a potato gratin or dauphinoise.
This celeriac gratin recipe makes a delicious side dish to go with gammon/baked ham or a slow cooked beef casserole. It also makes a nice centrepiece to a vegetarian meal with a fresh salad on the side, much as you would serve dauphinoise.
If you want to make a more substantial dish or to serve more people, you can easily add potatoes to the recipe and combine the two.
See also
What is celeriac? A guide to a vegetable that most of us neglect.
How to cook celeriac – a simple guide to preparing and cooking celeriac, and a round up of my favourite celeriac recipes
What goes with celeriac? Perfect pairings for delicious dinners.
Roasted celeriac, a delicious side dish to add style to any roast dinner.
Why make celeriac gratin?
- Rich but not stodgy
- Luxurious but not too calorific
- Easy but stylish and different
- Simple but hard to resist!
Celeriac gratin ingredients
- Celeriac – choose one that is heavy and solid, and does not sound hollow when tapped
- Onion – yellow/white rather than red
- Cream and milk – I use a mix double/heavy cream and milk (not shown – whole, skimmed, semi skimmed it does not matter) but you could use single cream in place of the milk cream mix.
- Garlic – fresh for preference, but you can use granules
- Fresh herbs – I like thyme with celeriac but you could use rosemary for a more powerful herbal punch.
- Grated cheese – I have used mature cheddar in this recipe but a more subtle mountain cheese or a blue cheese would work too.
How to make celeriac gratin – step by step
Before you start, read my step-by-step instructions, with photos, hints and tips so you can make this perfectly every time.
Scroll down for the recipe card with quantities and more tips at the bottom of the page.
Step One – Prepare the celeriac, onions and garlic.
Celeriac – Cut into quarters, peel then slice into 1/4″ / 3mm slices.
Onion – Cut into quarters, peel and slice.
Garlic – Peel and finely chop.
Step Two – Add a drizzle of olive oil to the bottom of a oven proof gratin dish, or shallow casserole. Then use a piece of kitchen paper, or pastry brush to spread it, oiling the inside of the dish.
Add half the celeriac and onion, arranging in layers. Scatter over half the garlic and grated cheese. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkle of sea salt.
Step Three – Add the rest of the celeriac and onion, and scatter over the remaining garlic.
Whisk the milk and cream together and pour over the gratin, so that everything is almost covered.
Season again, and scatter the remains of the grated cheese on top. Add a sprig of thyme and then transfer to the oven to bake at 180°C/ Gas 4 for about 40 minutes (check it after 30).
Step Four – Your celeriac gratin is ready when it is golden and bubbling, and the celeriac is tender when you poke it with a knife.
Timings will vary according to the size, depth and shape of your oven dish, so do keep an eye on it.
With a deeper dish, it may start to brown before the centre is cooked. If this happens, cover the bake with foil and pop it back in the oven to finish.
Serving suggestion
Replace the cooked sprigs of herbs with fresh ones or scatter with chopped parsley.
Serve as a side dish with rich meaty dishes or as a main dish with a mixed salad.
Variations
This celeriac gratin recipe is very flexible, so why not try these variations on the theme?
- For a more substantial gratin to serve more people, use half celeriac and half potato.
- Vary the herbs or add a little grated nutmeg for a sweeter bake.
- Change the cheese. A mountain cheese like Gruyere or Comté works well, as do blue cheeses such as Roquefort or Gorgonzola (in which case, use less salt!). A sprinkling of Parmigiano Reggiano (or other grana style hard cheese) over the top is always good.
- Add a little chopped crispy bacon to the layers.
- Add other roots and some red peppers for a celeriac and vegetable bake.
- Leave out the cheese and add some fennel for a delicious celeriac bake to serve alongside baked salmon or other fish dishes.
- Make individual portions in large ramekin dishes for dinner parties.
Storage
Fridge – This celeriac gratin will store for several days in the fridge. Reheat it in the oven or microwave as you prefer.
Freezer – You can freeze your celeriac bake but I find the texture of celeriac is affected by freezing, so you may prefer not to. I’d eat it, but perhaps not serve to guests.
Hints and tips
- Be aware that the shape of your dish can have a significant effect on cooking time in this celeriac gratin recipe. A deep dish with a more compact footprint will need longer than a wide, shallow gratin.
- If you don’t want to eat your leftovers for lunch the next day, you can add them to a vegetable soup.
FAQS
A gratin is a dish that is topped with cheese or breadcrumbs and then baked in the oven or finished under the grill, to get that gratin topping. By this definition my variation without the cheese is not strictly a gratin but it’s still good!
You can use vegan cream and cheese substitutes. The modern ones are good and behave in very much the same way as dairy products.
Yes, why not? For a more substantial dish you can add potatoes. For a light and fragrant dish, add fennel. This is good with fish, and I would tend to leave the cheese off. Leeks would be good too. For a mixed vegetable bake, add carrots, beans and red peppers.
You may also love
- Mashed celeriac (celery root) is great for soaking up rich sauces and so much lighter that potato.
- Celeriac remoulade is a light but sastisfying French-style salad.
- Easy celery root fries are not too naughty but very nice.
- Celeriac soup with apple makes the most of a classic combination that is absolutely delicious.
Celeriac Gratin (Celery Root Gratin) Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 celeriac (about 450g / 1lb)
- 1 medium onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 100 g (1 cups) cheddar cheese (strong, grated)
- black pepper and sea salt (to season)
- 150 ml (2/3 cups) double / heavy cream (or use single cream instead of the double cream and milk)
- 150 ml (2/3 cups) milk
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
Instructions
- Peel the vegetables. Cut the celeriac and onion into slices about 3 mm thick. Finely chop the garlic.1 celeriac, 1 medium onion, 1 clove garlic
- Grease the bottom and sides of a gratin/casserole dish with a little oil.
- Add half the celeriac and onion, arranging in layers. Scatter over half the garlic and grated cheese.1 clove garlic, 100 g cheddar cheese
- Season generously with freshly ground black pepper and a sprinkle of sea salt. Then repeat with the rest of the celeriac and onion, and scatter over the remaining garlic.black pepper and sea salt
- Whisk the milk and cream together and pour over the gratin, so that everything is almost covered.150 ml double / heavy cream, 150 ml milk
- Season again, and scatter the remains of the grated cheese on top. Add a sprig of thyme and then transfer to the oven to bake at 180°C / Gas 4 for about 40 minutes.2 sprigs fresh thyme
- Your celeriac gratin is ready when it is golden and bubbling, and the celeriac istender when you poke it with a knife. If the top starts to brown before the celeriac is cooked, cover with foil and return to the oven until it is ready.
Notes
Storage
Fridge – This celeriac gratin will store for several days in the fridge. Reheat it in the oven or microwave as you prefer. Freezer – You can freeze your celeriac bake but I find the texture of celeriac is affected by freezing, so you may prefer not to.Hints and tips
- Be aware that the shape of your dish can have a significant effect on cooking time. A deep dish with a more compact footprint will need longer than a wide, shallow gratin.
- If you don’t want to eat your leftovers for lunch the next day, you can add them to a vegetable soup.
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