Radish Au Gratin

This radish Au gratin is the best! Super creamy, cheesy, and with a little extra seasoning, can be spicy too. I like to make a large batch to have leftovers because it's just that good. And, as with all casseroles, this au gratin gets better over time. PROTIP: You can make this in advance if you are expecting a busy mealtime; simply heat when you are ready to enjoy.

Have you read my journey to adding new veggies? Take a look at how I added them into my kitchen rotation.

All good cheesy casseroles start with a great bechamel sauce which typically includes flour. While a little bit of flour, especially a lower carb one here (I've used it in the past and it's great), or cornstarch may not hurt everyone, I chose to hit the internet and find a low carb gluten-free bechamel sauce instead of adding any thickeners. The Diet Doctor has a solid bechamel recipe and it uses staple ingredients for a low-carb kitchen. Thank you to them for doing that part of the work for me.

Cheese can be important. Au gratin can really change based on the cheeses you are using. If you are looking for a mac & cheese replacement, go with cheddar or a cheddar blend, even a taco blend would be great. I go a little more classic with white cheeses by using a "Gourmet Pizza" blend with a good balance of cheese flavor: Mozzarella, mild white cheddar, smoked provolone, and asiago cheese. This gives the dish varying notes to make your tongue dance and belly to happy.

I often make the whole cheese sauce recipe and only use half of it for my au gratin. I use the other half to make mac & cheese for Tom who is not low carb. I also add more cajun seasoning because he likes his food spicier than I do. These dishes bake at the same time/temp because both the pasta and radishes are pre-cooked. The cheese sauce would also be great on cauliflower, broccoli, or even aspargus.

Here's what I do:

2 bag radishes

2 cups heavy cream

8 oz cream cheese softened

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground peppercorns

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cajun seasoning

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese

Peel radishes with a sharp peeler (if desired) and slice thinly using a mandoline for safety. Boil for 6 minutes in a stockpot of water. Drain on paper towels while making the cheese sauce. They will become more translucent as they rest.

Mix room temp cream cheese and heavy cream in a small pot and bring to boil, stirring constantly. Reduce to medium heat and simmer for 5 min to reduce, or until desired consistency has been reached. Remove from heat, add cheese and whisk quickly. Add seasonings. PROTIP: Taste at this point, keeping in mind you will be adding unseasoned veggies or pasta to the cheese sauce. Add more seasoning as desired.

Layer like a lasagna. I start with a bit of neutral nonstick spray in my glass baking dishes, then start with about 2 tbsp of cheese sauce on the bottom. Top with a nice layer of cooked radish slices. These don't need to be perfect, it is a cheesy casserole after all, but feel free to create a design if you'd like. Top each radish layer with 2-3 tbsp of cheese sauce and keep building.

Sprinkle with pork rinds or cheese if desired. Bake at 350° F for 25 minutes or until bubbly and browning. Rest before serving.

Scroll assembly pics below. I bought some new kitchen tools after doing a bit of research. I am in love with these whisks, spatulas, and wooden cooking/serving utensils. They all came in handy for this dish and honestly every day. I don't have any issues with scratching my pans, getting them too hot, and most importantly they clean up very easily.

I did the math to convert the Diet Doctor's recipe to use one package of cream cheese in his bechamel sauce. You can see the original recipe and directions here.