Traditional vegetables au gratin is a delicious vegan dish that can be enjoyed as a side-dish or as a main. Perfect for a special Holiday meal such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Boxing Day, New Years or an Easter-time dinner.
Vegetable au gratin is so easy and is a great way to use up any leftover cooked veggies, veggie bargain buys, or clean-out-the-fridge veggies.
Tasty, wholesome veggies covered in a savoury white sauce and topped with a crispy, nutty, cheesy flavoured topping. Guaranteed to be a family favourite.
Quick Origins of Vegetables Au Gratins
Au gratin originates from an old French cooking term that simply refers to the dish having a brown, crispy topping. Some claim the name refers to 'food burnt on top'! The word gratin was first recorded in Britain in 1846 but the actual method was likely being practiced in kitchens for much longer.
The main ingredients can be a single ingredient or a mix of meat, fish, vegetables, potatoes, pasta, beans, lentils, rice or other grains, with some type of sauce bringing everything together.
Various toppings can be added including breadcrumbs, cheese, nuts, seeds, crackers, cereal, herbs, seasonings, etc and the gratin can be browned and crisped up by either baking, broiling or grilling (under the heat source).
Vegetable au gratin was a popular meal in Britain during the second world war as the dish was so economical and easy. As well as being adaptable as easily-sourced ingredients could be added.
Vegan Traditional Vegetables Au Gratin
Preparing vegan traditional vegetables au gratin is really easy. The dish starts with the veggies already cooked so is perfect for using up leftover veggies. I decided to use Brussel sprouts, broccoli and carrots as they were needing used up, so steamed those until soft. The cooked veggies are tipped into a casserole dish.
I also added some frozen peas, there was just a small amount left in the package so that was a good way to make use of them. The peas did not need cooked as the baking time in the oven was enough to cook those through. A can of drained haricot/navy beans were tipped over the veggies. The haricot beans are so tasty with the savoury white sauce.
Next the onion and garlic is sautéed with either the vegan margarine or half a cup of veggie stock for 8 minutes. The flour is mixed through the onions and cooked for a further minute, stirring constantly.
The plant milk is poured in a splash at a time and stirred well, until all the milk is incorporated. The sauce is simmered for 4 minutes and then the white miso paste, nutmeg, salt and pepper is whisked through. The sauce is simmered for a few more minutes before being poured over the veggies.
To prepare the crunchy topping the cornflakes, walnuts and nutritional yeast flakes are added to a mixing bowl, and using your hands scrunch up the cornflakes a little and snap the walnuts into smaller pieces. Everything is mixed together and sprinkled over the veggies and white sauce.
All that's left to do is bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until the gratin is nice and hot, and the topping is crispy and golden. Delicious.
How To Prepare Traditional Vegetables Au Gratin Side dish
Sauté the onion and garlic.
Pour in the plant milk and veggie stock, stirring to create a smooth sauce.
Add the cooked veggies to a casserole dish, along with the haricot/navy beans.
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Add the cornflakes, walnuts and nutritional yeast flakes to a bowl. Crush the cornflakes and walnuts a little. Mix everything to combine.
Bake until hot, golden, and crisp.
Recipe Notes And FAQS
Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, within a covered container or with a covering over the gratin baking dish, for up to 3 days.
Place a piece of kitchen foil over the gratin to cover and bake at the cooking temperature for 15-20 minutes or until piping hot throughout. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before reheating to remove the chill which will make reheating quicker.
Yes!
Gratin can be prepared a few days in advance and stored in the fridge before baking. If preferred the topping can be added just before cooking. The topping can also be prepared in advance and stored in an airtight container for a few days.
Preparing in advance is perfect for serving the gratin during the Holiday period as it will save valuable time.
With a few considerations, vegetable au gratin is perfect for gluten-free diets.
Choose a gluten-free cornflake cereal or similar cereal, gluten-free vegan stock, and a gluten-free plain flour blend.
Make sure any other ingredients are also gluten-free such as white miso paste and vegan margarine.
Anything at all.
Leftover cooked veggies are perfect, as are reduced-price bargain buy veggies, and any veggies that just need using up.
Around Christmas time, in the UK, supermarkets often have lots of seasonal veggies inexpensive for sale so these would be perfect.
Veggies such as (although some of these are technically a fruit):
* parsnip
* carrot
* Brussel sprouts
* onions, shallots
* celeriac
* cabbage and other greens
* peas and sweetcorn
* turnip/swede
* sweet potato
* butternut squash/pumpkin
* courgette
* tomatoes
* broccoli
* cauliflower
* mushrooms
This recipe adds a can of haricot/navy beans but any type of bean can be added instead.
