🧀 Maple-Glazed Beet, Gruyère, Sweet Potato & Hot Honey Yam Gratin

📝 Description

This gratin is a beautifully layered, sweet-and-savory dish combining earthy beets, naturally sweet potatoes and yams, nutty melted Gruyère, and a touch of heat from hot honey. The maple glaze caramelizes the vegetables while the cheese creates a golden, bubbling crust. It’s elegant, comforting, and packed with deep, balanced flavors.

🛒 Ingredients

Vegetables

• 2 medium beets, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 yams, peeled and thinly sliced

Sauce & Flavor

• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp hot honey (adjust to taste)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp fresh thyme (or ½ tsp dried)
• Salt & black pepper, to taste

Cheese

• 1½ cups grated Gruyère cheese

Optional topping

• 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
• 1 tbsp butter (for greasing)

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Prep

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C)
• Grease a baking dish with butter

2. Make the cream mixture

• In a bowl, mix:
  • heavy cream
  • garlic
  • thyme
  • salt & pepper

3. Layer the gratin

• Arrange a layer of sweet potatoes
• Add some beets and yams
• Drizzle a little maple syrup + hot honey
• Pour some cream mixture
• Sprinkle Gruyère

👉 Repeat layers until everything is used, finishing with cheese on top.

4. Bake

• Cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes
• Remove foil and bake another 20–25 minutes until:
  • top is golden
  • vegetables are tender

5. Rest & serve

• Let sit for 10 minutes before serving
• Optional: drizzle extra hot honey on top

💡 Tips

• Slice vegetables evenly (use a mandoline if possible)
• If beets bleed color, layer them separately for a cleaner look
• Add chopped walnuts or pecans for crunch

❓ Q&A

Q1: Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes! Assemble it a day ahead, refrigerate, and bake when needed. Add 10–15 extra minutes to baking time.

Q2: What can I substitute for Gruyère?

You can use:

• Swiss cheese
• Fontina
• Mild white cheddar

Q3: Is it very spicy?

Not really—the hot honey adds mild warmth. You can reduce or skip it if you prefer.

Q4: Can I make it dairy-free?

Yes:

• Use coconut cream or oat cream
• Replace cheese with a plant-based alternative

Q5: How do I know it’s done?

Insert a knife—it should slide easily through all layers.