Gratin de courgettes – baked zucchini with cheese and herbs Recipe
Gratin de courgettes is a French casserole made from thinly sliced zucchini baked with cheese and herbs in a light, creamy sauce. In France it’s often served as a side dish to meat, but it can easily play the main role at a light dinner. It tastes like a cross between a vegetable bake and lasagna, just without the pasta.
This zucchini gratin is light yet satisfying, with thin slices of vegetables baked in a fragrant cream sauce and topped with a golden, cheesy crust. It’s an easy way to bring a touch of French bistro cooking to your everyday menu, using simple ingredients you probably already have at home.
Chef's tips
Slice the zucchini as evenly as possible so it bakes uniformly and doesn’t turn mushy in some spots while staying firm in others. If your zucchini is very watery, lightly salt the slices and let them sit for 10–15 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels before layering – this will keep the sauce from becoming too thin.
How to serve
Serve the gratin warm, straight from the oven, with a crisp green salad dressed with a simple vinaigrette. It also works well alongside roasted chicken, pork loin or baked salmon. For a vegetarian dinner, pair it with a lentil salad or a plate of mixed cheeses and fresh bread.
Ingredients
- zucchini young, with thin skin - 700 g
- onion medium - 1 piece
- garlic fresh - 2 cloves
- 30% cream for the sauce - 150 ml
- milk to thin the sauce - 100 ml
- yellow cheese well-melting, grated - 120 g
- Parmesan grated, for sprinkling - 30 g
- thyme dried leaves or 2–3 sprigs fresh - 1 teaspoon
- oil for sautéing the onion - 1 tablespoon
- butter for greasing the dish - 10 g
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- breadcrumbs for sprinkling on top - 2 tablespoons
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (top and bottom heat). Grease a baking dish of about 20×25 cm with butter.
- Wash the zucchinis, trim the ends and slice them thinly (about 3 mm). If they have a lot of seeds, remove the soft center.
- Peel the onion and dice it finely. Chop the garlic.
- Heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3–5 minutes, until it softens and becomes slightly translucent without browning. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute, stirring.
- Pour the cream and milk into the pan, add the thyme and a pinch of salt and pepper. Heat for 2–3 minutes, until the sauce is hot but not boiling. Remove from the heat and add half of the grated yellow cheese, stirring until it melts.
- Arrange the first layer of zucchini slices on the bottom of the dish, slightly overlapping them like roof tiles. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- Pour some of the cream sauce over the zucchini so it is thinly covered. Add another layer of zucchini, season with salt and pepper again, and pour over more sauce. Repeat until you use up all the ingredients, finishing with sauce on top.
- Mix the remaining yellow cheese with the Parmesan and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the gratin.
- Place the dish in the oven and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the top is golden and slightly crisp and the zucchini is tender – a fork should slide easily into the vegetables.
- After removing from the oven, let the gratin rest for 5–10 minutes so it sets slightly and is easier to slice.
Storage
Zapiekankę przechowuj w lodówce, szczelnie przykrytą, do 3 dni. Możesz ją też zamrozić w porcjach; po rozmrożeniu odgrzewaj w piekarniku, aby wierzch znów był lekko chrupiący.
This dish is one of the easiest ways to turn a surplus of zucchini into something comforting and elegant at the same time. The recipe is forgiving: you can play with different cheeses or herbs and it will still come out delicious, so don’t be afraid to adapt it to what you have in your fridge.
