A celeriac gratin with smoked bacon, cream and pecorino: chunks sautéed and then simmered before baking until golden.
The skillet comes to the table with a light golden crust still sizzling and the aromas of smoked bacon, warm cream and grated pecorino. Beneath that golden surface, the celeriac should be completely tender, with the tip of a knife sliding easily into a large chunk. It is coated in a creamy sauce, enhanced by soy sauce and a touch of balsamic vinegar. Each serving contains 27 g of net carbs and 1026 kcal: a moderately low-carb approach designed to keep you feeling full. This recipe joins my collection of keto main dishes.
The idea behind the dish
This gratin relies on two stages of cooking: first on the stovetop to brown the bacon, onion and celeriac, then in the oven to brown the cheese. Pecorino is key to the golden topping, adding salt and flavor and browning quickly; Parmesan can be used instead. Celeriac, a root vegetable with pale flesh, is cut into similarly sized chunks for even cooking.
The smoked bacon provides cooking fat, salt and savory cured-meat notes; the cream brings everything together in a silky sauce, while soy sauce or tamari deepens the flavor. The seasoning includes 2 splashes of balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice for a lower-carb version, paprika, ideally smoked, thyme, oregano, chili flakes and black pepper. An oven-safe cast-iron skillet goes straight from the stovetop to the oven without having to transfer the mixture.
What sets this version apart
Classic celeriac gratin often consists of slices baked in cream. Here, the approach is more straightforward: the celeriac is cut into chunks, sautéed with the onions in smoked bacon fat, then simmered in cream. The chunks and red onion wedges brown in the rendered fat, then simmer for about 10 minutes with the cream, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce before the pecorino is added. This method preserves the smoky flavor of the bacon, enhances the umami flavor and adds just enough acidity to balance the cream.
The main ingredients
Use half a celeriac, about 300 to 400 g once trimmed, cut into similarly sized chunks for texture and even cooking. Two red onions cut into wedges add flavor and sweetness. 200 g of smoked bacon lardons or smoked pork belly, ideally in one piece so you can cut thick slices, provide fat, salt and crunch. 75 g of grated pecorino, or Parmesan, season the mixture and form the crust.
200 ml of dairy or plant-based cream coat the chunks in a silky sauce as they gently simmer. 2 splashes of balsamic vinegar, or lemon juice, provide acidity, while 2 tablespoons of soy sauce or tamari add salt and depth. For the spices, use 2 teaspoons of paprika, ideally smoked, 1 of thyme, 1 of oregano, 1 of chili flakes and 2 pinches of black pepper. Finely sliced sage is mixed with the cheese before baking; for a dairy-free variation, sprinkle nutritional yeast over the dish when it comes out of the oven.
Technique, serving and storage
Success starts with the bacon: render a little of its fat over low heat, then brown it over high heat for at least 10 minutes until the edges are crisp. Remove it, sauté the onions in its fat, then add the celeriac, thyme, oregano, paprika and chili flakes. Once the cream, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce are added, simmer gently for about 10 minutes, keeping the sauce coating the chunks without drying out and avoiding a vigorous boil, which could cause some creams to split. Return the bacon to the skillet, mix the pecorino with the finely sliced sage, scatter over the top, then bake at 200 °C for 15 minutes until golden on top.
Tenderness matters more than the color of the cheese: the tip of a knife should slide easily into a large chunk. Go easy on the salt, as the bacon, cheese and soy sauce already provide plenty; black pepper, lemon or chili flakes let you adjust the seasoning without making the dish heavier. Serve as a generous main course, with a lemon-dressed arugula or mixed leaf salad for contrast. Promptly refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container, preferably out of the unenameled cast-iron skillet, and eat within 3 days; reheat gently in the oven or over low heat, as microwaving softens the topping and may cause the sauce to split.
For everyday keto cooking, explore all my low-carb recipes.
Celeriac Gratin with Smoked Bacon and Pecorino
Ingredients
- 0.5 celeriac About 300 to 400 g once trimmed
- 2 red onions
- 200 g lardons smoked, preferably smoked slab bacon in one piece
- 75 g Pecorino Or Parmesan
- 200 ml cream Dairy or plant-based
- 2 dashes balsamic vinegar (moderate-carb version), or lemon juice (low-carb version)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- 2 teaspoons paprika Preferably smoked
- 1 teaspoon thyme Dried
- 1 teaspoon oregano Dried
- 1 teaspoon chili flakes
- 2 pinches black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the slab of bacon into thick slices. Let some of the fat render over low heat. Then brown over fairly high heat for at least 10 minutes until crisp on all sides.200 g lardons
- Meanwhile, peel the onions and cut them into quarters.2 red onions
- Also cut a celeriac in half. Remove the root end and peel one half. Cut into evenly sized pieces. The other half will keep for quite a while in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic wrap.0.5 celeriac
- Remove the bacon from the skillet and set it aside briefly. Leave the fat in the skillet.
- Sauté the onions on all sides in the bacon fat.
- Add the celeriac, followed by the thyme, oregano, paprika and chili flakes.1 teaspoon thyme, 1 teaspoon oregano, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon chili flakes, 2 pinches black pepper
- Deglaze with the cream, balsamic vinegar and soy sauce. Simmer for 10 minutes.200 ml cream, 2 dashes balsamic vinegar, 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees.
- Return the bacon to the skillet. Grate the cheese. Cut the sage into pieces with scissors or a knife and mix it with the cheese. Sprinkle the cheese over the contents of the skillet.75 g Pecorino
- Bake for 15 minutes.
For a dairy-free, paleo and AIP version
- Skip the cheese step. Mix the sage with the nutritional yeast flakes and sprinkle them over the celeriac once it comes out of the oven. Do not bake them with it.
