📌 Cheese and Zucchini Gratin

Posted 27 April 2026 by: Admin #Recipes

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

35 minutes

Total Time

50 minutes

Servings

4 servings

When we think of gratin, we think heavy. Thick béchamel, heavy cream, overflowing cheese — the kind of dish you own on a Sunday but not really on a Tuesday at 7:00 PM. This zucchini gratin breaks that mold effortlessly.

Final result — The gratin comes out of the oven, beautifully golden, with that smell that brings everyone to the kitchen.

The dish comes out of the oven with a light caramel-colored top, slightly domed in the center. Underneath, the egg mixture has set — soft, barely trembling when you place the dish on the table. The zucchinis have absorbed the flavors of the turkey ham and garlic, their texture somewhere between melting and firm. The rising aroma is that of gratinéed cheese mixed with a slightly earthy note of cooked zucchini — not glamorous to describe, but irresistible in real life.

Why you’ll love this recipe

✓Ready in 50 minutes, really : No sauce to whisk, no complicated prep. Twenty minutes of active work, the oven does the rest while you decompress on the sofa.

✓Light without being sad : The 4% light cream does the job perfectly. A small amount of grated cheese is enough to gratin properly — no need to double it for it to be good.

✓Reheats well the next day : Some dishes lose all interest when reheated. Not this one. The gratin holds together, doesn’t release water, and the flavors are even a bit more pronounced the next day.

✓Adapts to what’s in the fridge : The turkey ham can become cooked chicken breast, or disappear completely for a vegetarian version. Zucchinis happily accept company: peppers, yellow squash, or a handful of mushrooms.

Ingredient Notes

Ingredients

Not much on the counter, yet it’s all you need for a real evening meal.

Zucchini (500 g) : Choose medium-sized zucchinis — the ones that are too big often have a spongy core full of seeds and water. Small ones cook faster and have more flavor. No need to peel them if the skin is thin and blemish-free.
Turkey ham (150 g) : This is the substitution that works best here. Same texture as classic ham, slightly milder flavor, but it pairs very well with the cheese and zucchini. Use thick slices cut into cubes rather than thin ribbons — it’s more pleasant to eat.
4% light cream : Do not try to replace it with milk — cream, even light, brings a creaminess that milk doesn’t provide. 15% cream also works if that’s all you have; the gratin will just be a bit richer.
Grated cheese (80 g) : Light Emmental gratins well and doesn’t release too much oil. Light mozzarella gives a more stringy result. Both work — the important thing is to put half in the mixture and the other half on top for that surface crust.
Nutmeg (optional but not really) : Just a pinch. You can’t taste it directly, but it rounds out the flavor of the egg mixture. Without it, it’s good. With it, it’s better — it’s subtle but real.

Why I never skip pre-cooking the zucchinis anymore

Raw zucchini contains a lot of water. A lot. If you put it directly into the baking dish without sautéing it first, this water is released during cooking and you end up with a floating gratin. Five to ten minutes in a pan with a drizzle of olive oil, onion, and garlic — that’s the bare minimum. You hear the slices sizzle as they hit the hot surface, they release steam, and after a few minutes, their edges start to color a light beige. That’s the signal. They won’t be fully cooked, just enough to have lost a good portion of their moisture. The gratin will be compact, well-set, without a puddle at the bottom of the dish.

The egg mixture: hardly anything, but it does everything

Two eggs, one hundred milliliters of light cream, salt, pepper, a pinch of nutmeg. That’s it. Whisk it all together until the mixture is homogenous and slightly frothy on the surface — it takes thirty seconds. Add half of the grated cheese, whisk again. This mixture will coat the zucchinis and turkey ham, then slowly coagulate in the oven to give that texture between a quiche and a gratin: firm yet soft, not at all rubbery if you don’t exceed 180°C. It’s what holds everything together.

The part everyone fails: knowing when it’s truly cooked

Thirty-five minutes at 180°C. But everyone’s oven is different. What you’re looking for is a light caramel-colored top — not pale beige, not dark brown. Underneath, the mixture should no longer tremble like a liquid when you shake the dish: it should be set, with just a very slight shimmer in the center. A knife tip inserted in the middle should come out clean, without a trace of raw egg. If the top browns too quickly before the center is set, cover with aluminum foil for five minutes and let the oven finish the job. If after 40 minutes it’s still liquid, your oven is below the displayed temperature — give it another ten minutes and keep an eye on it.

Serving, and keeping life simple

A green salad is enough. The gratin is already a complete meal — vegetables, proteins, eggs. Let it rest for five minutes out of the oven before cutting: the portions hold together better and you won’t burn your tongue on the bubbling mixture. It keeps for two days in the fridge without a problem and reheats in the oven at 160°C for ten minutes so the cheese crust regains its crunch. The microwave works too, but the top loses all its charm.

Tips & Tricks

Salt the zucchinis very lightly in the pan — the turkey ham is already salty, and so is the cheese. Taste the mixture before pouring and adjust, otherwise the gratin can easily become too salty.
If you want to save time, cut the zucchinis into small cubes instead of rounds. The surface area contact with the pan is larger, they lose their water faster — five to seven minutes is enough instead of ten.
A ceramic gratin dish conducts heat better than a glass one. The bottom cooks more evenly and the bottom crust is more pleasant. But a glass dish works fine — just plan for five extra minutes of cooking.

Close-up — That cheese lifting off in a golden layer is the moment you know it’s ready.

FAQs

How do I prevent the gratin from being too watery?

The key is to pre-cook the zucchinis in a pan before putting them in the dish. Even five to ten minutes is enough for them to release most of their water. Without this step, the water releases during baking and completely soaks the mixture.

Can I prepare this gratin in advance?

Yes, and it’s very practical for busy evenings. You can assemble the entire gratin in the dish — zucchinis, turkey ham, egg mixture — cover it with plastic wrap and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours. When ready to bake, put it directly in the oven, adding five extra minutes to the cooking time.

How to store and reheat leftovers?

The gratin keeps for two days in the refrigerator in its dish covered with film. To reheat, ten minutes at 160°C in the oven restores a crispy top. The microwave also works for speed, but the cheese loses its crunch.

Can I replace the light cream with milk or yogurt?

Milk makes the mixture too liquid and the result lacks creaminess. Plain 0% yogurt works in a pinch but adds a slight acidity. 4% cream remains the best compromise between lightness and texture — 15% cream also works very well if that’s what you have on hand.

What can I replace the turkey ham with?

Diced cooked chicken breast works very well. For a vegetarian version, simply remove the meat — the zucchinis and cheese are enough to make a tasty gratin. Avoid substitutes that are too moist as they might release water during cooking.

Can I freeze this gratin?

Technically yes, but the results are mixed: zucchinis release water upon thawing and the mixture can become grainy. If you want to prep ahead, it’s better to assemble it raw and keep it in the fridge for 24 hours rather than freezing it cooked.