Rainbow Veggie Gratin
This Rainbow Veggie Gratin is such a beautiful and tasty way to enjoy veggies! Don’t nutritionists say that we should eat a rainbow of vegetables and fruit? Well, the rainbow of color in this dish definitely draws you in right away! However, it is the satisfying mix of fresh vegetables that are roasted in a mixture of diced tomatoes, fresh garlic, basil and cheese that will bring you back for seconds. And the crunchy breadcrumb topping will bring you back for thirds! Just ask my husband…
Easier than it looks!
Although it looks like it might be complicated or time consuming to make this beautiful Rainbow Veggie Gratin, it is truly easy to make. Once the veggies are washed, peeled (if needed) and stems are trimmed, they just need to be cut to approximately the same thickness. If you have a mandolin, this is a great way to put it to use! Otherwise, a chef’s knife will work just fine. When I have used a knife, I am not too picky about the slices turning out exactly the same, I just do the best I can. Fortunately, I don’t have any of those tough professional chefs looking over my shoulder judging my knife skills! It is just dinner after all:-)
Assembly
Begin by coating the bottom and sides of a baking dish with olive oil. Then pour in the fire roasted diced tomatoes, chopped garlic and fresh basil. Then dot with the goat cheese or ricotta. Season with salt and pepper, then begin placing the veggie slices in the dish, keeping them somewhat upright and going around the outside of the dish first. Finish with a row down the middle. Alternate the colors however you’d like. This is where you can have fun with different types of vegetables. As you can see in the photos, I’ve used purple beets, golden beets, zucchini, yellow squash and sweet potatoes. You can also try eggplant, tomatoes, onion, carrots, parsnips or potatoes. Just try to keep them sliced very thin. Drizzle a little olive oil on top, season with salt and pepper, then in the oven it goes.
Cheesy Bread Crumb Topping
While the veggies are roasting in the oven, place 1 or 2 slices of gluten free sandwich bread in a food processor. Pulse a few times until small crumbs appear. Stir the bread crumbs and grated cheese together in a small bowl. I have used parmesan, Romano and pecorino cheeses for this and all work well. Then drizzle about 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top and stir it in well. You may need a little more or less olive oil based on how dry the bread is. The goal is for the mixture to look damp, not for it to be greasy or dripping wet.
Baking the Rainbow Veggie Gratin
Once the veggies have been in the oven covered for 45 minutes, they should be almost completely cooked. Carefully remove the dish from the oven, remove the aluminum foil and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top. Return the dish to the oven uncovered for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is browned the way you like it. Then it is done!
More Like This
If you are a fan of veggie casseroles & kugels (“kugel” is yiddish for casserole) like I am, check out these: Greek Spinach Kugel, Broccoli Cheese Casserole, Veggie Kugel, Green Bean Casserole and Italian Style Quinoa Casserole
Rainbow Veggie Gratin
Ingredients
- 15 oz can diced fire roasted tomatoes
- 4 oz goat cheese (you can sub full fat ricotta if you prefer)
- 2 tsp garlic, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh basil, sliced
- 1 large zucchini
- 1 large yellow squash
- 3 medium beets (purple & golden beets work well)
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 2 tbsp olive oil (divided)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
For the topping:
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs (I use gluten free bread)
- 1 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (Pecorino or Romano also work well)
- 2 tbsp olive oil (made need a little more or less)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Rinse and trim the stems off of the beets, zucchini and yellow squash. Peel the beets. Scrub the sweet potato very well, but you don’t have to peel it unless you dislike the skin. Then slice each of the veggies into very thin rounds, approximately ⅛ inch slices. Set these all aside.
- In a medium to large baking dish, grease the bottom and sides with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Pour the can of diced tomatoes into the dish, allowing it to evenly coat the bottom. Sprinkle the goat cheese or ricotta, garlic and basil on top of the diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper.
- Alternating veggies, stack them upright around the outside of the baking dish, then fill in the center. Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.
- While it is baking, combine the breadcrumbs and shredded parmesan cheese in a small bowl. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and stir to combine well. If the bread crumbs are a bit dry, you may need a little more oil. Just be sure that it isn’t dripping with oil. The goal is for it to look damp, not soaked.
- After the veggies have baked for 45 minutes, carefully remove the aluminum foil and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture on top of the veggies. Return to the oven to bake for another 15 minutes or until the topping is browned and crisp.
