📌 Endive Tartiflette with Reblochon
Posted 4 May 2026 by: Admin
Classic potato tartiflette is delicious. But it’s also heavy, thick, and sits in your stomach until the next day. This endive version solves the problem without sacrificing any of the pleasure — the same melting reblochon, the same generosity, but you’ll be able to leave the table without regret.
Imagine the dish coming out of the oven: the reblochon has melted into a creamy blanket over the braised endives, and the rind has taken on a color somewhere between pale caramel and hazelnut blonde. The red onions have candied under the cheese. A scent of warm milk and melting vegetables drifts toward you. Under the crust, the endives have become tender, almost silky, without a trace of the bitterness that makes people run away.
Why you’ll love this recipe
Ingredient Notes
Fresh endives, reblochon, red onions, and turkey bacon — simple ingredients for a stunning result.
- Endives : Choose them firm and white with a pale yellow border at the tips of the leaves. Avoid those that are turning green — they will remain bitter even after cooking. Five endives for six people is the right proportion once they have released their water.
- Reblochon : A whole reblochon, not pre-packed portions. Check that it is supple under your finger — if it’s too firm, it hasn’t aged enough and won’t melt well. The orange rind should smell of a humid cellar, not ammonia: that’s the sign it’s perfectly ripe.
- Turkey bacon bits : Instead of classic lardons. They sizzle well during cooking, release fat, and their smoky flavor plays the part perfectly. You can find them in the poultry deli section of most supermarkets.
- Red onions : Three red onions, not white. Their natural sugar gently caramelizes and softens the whole dish. Cut into thin slices, they melt in 5-7 minutes without needing to brown.
- Chicken stock : Ten centiliters, just to deglaze and concentrate the juices at the bottom of the pan. A good stock cube diluted in hot water does the job perfectly — no need to overcomplicate things.
Remove the endive core — it’s non-negotiable
The small hard cone at the heart of the endive, at the base: that’s what’s responsible for the residual bitterness. A slanted knife cut on each side, and you can extract it in five seconds. Then, cut the endives into thick rounds of about two centimeters, or lengthwise if they are small. No need to rinse them for long — just a quick pass, then drain them well. The idea is to maintain some texture during cooking, not to get mush.
Sizzle the bacon bits first
In a very hot pan, add turkey bacon directly, without added fat. They will sizzle — a sharp, steady sound — and release their own fat in three to four minutes. When they are golden brown, remove them and set aside in a bowl. Do not clean the pan: that cooking fat at the bottom is precious. That’s where you’ll melt the red onions over medium heat, letting them become translucent and slightly shiny. The rising scent becomes soft and sweet. Five to seven minutes, no more.
Let the endives release their water without rushing
Add the endives to the pan with the onions and mix. For the first few minutes, they will release water — this is normal. Keep stirring every two minutes and let this moisture evaporate quietly. After ten to fifteen minutes, the endives will have reduced by a third; they will be soft and slightly translucent on the edges. Then pour in the chicken stock, scrape the bottom of the pan well with a spatula, add the crème fraîche and the reserved bacon bits. Little salt — the bacon bits already take care of that — and a good pinch of black pepper.
Place the reblochon crust-side up, always
Pour the whole preparation into a gratin dish, spreading it out well. Cut the reblochon in half horizontally to get two flat discs, and place them crust-side up on top of the gratin. The orange rind, exposed to the dry heat of the oven, will first soften and then melt from underneath, flowing over the endives. Result: a creamy layer under a thin, slightly grilled skin. This is exactly what we want.
Ten minutes in the oven, not one more
Oven at 200°C, fan setting if possible. The dish goes in. Ten minutes later, it comes out. The cheese should be melted, slightly bubbling at the edges, with a few brown spots on the crust — that color between light caramel and hazelnut brown that indicates the heat has done its work. If after ten minutes the cheese lacks color, switch to broiler mode for two minutes. Serve immediately: reblochon sets very quickly as it cools.
