A recipe for a creamy and cheesy Purple Cauliflower and Potato Gratin with a crispy topping. It starts out with a roux, béchamel, oodles of cheese and breadcrumbs that help form a crispy top crust.
Purple Cauliflower and Potato Gratin
I don’t need a day to remind me how much I love the people dear to me. It’s these meals together with the ones I love that I cherish the most.These meals together make my stomach content and my heart very happy.
You could make this gratin with white cauliflower or even with just potatoes and the besciamella. If you will use only potatoes, I would double the amount. I used my besciamella recipe and the portion was perfect for a 10x6 casserole dish. This dish is incredible. I would’ve been happy eating it alone with a great salad. Or even alone without a salad. It smells heavenly while it’s baking and good luck waiting for it to cool before taking that first cheesy and dreamy bite.
Purple Cauliflower and Potato Gratin
1 cauliflower head (I used a purple one), cut into bite-sized pieces
4 medium sized potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1 medium onion, sliced thin
1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup Gruyère cheese cut into small chunks (or whatever soft cheese you’d like)
3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
Besciamella Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 1/2 cups whole milk
teaspoon nutmeg
la besciamella directions:
vegetables:
Preheat oven to 420F. Sauté’ the onion in a large frying pan with 1-2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil until translucent and golden brown.
In the meantime, boil the cauliflowers and potatoes in two different medium sauce pans until they are tender. The vegetables should still have a little crunch and it should only take a few minutes. Be sure to not overcook the vegetables.
Drain the veggies and place in a large bowl. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper, and 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil. Both vegetables will continue cooking in casserole with the besciamella sauce.
Bake at 420 F for about 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown on top.
buon appetito! Hope you are having a fabulous week!
Purple Cauliflower and Potato Gratin
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower head I used a purple one, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 4 medium sized potatoes peeled and sliced thin
- 1 medium onion sliced thin
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
- 1 cup Gruyère cheese cut into small chunks or whatever soft cheese you’d like
- 3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
- Besciamella Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 1/2 cups whole milk
- teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
- For the Besciamella (white sauce)
- Melt the butter in a heavy medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk together until incorporated. The flour will be very dry. Raise the heat to medium-high and in 1/2 cup portions, gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, whisking often, about 5 minutes. The besciamella will continue to thicken even when you remove from the heat. If it seems to dense, whisk in a little bit more of mil. Whisk in the nutmeg. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- For the Vegetables
- Preheat oven to 420F. Sauté’ the onion in a large frying pan with 1-2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil until translucent and golden brown.
- In the meantime, boil the cauliflowers and potatoes in two different medium sauce pans until they are tender. The vegetables should still have a little crunch and it should only take a few minutes. Be sure to not overcook the vegetables.
- Drain the veggies and place in a large bowl. Season the vegetables with salt, pepper, and 1-2 tablespoon of olive oil. Both vegetables will continue cooking in casserole with the besciamella sauce.
- Spoon a portion of the besciamella over the bottom of the casserole. Layer the vegetables on top. Spread the rest of the besciamella on top. Toss on the Gruyère cheese and sprinkle on the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.
- Bake at 420 F for about 20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and golden brown on top.
Sara{OneTribeGourmet} says
Bella, thank you for posting this recipe..I'm always looking for gratin recipes since I became a vegetarian...love the purple cauliflower & potatoes combo! Yum!
Ana Helena says
Gratin dishes are delicious. Using purple cauliflower was such a great idea. It makes this dish look so beautiful. Thank you for sharing!
Grubarazzi says
Ohhh, this is such a cool color combination. I bet this is divine.
Becky says
I love the color purple, so I will have to make this wonderful veggie gratin. the purple color is so unexpected, but I'm sure that it tastes so good..1
Christine's Pantry says
I love the color of the cauliflower. This sounds good.
Kristina says
This is such a beautiful dish, I love the purple, it makes the gratin look so elegant!
Kim - Liv Life says
I just discovered the purple cauliflower last weekend at the market! well, I'd seen them before, just hadn't ever bought one. I picked one up and have been wondering what to do with it and this looks like it just might please everyone!
Farmgirl Gourmet says
YUM Lora. What a deliciously colorful gratin. Love it.
A Thought For Food says
What a great idea to use purple cauliflower in the gratin! I just love the colors!
Happy When Not Hungry says
Wow that purple cauliflower is beautiful! I don't think I've ever tried it. Def will have to give this gratin a try. Looks delicious!
Lisa says
Lora , not only is it absolutely beautiful with that purple cauliflower peeking out from all the creamy, cheesy goodness, but I have this slotted in for Sundeay dinner with brisket. I'll post a photo on Twitter when I make it - I'm so craving veggie gratins now - how did you know? 😉
Jamie says
Lisa, baby, you make it then all three of us will have passed the dish around - and can pretend we are sitting down to a meal together 🙂
Savoring Italy says
Yes, Jamie. We could pretend we are all enjoying a meal together. 🙂
Jamie says
Lora, cara, bella, I am thrilled that you grabbed something from my blog, out of my kitchen and prepared it for your little family. And I agree with you about sitting down together as a family, enjoying a meal, talking, laughing is such a special moment that should be lived as often as possible. And an earthy, humble, simple yet luxurious Cauliflower Gratin is the perfect family dish. Beautiful, eye-popping color for one of our favorite vegetables! One day we all will enjoy a meal together!
