Traditionally, a gratin is made with a béchamel sauce, which takes extra time to prepare. But this simple gratin recipe skips the step of making the béchamel and still comes together with delicious flavor. I'll give you a guideline for ingredients, but trust your kitchen intuition. I never measure when I make it — I just add a splash of this, a pinch of that, and pop it in the oven.
You can make a gratin with all kinds of vegetables — spinach, Swiss chard, cauliflower, zucchini, even leeks. Spaghetti squash gratin is a favorite because it’s mild, naturally a little sweet, and fun for kids since it really does look like spaghetti.
1 cooked spaghetti squash (see roasting instructions here)
3 to 4 tbsp cream
Salt & pepper, to taste
A small handful of grated Gruyère, Comté, or Parmesan cheese — about 1/4 cup
1 to 2 tbsp butter (optional)
1 small clove garlic, pressed (optional)
A pinch of grated nutmeg (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375° F.
Place the baked spaghetti squash in a baking dish.
Drizzle the cream on top.
Add the salt and pepper.
Optional:
Use a fork to blend the ingredients with the spaghetti squash.
Scatter small slices of butter on top. I usually pop the dish in the oven for 2 to 3 minutes to melt the butter, then mix again so the butter is evenly distributed.
Sprinkle with a dusting of freshly grated Gruyère, Comté, or Parmesan.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until heated through. The cream should be thickened, and the cheese melted and starting to brown.
Broil for 2 to 4 minutes at the end to create a golden, bubbly top.
Serve warm and enjoy!
You can also mix your gratin in the spaghetti squash shells for a fun presentation and no dish to wash!
A dish is only as good as its ingredients, so when possible, use fresh garlic and grate cheese from a fresh block instead of using pre-shredded cheese, for the best flavor and to avoid the preservatives.
If you need some tips for roasting spaghetti squash, you'll find them here, plus a few yummy serving ideas.
A garlic press, Microplane, and cheese grater are valuable kitchen tools.