Turnip Gratin (with Bacon) – FBD

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Turnip Gratin is a delicious low-carb vegetable side dish, and adding bacon to this made it such a wow for us when we tested the recipe! And if you think you don’t like turnips, making this bacon-flavored Turnip Gratin just might change your mind!


PIN the Turnip Gratin to try it later!


Turnip Gratin with Bacon shown in baking dish


Turnip Gratin (with Bacon!) is a recipe I first tried after my recipe for Roasted Turnips got so popular! And when I started thinking about other ideas for cooking turnips I saw a few turnip recipes online that inspired this one, and we couldn’t resist adding bacon!


The Turnip Gratin was absolutely a winner for Kara and I when we tested the recipe. I also shared the recipe with my friend Bev who loved it too and waited patiently for several weeks for me to post the recipe. The recipe was also inspired by some of the other vegetable gratin recipes on the blog, which are some of my most popular side dish recipes. Hope you enjoy trying it!



What ingredients do you need?


(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe with ingredient amounts.



  • turnips

  • thick-sliced bacon

  • bacon grease or olive oil

  • Dried Thyme (affiliate link)

  • grated Gruyere or Swiss Cheese

  • coarsely-grated Parmesan cheese

  • heavy cream, or use half and half or milk if you prefer


What is a Gratin?


A Gratin is a dish where food is topped with a browned crust that usually contains cheese, breadcrumbs, or butter. I’ve become a huge fan of cheesy gratin dishes like this Turnip Gratin, and personally I don’t think any breadcrumbs are needed!


Is Gruyere Cheese a must for the Turnip Gratin?


Gruyere is a type of firm yellow Swiss cheese that’s named after the town of Gruyères in Switzerland. It’s often used to top French Onion Soup and is known for it’s nutty flavor and good melting characteristics. If you can’t find Gruyere or don’t want to splurge on it, any semi-firm Swiss cheese will be fine in this recipe.


Are turnips Low in Carbs?


If you compare the carbs in root vegetables, only radishes have fewer carbs than turnips. In one cup of cubed raw turnips there are 8 carbs and 2.3 grams of fiber.


How low in carbs is this Turnip Gratin?


This tasty turnip side dish only has 6 net carbs and 18 grams of protein!


Can you make the Turnip Gratin lower in fat?


I know people who are eating Keto will love a recipe like this that has bacon, heavy cream, and two kinds of cheese. But if you prefer to make the recipe lower in fat by using turkey bacon, switching out cream for half and half or milk, and/or reducing the amount of cheese, I’m sure it will still be delicious!


More Vegetable Gratins to enjoy:


If you like the idea of vegetables baked with cheese check out my gratin recipes for Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Sweet Potatoes, Onions, Cauliflower, Spaghetti Squash with Chard, and Delicata Squash with Sausage!


Turnip Gratin with Bacon process shots collageTurnip Gratin with Bacon process shots collage


How to make Turnip Gratin with Bacon:


(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.



  1. Preheat oven to 400F/200 C and spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.

  2. Peel turnips and cut into slices, then cut into fourths.

  3. Cut bacon into squares and brown in a large frying pan (big enough to hold all the turnips).

  4. Remove bacon to paper towels and leave some bacon grease in the pan, or use olive oil if you prefer.

  5. Add turnips and dried thyme and cook until turnips are starting to soften.

  6. Add bacon and cook 1-2 minutes more.

  7. Then add heavy cream and both types of cheese and stir to combine.

  8. Transfer to baking dish and bake 35-40 minutes, or until turnips are soft and the top is nicely browned.

  9. Serve the Turnip Gratin hot and enjoy!



Make it a low-Carb meal:


Turnip Gratin will be an amazing side dish for a low-carb meal. I’d love this with Roasted Lemon Chicken and Green Beans, Air Fryer Pork Loin Roast, or Chicken Piccata with Fried Capers.








Ingredients



  • 3 small turnips

  • 8 slices bacon (see notes)

  • 1 T bacon grease or olive oil

  • 2 tsp. dried thyme

  • 1 cup grated Gruyere or Swiss Cheese

  • 1/2 cup coarsely-grated Parmesan cheese

  • 1 1/2 cups heavy cream (see notes)




Instructions



  1. Preheat oven to 400F/200 C and spray a medium-sized baking dish with non-stick spray.
    2. When baking this dish, it tends to splatter a bit, so it's best to use a baking dish with high sides.

    To prepare, peel the turnips, slice them into half-inch slices, then stack the slices and cut them into fourths.

    Next, cut thick-sliced bacon into squares and brown them well in a large frying pan big enough to hold all the turnips. Once browned, remove the bacon to drain on paper towels, leaving about 1 tablespoon of bacon grease in the pan. Alternatively, you can use olive oil.

    Add the turnips and dried thyme to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes until the turnips are just starting to soften. Then, add the bacon back in and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

    Mix in the heavy cream and both types of grated cheese, then transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes until the turnips are soft and the top is nicely browned.

    Serve hot and enjoy!

    Notes:
    - Thick-sliced bacon is recommended for this recipe.
    - You can substitute half and half or milk for heavy cream if desired.
    - This recipe was inspired by various Turnip Gratin recipes and has been tested and perfected by Kalyn and Kara. following sentence:

    I am going to the store to buy some groceries.

    I will be heading to the store to purchase groceries.

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