Sandra Ina Garten Tomato Gratin Recipe is a vibrant side dish featuring thick slices of ripe tomatoes topped with a golden Parmesan crust. This easy bake uses fresh herbs and garlic to create a savoury topping.
If you do nothing else, salt your tomatoes and let them sit for ten minutes before baking. That’s the difference between a crisp, golden gratin and a soggy puddle of tomato juice. I found that blotting the slices with kitchen roll removes the excess water that usually ruins the breadcrumbs. It takes an extra moment but keeps the crust from turning into mush.
This is one of those recipes that looks harder than it is. The whole thing comes down to the quality of your breadcrumbs. I used to use the dusty, store-bought stuff, but they just melt into the vegetable juices and disappear. Now I always pulse a few slices of stale sourdough in the blender to get larger, crunchier pieces. It’s a great way to use up bread that’s too hard for sandwiches.
Ina Garten Tomato Gratin Recipe Ingredients
- 900g (2 lbs) ripe plum tomatoes, sliced 1cm (1/4 inch) thick
- 100g (1 1/2 cups) fresh breadcrumbs from crusty bread
- 50g (1/2 cup) Parmesan cheese, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
- 45ml (3 tbsp) olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
How To Make Ina Garten Tomato Gratin Recipe
- Heat the oven: Adjust your oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6). Brush the bottom and sides of a shallow baking dish or gratin tin with a thin layer of olive oil to prevent the tomatoes from sticking. Make sure the dish is wide enough to let the vegetables spread out rather than stacking them too deep.
- Layer the tomatoes: Slice your tomatoes into rounds and lay them in the prepared dish in a single, slightly overlapping layer. Sprinkle each slice with a pinch of salt and a grind of black pepper, then let them sit for a few minutes. If you see liquid pooling at the bottom of the dish, blot the tops of the tomatoes with a piece of kitchen roll to remove the excess moisture.
- Make the topping: Combine the fresh breadcrumbs, grated Parmesan, minced garlic, parsley, and thyme in a medium-sized bowl. Drizzle the three tablespoons of olive oil over the dry ingredients and toss everything with a fork until the oil is evenly distributed. Break up any large clumps of garlic or cheese with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse, damp sand.
- Assemble: Spread the breadcrumb mixture in an even layer over the top of the tomatoes, making sure you reach right to the edges of the dish. Do not pack the crumbs down too tightly; keep the layer light so the hot air can circulate through the bread. Check that no large gaps of tomato are showing through the topping before you put the dish in the oven.
- Bake: Slide the dish onto the middle rack and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the breadcrumbs turn a dark, toasted brown. Watch for the tomato juices to start bubbling and thickening around the sides of the tin. If the crumbs are browning too quickly, move the dish to a lower shelf for the final five minutes of cooking.
- Rest and serve: Remove the hot dish from the oven and set it on a heat-proof surface to rest for at least 5 minutes. This allows the tomatoes to firm up and the cheese in the topping to set so it doesn’t slide off when served. Serve the gratin while it’s still warm to make sure the crust stays as crunchy as possible.
Recipe Tips
- Salt the tomatoes first. Sprinkling the slices with salt and letting them sit for ten minutes draws out the extra moisture. Blotting them with kitchen roll before adding the crumbs prevents the base of the dish from becoming watery.
- Try sourdough crumbs. Stale bread with a thick crust makes the best topping because the pieces stay crunchy. Pulse them briefly in a food processor rather than grating them so you get a mix of large and small crumbs.
- Plum tomatoes work best. These have more flesh and fewer seeds than standard salad tomatoes, which helps the gratin hold its shape. They also have a lower water content, resulting in a much more concentrated flavour after roasting.
- Prepare the parts early. You can slice the tomatoes and prepare the crumb topping early in the day, but keep them in separate containers. Only assemble the dish right before you put it in the oven to keep the bread from getting soggy.
- Fresh herbs make a difference. While thyme and parsley are classic, adding a little fresh basil stirred into the crumbs gives a lovely finish. Do not add basil before roasting as the high heat will turn the leaves black and bitter.
What To Serve With Tomato Gratin
This vegetable side dish pairs well with roast chicken or grilled fish to soak up the herb-infused juices. You can also serve it as a light lunch alongside a fresh green salad and a hunk of crusty French bread.
How To Store Tomato Gratin
Fridge
Store any leftover gratin in a sealed container for up to three days. Note that the breadcrumbs will lose their crunch the longer they sit in the fridge with the tomatoes.
Reheat
Warm the dish in the oven at 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) for ten minutes to help the topping crisp up again. Avoid using the microwave because it will make the bread soggy and the tomatoes mushy.
Freeze
I don’t recommend freezing this dish as tomatoes release too much liquid when thawed. The texture of the topping will also become gritty and soft after being frozen and reheated.
Ina Garten Tomato Gratin Recipe Nutrition Facts
- Calories: 210
- Protein: 6g
- Fat: 11g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 380mg
Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.
FAQs
Yes, simply swap the standard bread for your favourite gluten-free loaf when making the fresh crumbs. Make sure the texture is still coarse to get that signature crunch.
No, keeping the skins on helps the slices hold their shape during the high-heat roasting process. It also adds a bit of extra texture to the finished dish.
Yes, halve the cherry tomatoes and pack them tightly into the dish before covering with the cheese and crumbs. They’ll be slightly sweeter than larger tomatoes and cook a few minutes faster.
Ina Garten Tomato Gratin Recipe
Description
Thick tomato slices baked under a crunchy, garlic-herb Parmesan crust for a classic rustic side dish.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas Mark 6) and grease a shallow dish.
- Layer tomato slices in the dish and season with salt and pepper.
- Mix breadcrumbs, Parmesan, garlic, herbs, and olive oil in a small bowl.
- Spread the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the tomatoes.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the topping is golden and the tomatoes bubble.
- Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving to let the juices set.
