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The main dish, Regional

Aligot with roasted root vegetables

Aligot with roasted root vegetables is a French countryside dish for 6, made with potatoes, fresh Aubrac tomme cheese, and roasted carrots and parsnips. It takes 40 minutes of active work, the mash and vegetables are made before guests arrive, and only the final cheese melting happens at the last minute. It's easy to make for about €3.20 per person, and success comes down to the steady, energetic stirring that makes the cheese stretch.

An aligot that stretches into long ribbons, with deeply caramelized roasted vegetables, your guests will be pulling at the cheese like kids.

Aligot with roasted root vegetables
For
6 people
Work
40 min
Total time
1 h 40
Prep
Prepared the same day
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.20
Calories per person
640 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach

Aligot is that ribbon of mashed potato and melted cheese that stretches without breaking, with a mild flavor from fresh tomme cheese balanced by cream and garlic. Alongside it, the roasted vegetables bring the contrast the dish would otherwise lack, caramelized edges and a sweetness from carrot and parsnip that keeps things from feeling too rich.

It's a fall and winter dish, perfect for a family dinner or a gathering with friends when you don't want to be stuck in the kitchen at the last minute. Kids love watching the cheese stretch, and the low cost makes it an easy choice for a big table without giving up the wow factor.

The schedule

What happens when, so you can be with your guests instead of in the kitchen.

  1. The day before Nothing to do
  2. The same day 2 steps, 40 min
  3. Before the guests arrive 3 steps, 25 min
  4. When it's time to serve 1 step, 10 min

In the morning, cut and roast the vegetables, they reheat well later. Just before guests arrive, boil the potatoes, make the buttery, creamy mash, and slice the tomme so it comes to room temperature. At serving time, stir in the cheese vigorously until the aligot stretches, and reheat the vegetables at the same time.

The ingredients

6 people

Fruits and vegetables

  • Mashing potatoes 1.2 kg
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Carrots 600 g
  • Parsnips 400 g
  • Red onions 3
  • Thyme 4 sprigs

Dairy

  • Fresh Aubrac tomme cheese 600 g
  • Heavy cream 20 cl
  • Butter 60 g

Pantry

  • Olive oiloften in the pantry 5 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Lactose

The recipe, moment by moment

The same dayDuring the day, whenever you get a moment.

  1. Cut the carrots and parsnips into sticks, the onions into wedges, and toss them with oil, thyme, salt, and pepper.

    Keep the sticks an even size, they'll cook through at the same rate.

  2. Roast the vegetables at 200°C, flipping them halfway through. 40 min

    Use one layer on the baking sheet, they'll caramelize instead of steaming.

Before the guests arriveThe last hour, right before the doorbell rings.

  1. Boil the peeled potatoes in salted water with the garlic, then pass them through a potato ricer. 25 min

    A ricer rather than a blender keeps the texture light instead of turning gluey.

  2. Stir the butter and hot cream into the mash, and keep it warm in a large pot over very low heat.

    A hot mash lets the cheese melt in without forming lumps.

  3. Cut the fresh tomme into thin strips and let it come to room temperature.

    No fresh tomme, mix block mozzarella with young cantal, the stretch looks just as good.

When it's time to serveThe final touches, right in front of your guests.

  1. Add the tomme to the hot mash in batches, stirring vigorously until the aligot stretches, and reheat the vegetables. 10 min

    Lift the spatula up high, the ribbon should stretch out for several dozen centimeters.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a young, mildly aged fresh tomme, that's what gives aligot its signature stretch, an overly aged or dry cheese won't melt the same way.
  • Work the mash in a wide, thick-bottomed pot, you want a generous surface touching the heat so the cheese melts evenly without sticking.
  • If the aligot cools down before serving, put the pot back over very low heat and start stirring again, it regains its stretch within a minute.

The variations

  • Swap the parsnips for Jerusalem artichokes or celery root in sticks, the flavor changes but the oven caramelization stays the same.
  • For a quicker version, use instant mashed potato flakes and keep the same method for stretching the cheese, the result is almost as good.
  • For kids, serve the aligot on its own in a bowl with just a few roasted carrot sticks, skipping the red onions which can be too sharp for them.

What to serve it with

  • Grilled Toulouse sausage
  • A green salad with sharp vinaigrette
  • A glass of red wine from the Aubrac

Storage

Aligot is best eaten right away, it doesn't reheat well once cold because the cheese turns rubbery and clumpy again. The roasted vegetables keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge in a sealed container and reheat well in the oven or a skillet.

Questions about this recipe

Can I replace the fresh Aubrac tomme with another cheese?

Yes, a mix of block mozzarella and young cantal gives an almost identical stretch. Avoid overly aged or dry cheeses, they melt differently and break the stretchy effect.

Why isn't my aligot stretching properly?

Usually the mash isn't hot enough when the cheese is added, or the stirring isn't vigorous enough. Keep stirring in the same direction with steady energy to build up the elasticity.

How do you serve aligot to impress guests?

Serve it the moment it's ready, straight from the pot, lifting the spatula high to show off the ribbon stretching down. That serving gesture always gets a reaction at the table.

Can I make aligot for more than 6 people?

Yes, just scale up the potatoes, tomme, and cream proportionally. Make sure you have a pot wide enough to stir vigorously without cheese going everywhere.

Can an aligot with roasted root vegetables be made ahead?

Yes, during the day. The recipe needs 40 min of work in total, split up like this, the same day, 2 steps, before the guests arrive, 3 steps, when it's time to serve, 1 step.

How long does it take to make an aligot with roasted root vegetables?

Allow 1 h 40 in total, including resting and cooking time, of which 40 min is actual work. The recipe is rated "easy".

How many calories are in an aligot with roasted root vegetables?

About 640 kcal per person, for a recipe meant for 6 people. The calories are calculated by Kiloach, your kilo coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does an aligot with roasted root vegetables cost?

About €3.20 per person, that's €19.20 for 6 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Remember to ask your guests about their allergies before putting your menu together.

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