Root Vegetable Au Gratin Recipe

The holidays are over, but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat yourself and your family to a special dish every now and then. And that’s exactly where this Root Vegetable Au Gratin Recipe comes into play.

Look, many of us are stuck at home now more than ever, so why not try your hand a few new dishes and treat your family to something a little “extra” these days?

The bonus? This beautiful dish is packed to the brim with vitamins and minerals, meaning it will support your health in more ways than one!

For starters, this Root Vegetable Au Gratin Recipe features carrots, golden beets, and sweet potatoes—all of which are rich in beta-carotene.

As you may recall, your body converts beta-carotene to the all-powerful vitamin A it needs to perform basic functions, including: supporting immune system health, fighting inflammation, supporting eye health, blocking environmental toxins, supporting bone health, and even slowing the aging process!

How? Well, research has shown that the vitamin A you'll get from this Root Vegetable Au Gratin Recipe supports the integrity of your natural immunity by supporting the normal regeneration of your mucosal barriers. [1]

Adequate beta-carotene consumption is vital for your health because mucosal barriers actually keep the bacteria and toxins in your environment from regularly entering into your body.

Anytime you have an inadequate intestinal mucosal barrier, it allows more microbes and toxins to enter your body, which can result in inflammation and a myriad of diseases. [2]

In addition to beta-carotene, the golden beets in this recipe also contain betaxanthins, meaning they’re rich in the antioxidants that fight free radicals and can even help to maintain healthy blood pressure. [3]

Perhaps the best part about this Root Vegetable Au Gratin Recipe? It’s absolutely delicious! So, let’s not wait any longer. Get ready to meet one of your new family dinner favorites!

 

Root Vegetable Au Gratin Recipe

Time: 1 hour 55 minutes

Serves: 6

 

 

Ingredients

3 large rainbow carrots

1 large golden beet

1 large purple sweet potato

1 small orange sweet potato

3 tablespoons vegan butter

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup plant-based milk

1/2 cup vegetable broth

1/4 cup vegan sour cream

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

6 sprigs thyme, divided

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 cup vegan parmesan, divided

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

2 teaspoon arrowroot flour

1/4 cup gluten free panko breadcrumbs

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped; divided

 

Directions

1. Begin by peeling and slicing the carrots, beet, and sweet potatoes. Slice lengthwise, about 1/8 inch thick, using a mandolin or a very sharp knife. Set aside.

2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

3. In a small pot, melt the vegan butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute, or until golden and fragrant.

4. Add the milk, broth, vegan sour cream, nutritional yeast, half of the thyme sprigs, nutmeg, 2 tablespoons of the vegan parmesan, and salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Bring to a light boil, then reduce to low heat.

5. In a small bowl, whisk the arrowroot with 3 tablespoons of water until dissolved. Add to milk mixture and whisk to combine. Continue to simmer 2 to 3 minutes, or until the mixture thickens. Remove from the heat. Discard the thyme sprigs.

6. Spoon about 1/4 cup sauce into a 9 x 13-inch greased baking dish to cover the bottom. Top with a layer of vegetables, slightly overlapping them, then top with more sauce. Repeat layering the vegetable and sauce, ending with the sauce on top.

7. In a small mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, remaining vegan parmesan, olive oil, half of the parsley, and more salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine. Sprinkle over top of the vegetables.

8. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and transfer to the oven. Cook 30 minutes, then remove the cover and cook an additional 45 to 55 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender, topping is golden, and sauce is bubbling. If the topping begins to burn before the vegetables are tender, re-cover with aluminum foil.

9. Cool 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with remaining parsley and thyme.