Yuri - Chef Pandita says
Such gorgeous color! I've seen it at the supermarkets here but they don't carry it all the time. Gratin looks so comforting, Lora. Besos <3
vianney says
Goregous!! I bet my girls owuld love this, thanks for sharing!
Lory B. says
Brava!!! Che bel post!! Mi piace!!!
Io non festeggio San Valentino, adoro però i cuori tutto l'anno!!! Niente ristoranti affollati, ma tanto amore e calore di casa!!!
Splendido colore!! Piatto meraviglioso!!!
Ti mando un bacio grosso grosso!!!!
Savoring Italy says
grazie, Lory!si...anche qui-tanto amore e calore di casa:)un bacione!
The Mom Chef says
I love it. I'll bet I could get Dudette to eat zucchini if it was colored purple or blue. How do they come up with these vegetables? Your gratin is perfect; just the right combination of creamy and gooey.
Mary says
This really sounds delicious. This was my first visit to your blog, so I took some time to browse through your earlier posts. I'm so glad I did that.I really like the food and recipes you share with your readers and I'll definitely be back. I hope you have a great day. Blessings...Mary
Savoring Italy says
Thank you for your kind comment, Mary. I appreciate you coming over and for your compliment:)Have a great rest of the week!
Katrina {In Katrina's Kitchen} says
Goodness! I'm coming over!! I bet there aren't any leftovers though 🙁
Julia says
A fabulous meal with the ones I love is pretty much the perfect meal! I love the popping purple, it really does make me consider actual liking the color purple (I'm a red kinda girl, not a pink and purple girl).
Savoring Italy says
Red is fun! I agree...nothing beats a great meal with the ones you love:)
Karriann says
Yum! I'm sitting here drooling 😉
"Spice it Up"
Feast on the Cheap says
Oh yum, what a great side. This is amazing - I never cook with purple cauli but it's so beautiful
LetMeEatCake Eat With Me! says
what a gorgeous gratin! the color really pops!
Savoring Italy says
I agree. The color of the cauliflower is incredible:)
Lauren at Keep It Sweet says
This is definitely the prettiest gratin I've seen!
Savoring Italy says
thanks so much, Lauren:)
Carolyn says
Purple cauli is so darn pretty...love the way it's peaking out from the cheese!
Jennifer | Mother Thyme says
What a beautiful recipe! I love the pop of color in this delicious dish.
Priscilla - She's Cookin' says
So pretty! That purple peeking out from under a blanket of cheese, omg... stop me now.
Reeni says
Gratins are so irresistible! This is so gorgeous with the purple cauliflower! I'm sorry you had problems with my site Lora! I've been having issues. I did some trouble shooting and hope it's cleared up now. xoxo
Gingered Whisk says
I've been wanting to make something with purple cauliflower for a while now (its just so pretty!) and I think this is it! This gratin looks amazing!
Gingered Whisk says
Also, how the heck did you get a reply button on your comments? I've been trying to get one on my own blog for forever now and can't figure out how to do it!
Shulie says
Great looking gratin, Lora, I could have been happy with it tonight since I didn't cook much:(. Love purple cauliflower!! 🙂 Sounds like a fantastic Valentine's Day.
Marina {Yummy Mummy) says
Okay, I am so making purple cauliflower this weekend. I kind of forgot about it! It's such a great winter veggie and your recipe looks amazing. Thanks for the inspiration!
SweetSugarBelle says
The color is gorgeous!!! I could eat this dish as a main course also. Your "second thought" dinner idea couldn't have been better, although I'm curious about the simple pasta dish also!
Marnely Rodriguez-Murray says
Love this, looks so comforting and perfect for the cool winter months!
Tummy Belt says
Purple cauliflower could be considered an interesting ingredient. Thank you for posting this recipe.
Maria says
Love the purple cauliflower!
Paula says
Two of my nieces are mad about purple, they'd love the photo of the cauliflower. I love it too and adding in to potato gratin is a great idea! The dish looks really tasty.
Tickled Red says
That looks amazing! I so need purple cauliflower in my life.
Kiri W. says
Mmm, I lpve purple cauliflower, and this makes the whole dish so colorful 🙂 Looks fantastically yummy.
Roxana GreenGirl {A little bit of everything} says
i love purple cauliflower. first time I bought it didn't quite know what to expect and since then I rarely buy the white one.
this dish sounds great Lora! i bet it disappeared in a heart beat!
Chic & Gorgeous Treats says
I have seen purple cauliflower in our supermarkets here but didn't quite know what to do with it. And your recipe is the answer to my curiosity. I love a good potato gratin, and adding a vege to it is just perfect! xoxo, Jo