Spanish word

gratinar

Pronunciation

IPA/gɾatiˈnaɾ/

Meaning

  • verbbroil

Example

Voy a gratinar la lasaña hasta que esté dorada.

I'm going to broil the lasagna until it's golden.

Illustration for gratinar (broil)

More examples

Para una capa crujiente, es mejor gratinar durante un par de minutos.

For a crispy top, it's better to broil it for a couple of minutes.

Core concept

A bubbling, golden crust on a dish's surface.

Common phrases

  • gratinar al horno

    broil in the oven

  • gratinar con pan rallado

    broil with breadcrumbs

Similar words

dorar: Browns food's surface to a warm, even golden color through gentle searing or cooking.
hornear: Slowly cooks ingredients in the oven with even, sustained dry heat until set or risen.
tostar: Applies short, intense heat to a surface to crisp it and bring out a toasty aroma.
fundir: Uses heat to turn a solid ingredient into a smooth, melted or liquid state.

Definition in Spanish

Cocinar la superficie de un alimento con calor alto para dorarla o formar una costra, normalmente como paso final.

Word origin

From French gratiner (from the noun gratin), borrowed into Spanish to name the technique of heating a dish's top so it forms a crust.

Usage tips

  • In restaurants, '¿Me lo puedes gratinar?' commonly asks for a final blast of direct heat or broiler time to melt toppings and create a crisp, golden top.

Related words

  • gratinadobrownedadjective
  • gratinaciónbrowningnoun

Word lists with this word