Lightened Up Zucchini Gratin Recipe

A light, green version of the classic French gratin, this baked zucchini crumble is full of the flavors of wine, herbs, and lots of cheese.

By
Kerry Saretsky
a photograph of Kerry Seretsky, a contributing writer at Serious Eats.
Kerry Saretsky

Kerry Saretsky interned at Serious Eats in 2008, and wrote the French in a Flash recipe column. She also writes her own blog on modernized French cuisine called French Revolution Food.

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Updated March 04, 2025
Closeup of zucchini gratin.

Serious Eats / Kerry Saretsky

If there's one thing I love about French home cookin', it's a gratin. But gratins are pretty hard to justify, especially with the onset of summer. Gratins and beaches mix about as well as oil and water.

So I've recently gone on this "gratin-lite" kick: baked dishes that have the same kind of bubbling creaminess and comforting crusty top as my favorite, say, potato Dauphinoise, but just a bit lighter. This particular zucchini version is inspired by a zucchini crumble I had about two summers ago in Avignon at a restaurant called Le Moutardier, named so because it was built on the site of the old mustard maker back when the pope lived in Avignon. There's not a lot of mustard there now, but there is a breathtaking zucchini crumble on the menu, made with mint and cheese, that inspired this summer gratin.

It starts with lots of zucchini, tossed in a warm sauce of shallots and garlic, white wine, and a little crème fraîche. Toss it rustically into a baking dish with tons of fresh herbs: mint, thyme, and parsley. Top it all off with a half crumble, half gratin mix of breadcrumbs, Gruyère, Parmigiano Reggiano, and a little bit of butter. Bake it until the lightly creamy wine sauce is bubbling up around the edges, the zucchini is tender, but substantial, and the topping is crispy and well tanned. I serve it with some boiled baby potatoes tossed with a little olive oil, herbs, and sea salt.

It has that comforting hot sauciness and crispy cheesiness of a standard gratin, but I've swapped potatoes for zucchini and heavy cream for white wine. Magnifique.

April 2012

Recipe Details

Lightened Up Zucchini Gratin Recipe

Prep 10 mins
Cook 90 mins
Active 15 mins
Cooling Time 5 mins
Total 105 mins
Serves 4 to 6 servings
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Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature, plus 1 1/2 tablespoons

  • 1 large shallot, finely diced (about 1/4 cup)

  • 1/4 tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 2 medium clove garlic, finely chopped (about 2 teaspoons)

  • 1/3 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc

  • 1/4 cup crème fraîche

  • 6 medium zucchini, diagonally sliced 1/2-inch thick

  • 1 tablespoon chooped fresh thyme

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint

  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

  • 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs

  • 1/3 cup finely chopped walnuts

  • 1/2 cup grated Gruyère

  • 1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

  • Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). In a medium skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-low heat. Add the shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Add the wine, bring the mixture up to a boil, then add the crème fraîche. Stir until melted, then remove from heat.

  2. In a large bowl, add the zucchini, thyme, mint, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, and add the shallot and wine mixture. Toss well and place in a lightly greased 9- by 13-inch rectangular baking dish. In another bowl, combine the crumbs, walnuts, cheese, and remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with fingertips until the mixture is crumbly. Season with salt and pepper, and spread evenly over the zucchini. Drizzle lightly with olive oil (if using) and cover the baking dish with foil. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet, transfer to oven, then lower oven to 375°F (190°C).

  3. Bake, covered, for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Remove foil, and bake uncovered until the topping is golden brown and crisp, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let cool 5 minutes before serving.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
317 Calories
20g Fat
23g Carbs
11g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 6
Amount per serving
Calories 317
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 20g 26%
Saturated Fat 9g 47%
Cholesterol 42mg 14%
Sodium 471mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 23g 8%
Dietary Fiber 4g 13%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 11g
Vitamin C 28mg 142%
Calcium 257mg 20%
Iron 2mg 12%
Potassium 660mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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