If You're Looking for a Christmas Day Side That Stands Out From the Crowd, This Beet, Potato, and Taleggio Gratin is the Answer

With crispy breadcrumbs and oozy cheese, this indulgent side dish is full of color and festive flavor

Beet, potato and taleggio gratin
(Image credit: Future / Simon Brown)
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published
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Put this indulgent beet, potato and taleggio gratin together as part of your Christmas day menu on the morning and keep in the fridge until ready to cook. It's a crowd-pleasing side that will keep your guests coming back for more.

Beet, Potato and Taleggio Gratin

Beetroot and potato gratin

(Image credit: Future / Simon Brown)

Ingredients (Serves 8)

  • 1 lb 5 oz medium-sized, waxy potatoes (such as Yukon Gold), very thinly sliced
  • 10.5 oz beets, about 3 medium, scrubbed and very thinly sliced
  • 3 ½ tbsp (1.75 oz) butter, softened
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
  • 6 sprigs thyme, leaves only
  • 4-5 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs (use one of the best food processors to make them)
  • 3.5 oz Taleggio cheese, diced
  • 1 oz Parmesan cheese, finely grated
  • 1 cup crème fraîche
  • 1 cup whole milk

Method

  • Bring a large saucepan of water to the boil and add the potato slices to the boiling water. As soon as the water returns to the boil, drain the potatoes. Refresh under cold water. Drain again and spread out on kitchen paper or a clean tea towel to dry.
  • Pre-heat the oven to 350°F. Grease a shallow gratin dish (about 12 x 8 inches - like this Le Creuset Heritage stoneware gratin) with 1 tbsp softened butter and sprinkle the garlic and a little thyme over it. Arrange half the potatoes in the bottom of the dish, season with salt and freshly ground pepper.
  • Cover with the sliced beets and a little more thyme. Pour half the crème fraîche mixture over. Season generously again and finish off with a final layer of overlapping potatoes and the remaining crème fraîche mixture.
  • Combine the breadcrumbs, remaining thyme, diced Taleggio and grated Parmesan (this microplane grater from Amazon is our pick) in a bowl. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mix on top, dot with the remaining butter, and bake for about 1 hour 10 minutes, covering loosely with foil if it looks to be turning too dark, until the gratin becomes crisp and golden brown with the cream bubbling up around the edges.

This indulgent side will be the perfect accompaniment to our marmalade glazed Christmas ham for the main event.

Alice Hart
Food Writer

Alice Hart is a food writer and recipe developer, working across a wide variety of media, from magazines to books. Alice’s recipe books are based on wholesome produce and seasonal eating, and while she takes a balanced approach, using wholefoods and vegetables wherever possible, she also finds joy in an excellent cake. Alice is also invested in sports nutrition and is a Level 3 personal trainer, a seasoned endurance sports competitor and a trained chef.