Also any fresh herbs you have available can be added.
Replace the walnuts for any type of nut you prefer, or a seed such as pumpkin or sunflower.
The cornflakes can be replaced with breadcrumbs or a similar crunchy cereal. Bran flakes or Weetabix would be tasty.
Not a fan of nutritional yeast flakes? Replace with some vegan shredded cheese or perhaps some garlic and/or onion powder, or paprika, for extra flavour.
Switch out the white miso paste for a teaspoon or two of English or Dijon mustard,
This gratin can be served as a main along with sides especially tasty for a special Holiday meal such as Thanksgiving, Christmas, Boxing day, New Year, Easter, etc.
Serve the vegetables au gratin with potatoes, veggies, gravy, cranberry sauce, apple sauce, stuffing, the works!
Or enjoy the vegetables au gratin as a side-dish along with:
* crusty bread
* cornbread
* quick dinner rolls
* American biscuits
* vegan garlic bread
* large crispy green salad
* raw veggie salad
* potato wedges/fries
* mashed potatoes
* polenta mash or polenta chips
* grits
* champ (a traditional mash of potato, cabbage and turnip)
* corn-on-the-cobs
* steamed green veggies
* roasted veggies
* fresh spinach
* vegan sausages
* veggie burger
* vegan meatloaf
* baked beans
* vegan coleslaw
* cranberry sauce
* apple sauce
* vegan gravy
More Veggie Packed Delicious Vegan Meals:
Red Thai sweet potato, broccoli and chickpea curry
Traditional Scottish hotchpotch soup
Roasted pumpkin, sweet potato and red pepper soup
Recipe
Crispy Vegetables Au Gratin (Vegan)
Equipment
- Casserole dish/Lasagna dish around 30cm/12 inch x 20cm/9 inch
- Non-stick saucepan or similar to prepare sauce
- Mixing bowl to prepare topping
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram mixed vegetables cooked, any combination or leftover veggies, perfect for cleaning out the fridge or freezer
- 1 can haricot beans drained, 400g/15 oz can/ or 240g cooked beans
Sauce:
- 2 tablespoon vegan margarine or vegan butter/ or replace with ½ cup/125 ml veggie stock
- 1 medium onion diced, 1 medium
- 4 cloves garlic minced or fine diced
- 3 tablespoon plain flour or all-purpose/plain wholemeal/gluten-free plain flour
- 600 millilitre plant milk
- 200 millilitre veggie stock
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste or one teaspoon of English/Dijon mustard
- 1 pinch nutmeg or cayenne pepper, to taste
Topping:
- 2 cup cornflakes give them a little bash to break up a little but not too much
- 50 gram walnuts rough chopped, replace with any type of nut or seeds such as pumpkin/sunflower
- 4 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes or replace with vegan shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 Fan/ 200 Celsius/ 392 Fahrenheit/ Gas 6.
- Add the cooked veggies to the casserole dish, along with the haricot beans.
Prepare the sauce:
- Heat the vegan margarine or ½ cup of veggie stock in a saucepan and add the onion and garlic. Sauté for 8 minutes over a medium heat.
- Add the flour and stir to a smooth paste for 1 minute.
- Slowly pour in the plant milk, mixing well each time to avoid lumps. Next pour in the veggie stock and bring to a simmer.
- Cook for 4 minutes simmering over a low heat, stirring frequently to avoid lumps and sticking to the pan.
- Whisk through the white miso paste (or mustard), nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.
Prepare the topping:
- Tip the cornflakes, walnuts and nutritional yeast flakes into a mixing bowl.
- Using your hands crush up the cornflakes a little, and snap the walnuts into smaller pieces. Mix everything well.
Assemble the gratin:
- Pour the white sauce over the veggies in the casserole dish.
- Sprinkle the topping over the sauce.
Bake:
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the gratin is heated throughout and the topping is crispy and golden.
Notes
- Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge, within a covered container or with a covering over the gratin baking dish, for up to 3 days.
- To reheat place a piece of kitchen foil over the gratin to cover and bake at the cooking temperature for 15-20 minutes or until piping hot throughout. Remove from the fridge about 30 minutes before reheating to remove the chill which will make reheating quicker.
- For gluten-free diets choose a gluten-free cornflake cereal or similar cereal, gluten-free vegan stock, and a gluten-free plain flour blend. Make sure any other ingredients are also gluten-free such as white miso paste and vegan margarine.
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