Description
Turnip au Gratin is a rich and creamy low-carb alternative to traditional potato gratin. Thinly sliced turnips are sautéed in butter, layered in a baking dish, and smothered in a cheesy Alfredo-style cream sauce before being baked to tender perfection and topped with melted cheddar cheese.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables
- 2 lb small turnips
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Dairy
- 2 tbsp butter (divided)
- 3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
- 3 ounces grated Cheddar cheese
Others
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 tsp glucomannan (or 1/4 tsp xanthan gum)
Instructions
- Preheat oven and slice turnips: Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Using a mandolin slicer, carefully slice the turnips into approximately 1/8 inch thick slices to ensure even cooking.
- Sauté half the turnips: In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add half of the sliced turnips and toss them gently in the butter. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently and making sure the slices remain separated.
- Assemble first layer: Arrange the sautéed turnip slices in an overlapping pattern in an 8 or 9-inch ceramic baking dish. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Sauté remaining turnips: Repeat the sauté process with the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and the rest of the turnip slices.
- Assemble second layer: Add the second batch of sautéed turnips on top of the first layer in the baking dish, again seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Prepare the cream sauce: In the same pan used for sautéing, add the minced garlic to the remaining butter and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the heavy cream and cook until it just begins to simmer. Then, stir in the grated Parmesan cheese. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, and whisk in the glucomannan (or xanthan gum) to thicken the sauce.
- Pour sauce and bake: Pour the prepared cream sauce evenly over the layered turnips. Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 35 minutes.
- Add cheddar and continue baking: Remove the foil, sprinkle the grated Cheddar cheese over the top, and return the dish to the oven to bake uncovered for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, or until the turnips are tender and the cheese is melted.
- Broil for browning (optional): For a golden brown top, turn on the oven broiler and broil the gratin for 1 to 3 minutes, watching carefully to prevent burning.
Notes
- Turnip au Gratin is an excellent low-carb substitute for potato gratin, perfect for keto or low-carb diets.
- Use a mandolin slicer for uniform thin slices to ensure even cooking and texture.
- Glucomannan or xanthan gum helps thicken the cream sauce without adding starch.
- Broiling at the end adds a lovely golden and crispy top layer but watch closely to avoid burning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/9 of recipe
- Calories: 183 kcal
- Sugar: 1.5 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 13.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 8.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 7.6 g
- Fiber: 1.8 g
- Protein: 5.9 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
