Zesty Cheesy Zucchini Gratin

 

Experimenting with new recipes is always exciting, and my recent endeavor into making gratin was no exception. I was pleasantly surprised by how well it turned out! This cheesy vegetable casserole is not only delicious but also packed with nutritious goodness.

Ingredients:

• 2 shallots, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced (Optional)
• 1 yellow squash, sliced
• 2 zucchini, sliced
• 1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
• ¾ cup light cream
• 1 ½ tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
• ¼ cup butter
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs
• Salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2. Combine Gruyere cheese and panko bread crumbs in a mixing bowl.
3. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add zucchini, yellow squash, shallots, and garlic. Cook and stir until softened, roughly 10 minutes. Stir in basil, rosemary, salt, and black pepper, and cook until fragrant for about 1 minute.
4. Mix flour into the skillet, then pour in cream gradually while stirring until thickened, usually 3 to 5 minutes. Add half of the cheese mixture and stir well. Remove from heat.
5. Transfer the zucchini mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese mixture on top.
6. Bake in the preheated oven until the dish is bubbly and golden brown, typically around 20 minutes.