Easy Zucchini Gratin

There is something rather awesome about vegetable gratins. You start out with ingredients that are usually not considered healthy — a memorable pile of shredded cheese, heaps of crème fraîche, butter — but then you add a glorious amount of veggies to the equation and the result is a pretty healthy dish. Because if there is a vegetable in it, it must be healthy food, right?

There’s more to gratins.
They can be made in advance, frozen, and just baked as needed. They reheat fantastically.
They can be partially cooked and then finished as needed. Last but not least, they’re forgiving — you still get your gratin if even if you don't follow the recipe accurately.
With some greens on the side, they make a great vegetarian lunch, especially during the colder season.

Which brings me to this Easy Zucchini Gratin.
This is a super simple low-carb zucchini gratin recipe that uses common ingredients I often have around.
The crème fraîche (or sour cream) is a key ingredient, along with zucchini, and the mix of cheeses.
I recommend using a mix of cheddar (or gruyère) and Parmesan but you can use you favorite combination of cheeses (brie and Swiss works incredibly well).

This gratin takes little work and is foolproof. A must-do dish if you ask me.

Easy Zucchini Gratin                                                                                                                                Print this recipe!

Ingredients
Serves 6

4 large zucchini (or 6 medium), sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
2 small onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg
½ cup crème fraîche (or sour cream or heavy cream)
¾ cup shredded cheddar cheese (or, better yet, gruyere cheese)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and place a rack in the middle.
Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish (or a large cast-iron skillet) and set aside.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté for 6 minutes, until translucent. Add zucchini rounds and sauté for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring every so often. Remove from the heat and set aside.
In a medium bowl whisk egg, crème fraîche, half of the shredded cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper.
Add zucchini to the baking dish and spread on an even layer. With the back of a spoon press them down gently.
Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheddar cheese and with the Parmesan cheese.
Bake in the oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Serve!

Nutrition facts

One serving yields 211 calories, 17 grams of fat, 10 grams of carbs, and 8 grams of protein.