Thanksgiving Gratins

Goat cheese fans will love the tang that the cheese adds to this sweet and luscious gratin, with its crispy topping.

Thanksgiving Appetizer Gratin: This warm, sweet-spicy goat cheese dip is an easy alternative to a cheese plate.

Inspired by a potato gratin at Restaurant Daniel in New York City, this creamy—but creamless—recipe gets great flavor from thyme and rosemary.

Crookneck squash or pumpkin also works well in this recipe.

This deliciously rich gratin is chef Robert Stehling’s take on the Southern casseroles he refers to as “church-supper dishes.”

This clever riff on the classic creamed peas and pearl onions combines onions with edamame (soy beans) and a topping of panko (Japanese bread crumbs). To make the crumb topping extra crispy, the dish is quickly toasted under the broiler before serving.

To make sure this gratin is rich and luscious, be sure to squeeze all the excess liquid from the spinach before adding the béchamel.

Chipotles in adobo have a rich and toasty heat that flavors the creamy sauce for this luscious gratin.

This healthy and delicious gratin is low on dairy, thanks to a combination of sweet potatoes and Yukon Gold potatoes, which create the perfect creamy texture.

Most of the recipe can be prepared in advance and then refrigerated for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Sang Yoon seasons this creamy, cheesy potato-and-cauliflower gratin with vadouvan, a curry spice blend flavored with dried shallots and garlic.

This vegetarian gratin can also be served in individual dishes with a topping of candied pepitas (pumpkin seeds).

Inspired by the pickled pearl onions that became a family tradition (“Mom just served them straight out of the jar and threw a toothpick at them”), Barbara Lynch bakes fresh pearl onions in a mixture of cream, garlic, shallots and bacon, then tops it all with a crispy panko crust.

Commercial wild mushroom mixes (usually a combination of shiitake, cremini and oyster mushrooms) are a godsend, as the mushrooms are already cleaned, stemmed and sliced. In this recipe, they are mixed with spinach and cream, then baked in a luscious gratin under smooth rounds of precooked polenta until bubbling hot.

This gratin combines blanched chard and sautéed leeks, cooked until just tender in a creamy two-cheese sauce made with both Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Look for small, young, tender organic fennel bulbs.

Jose Garces learned how to make a classic potato gratin while studying at Kendall College’s cooking school in Chicago. It’s still one of his favorite side dishes. This version combines lots of sharp, nutty Manchego cheese and smoky San Simón cheese (Gouda is a fine substitute) for rich, complex flavor.

This indulgent baked polenta, made with plenty of Parmesan, is just as good when made ahead and reheated as it is when it comes straight out of the oven.

Grated Gruyère cheese melts among ribbons of leafy Swiss chard and slices of Canadian bacon and potato. The dish bakes until the cheese on top is a crusty golden brown.

Fiber-rich white beans are delicious with a lid of bubbly cheese.

Juniper berries add intrigue to potatoes baked with broth and topped with crisp golden bread crumbs. Serve this gratin with virtually any simply cooked meat or poultry.