Air Fryer Root Vegetable Casserole with Cream Cheese
A creamy root vegetable casserole, quickly cooked in the air fryer, with a rich cheese and herb sauce.
Steps
- 1
Peel and dice the root vegetables. Place them in the steaming basket of the Ninja Foodi.
- 2
Pour the vegetable broth into the pot and place the basket on top.
- 3
Close the lid, set the valve to 'sealing', and pressure cook for 3 minutes.
- 4
Quick release the pressure, remove the vegetables, and switch the appliance to Sauté mode.
- 5
Add cream cheese, shredded cheddar, basil, parsley, and oregano. Stir until smooth and creamy.
- 6
Transfer the vegetables to a serving dish, pour the cheese sauce over them, and garnish with cherry tomatoes and fresh basil if desired.
Shopping list
1 kg root vegetables (carrots, celery root, parsnips), 360 ml vegetable broth, 340 g cream cheese (Philadelphia Light), 150 g shredded cheddar cheese, 1 tsp dried basil, 1 tsp dried parsley, 1 tsp dried oregano, salt and pepper to taste, cherry tomatoes for garnish (optional)
Recipe story
This recipe draws from Central and Northern European traditions of preserving root vegetables for winter. In 19th-century French and German cuisines, cheese casseroles became popular, later adapted for quick air fryer cooking.
Ingredient Secrets
Black pepper
Known as 'black gold' in antiquity, pepper was so valuable that it served as currency and tribute. In the Middle Ages, Venetian merchants controlled the pepper trade, and individual peppercorns were often counted. Legend has it that when Alaric, king of the Visigoths, demanded tribute from Rome, he included 3,000 pounds of pepper.
Sea salt
Sea salt, extracted from ocean waters by evaporation, was one of the most precious goods of antiquity, used both as food and as currency. In ancient Rome, soldiers were paid with salt, which is the origin of the word 'salary'. Salt roads connected entire civilizations, and in the Middle Ages, salt was so valuable it was called 'white gold'.
Oregano
Oregano, also known as 'mountain joy', was used by ancient Greeks as an antidote for poisons and a symbol of happiness. In the Middle Ages, it was planted on graves to ensure peace for the souls.
Parsley
In Greek mythology, parsley was associated with death and rebirth, planted on graves to symbolize the cycle of life. Romans used it generously in cooking and as a remedy for hangovers.
Tomato
Although today the tomato is indispensable in global cuisine, it was long viewed with suspicion in Europe, considered a toxic ornamental plant. It wasn't until the 19th century that Italian immigrants popularized it in the United States, turning it into an iconic ingredient of Mediterranean cuisine. Native to South America, the tomato was domesticated in Mexico and brought to Europe by Spanish conquistadors.
Carrot
The carrot, known in antiquity as a medicinal remedy rather than a vegetable, was originally purple or white. It wasn't until the 17th century that Dutch breeders developed the orange variety, honoring the House of Orange.
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