Okay, I know what you’re thinking. WHAT is vegetable tian and how can I have some in my belly right now? I feel you. I had never heard of this dish, but when I saw a photo of it, I immediately thought of the dish in the movie “Ratatouille”. Right? I had to find out more because, let’s face it, this is one pretty vegetable dish. I love pretty. And I love food. This was the perfect combination of the two.
So, I’m going to fill you in. A tian is actually an earthenware dish used for cooking and serving (thank you, Wikipedia) but it can also refer to the dish prepared in it. It started out as a lean stew, with very little liquid, and has kind of transformed into a gratin roasted vegetable dish. And that’s the kind I’m going to be sharing with you today. Let’s get this party started!
The great thing about this dish is that it’s an easy way to use up those summer veggies that you’ve just harvested from your (or your neighbor’s) garden. We’re talking tomatoes, zucchini, onions, and potatoes. All the good stuff. If you don’t have any of these items, feel free to omit or substitute. A yellow squash, eggplant, or even a yam would sure look pretty in there, right?
Here is what you’ll need:
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 potatoes (I used white)
- 1-2 zucchini
- 3 large roma tomatoes (they are firmer than other kinds of tomatoes)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1-2 tsp dried italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I used a mix of asiago, parmesan, and romano)
Like I said – feel free to substitute the veggies with what you’ve got. This combination works well and is pretty tasty, I might add. But feel free to experiment! There aren’t any Tian police! The exact amount of veggies may vary depending on the size of your pan.
Let’s get to the fun part – the preparation!
- Preheat your oven to 375°F
- Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. I used a large tart/pie pan – just to add the the “pretty” factor. I mean, why not?
- Get out your sharpest knife or your mandoline (if you’re luck enough to have one!) and slice your veggies into as uniform slices as you can (uniform in thickness). A mondoline works great with those firm veggies like the zucchini, onion, and potato. Try to slice them about 1/4 inch thick. Put aside all the veggies except the onion. We’re going to be using that right away.
- In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add in your onions and sauté until tender (and oh, so yummy smelling!) This takes about 6-8 minutes.
- Then add in your minced garlic, and sauté one minute more.
- Spread the onion mixture over the bottom of the greased pan. Can’t you almost smell this amazing-ness?
- Start to layer the veggies, alternating the veggie, in a spiral around the pan, covering the onion mixture.
- Season the veggies with some salt, pepper, and the italian seasoning. Don’t like italian seasoning? Substitute it with your favorite veggie seasoning. Don’t worry – I won’t tell! Drizzle the other 1 tbsp of olive oil over the veggies then cover pan with some tin foil. I know, it’s sad to coer up all of that beautiful deliciousness, but we shall meet it again. And it will be hotter 😉
- Bake, covered, for 30-35 minutes, or until your potatoes are tender. If you’re using yams, this could take a touch longer. Just test it out.
- Uncover that veggie goodness and introduce it to your cheese by sprinkling the cheese all over the top of the veggies. Be as liberal with it as you’d like, and even try out different kinds of cheese. A mix of parmesan and mozzarella would be divine.
- Pop that baby back into the oven, uncovered, for another 25-30 minutes – or until the cheese starts to turn golden.
- Time to enjoy!
This is pretty, yes, but it tastes even better than it looks. I even got the thumbs up from my kids. Hooray for new ways to get them to eat some veggies!
By the way, my house smells amazing right now. Like an expensive Italian restaurant. Big time yum!!
Vegetable Tian – Easy & Oh, So Pretty!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1-2 potatoes (I used white)
- 1-2 zucchini
- 3 large roma tomatoes (they are firmer than other kinds of tomatoes)
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1-2 tsp dried italian seasoning
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (I used a mix of asiago, parmesan, and romano)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F
- Coat a baking dish with cooking spray. I used a large tart/pie pan - just to add the the "pretty" factor. I mean, why not?
- Get out your sharpest knife or your mandoline (if you're luck enough to have one!) and slice your veggies into as uniform slices as you can (uniform in thickness). A mondoline works great with those firm veggies like the zucchini, onion, and potato. Try to slice them about 1/4 inch thick. Put aside all the veggies except the onion. We're going to be using that right away.
- In a medium skillet, heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil over medium heat.
- Once the oil is hot, add in your onions and sauté until tender (and oh, so yummy smelling!) This takes about 6-8 minutes.
- Then add in your minced garlic, and sauté one minute more.
- Spread the onion mixture over the bottom of the greased pan.
- Start to layer the veggies, alternating the veggie, in a spiral around the pan, covering the onion mixture.
- Season the veggies with some salt, pepper, and the Italian seasoning. Don't like Italian seasoning? Substitute it with your favorite veggie seasoning. Don't worry - I won't tell! Drizzle the other 1 tbsp of olive oil over the veggies then cover pan with some tin foil.
- Bake, covered, for 30-35 minutes, or until your potatoes are tender. If you're using yams, this could take a touch longer. Just test it out.
- Uncover that veggie goodness and introduce it to your cheese by sprinkling the cheese all over the top of the veggies. Be as liberal with it as you'd like.
- Pop that baby back into the oven, uncovered, for another 25-30 minutes - or until the cheese starts to turn golden.
- Time to enjoy!
Looking for other ways to use up those garden veggies? Try some of our favorite veggie recipes:
Scandi Spiced French Onion Soup
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