Tips & Tricks
- Really remove the central core before cutting the endives — even if it seems tedious. It’s the part that holds the bitterness even after long cooking, and no other trick compensates if you forget it.
- Taste before salting: turkey bacon is already smoked and salty. A pinch at the end of the pan-cooking is often enough, and it can quickly become too salty if you salt too early.
- Preparing in advance? Stop after assembling in the dish, without the reblochon. Cover and refrigerate. On the day, place the cheese on the cold dish and bake directly, extending the cooking time to 15-20 minutes.
Can I prepare endive tartiflette in advance?
Yes, and it’s even recommended. Prepare all the endive-bacon-onion filling, pour it into the gratin dish, cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. On the day, place the reblochon on the cold dish and bake directly at 200°C, counting 15 to 20 minutes instead of 10.
Why do my endives stay bitter after cooking?
Two possible reasons: the central core wasn’t removed, or the pan-cooking was too short. The hard core at the base concentrates most of the bitterness — always remove it before cutting. Also, endives need 12 to 15 minutes over medium heat to transform: they must release their water and become translucent on the edges.
What can I use instead of reblochon?
Racette cheese works very well: it melts in a similar way and has that same creamy, slightly strong profile. Mont d’Or in season is even better if you want to stay with Alpine cheeses. Avoid grated emmental — it creates strings but not that melting blanket that characterizes tartiflette.
Can I freeze this dish?
Freezing is not recommended here. Cooked endives release a lot of water upon thawing and completely lose their texture. However, this dish keeps very well for 2 days in the refrigerator and can be reheated in the oven at 180°C, covered with foil, for 15 minutes.
How do I prevent the preparation from being too liquid in the dish?
It’s a matter of patience in the pan. The endives must really lose their water before adding the stock and cream: wait until the bottom of the pan is dry and the endives have reduced by a full third. If your preparation still seems wet when transferring, continue for 3 to 5 more minutes over high heat while stirring.
Can I use frozen endives?
Technically yes, but the result will be more watery and less flavorful. Frozen endives have already been blanched and release a huge amount of water during cooking, requiring double the evaporation time. With fresh endives, the dish is ready in 45 minutes — it’s worth the trip.
Endive Tartiflette with Reblochon
French
Main course
A light twist on the classic tartiflette where braised endives replace potatoes, under the same melting and gratinated reblochon. Less heavy, just as indulgent.
Ingredients
- 5 endives (approx. 850g)
- 200g smoked turkey bacon bits
- 3 red onions, thinly sliced
- 1 whole reblochon (approx. 450g)
- 100ml chicken stock
- 2 tbsp thick crème fraîche (approx. 30g)
- 1 tbsp olive oil (15ml)
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- 1Remove the hard central core at the base of each endive, then cut them into 2 cm thick rounds. Drain them.
- 2Sauté the turkey bacon bits dry in a large hot pan for 3-4 minutes until golden. Set aside in a bowl.
- 3In the same pan, melt the red onions in olive oil over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until translucent.
- 4Add the endives and sauté for 12-15 minutes, stirring regularly, until the released water has completely evaporated.
- 5Pour in the chicken stock, scrape the bottom of the pan, then add the crème fraîche and the reserved bacon bits. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
- 6Preheat the oven to 200°C. Pour the mixture into a gratin dish, spreading evenly.
- 7Cut the reblochon in half horizontally and place both halves crust-side up over the entire surface of the gratin.
- 8Bake for 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and lightly gratinated. Serve immediately.
Notes
• Make-ahead: stop at the gratin dish step without the reblochon. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24h. Add the cheese just before baking and extend the time to 18-20 minutes.
• Storage: keeps for 2 days in the refrigerator, well-covered. Reheat in the oven at 180°C for 15 minutes, covered with aluminum foil to prevent the cheese from drying out.
• Cheese variety: raclette or Mont d’Or (in season) work very well as a replacement for reblochon, giving a slightly different but equally melting result.
Nutrition Facts (per serving, estimated)
| 390 kcalCalories | 19gProtein | 9gCarbs | 31gFat |
