Dr Mobeus
Cheesy Vegetable and Potato Bake
A vegetable and potato bake is one of those comfort food dishes that feels like it should cost a lot more than it actually does. The combination of thinly sliced potatoes, sweet carrots and a simple homemade cheese sauce is proper winter warmer territory, and it costs less than 60p a portion.
The trick to keeping costs down is using value cheddar. A 400g block of supermarket value cheddar costs around GBP2.50 and has plenty of flavour when melted into a white sauce. You only need 100g for this recipe, so the rest can go towards other meals during the week.
This dish works well as a main course on its own or as a side dish alongside sausages or baked fish. It also reheats well the next day, making it a good option for packed lunches if you have access to a microwave.
Cheesy Vegetable and Potato Bake
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190C/170C fan/Gas Mark 5. Grease a medium baking dish with a little butter.
- Layer the sliced potatoes, carrots and onion in the baking dish, alternating the layers and finishing with a layer of potatoes on top.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat, then stir in the flour to make a roux. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time, until you have a smooth sauce. Simmer for 3-4 minutes until it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and stir in three quarters of the grated cheese, the mustard, salt, pepper and thyme. Stir until the cheese has melted.
- Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the layered vegetables. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top.
- Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 15 minutes until the top is golden and bubbling. Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Tips and Variations
Slice the potatoes and carrots as thinly as you can – a mandoline slicer is ideal if you have one, but a sharp knife works fine. The thinner the slices, the more evenly the dish cooks. You can add other vegetables too such as leeks, parsnips or swede. For a vegan version, use plant-based butter, milk and cheese, and add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast to the sauce.
