This baked cauliflower with cheese is an irresistibly delicious and healthy side dish ready in an hour. Made with roasted cauliflower, creamy Mornay sauce, and baked until crispy and golden brown, it's sure to be a hit at your next dinner party!
This post contains helpful tips and tricks! If you're in a rush, please use the "Jump to Recipe" below!
💭 Why you'll love this recipe
- A healthier side dish alternative for mac and cheese. This recipe is low-carb, keto-friendly, high in fiber, and filled with vitamin C, calcium, and potassium.
- Perfect make-ahead recipe for holiday gatherings, dinner parties, or even for your next weeknight dinner.
- Loaded with creamy and cheesy flavors that will surely be a new family favorite.
📋 Ingredients and notes
To make baked cauliflower with cheese, you'll need cauliflower florets, extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. To make the mornay sauce, you'll need unsalted butter, flour, milk, sea salt, nutmeg, Gruyère cheese, and white cheddar cheese. For the toppings, use Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs.
Variations & Substitutions
- Cauliflower. I used fresh cauliflower for this recipe, but you can also use frozen cauliflower florets. Make sure to thaw and drain excess moisture before adding to the recipe.
- Cheeses. If you need to substitute any cheese, choose ones that melt well and complement the nutty flavor of Gruyère and sharpness of cheddar, like Fontina or Emmental for Gruyère and Monterey Jack for cheddar.
- Flour. To make this recipe gluten-free, substitute flour with gluten-free flour with a 1:1 ratio.
- Breadcrumbs. Use gluten-free breadcrumbs, gluten-free crackers, or crushed potato chips as a substitute.
- Nutmeg. If you don't have nutmeg on hand, allspice, ground cloves, or cinnamon are all good substitutes.
- Add garnishes like parsley or oregano.
📖 How to make baked cauliflower with cheese
Roast the cauliflower:
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 220°C / 430°F (200°C fan).
Step 2:
Coat the cauliflower with oil, salt, and pepper, then spread it evenly on a large tray.
Step 3:
Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes without turning until the cauliflower is slightly firm and has acquired some brown color.
Step 4:
Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C / 350°F.
Make the cheese sauce (Mornay sauce):
Step 5:
Heat the milk until hot but not boiled, either on the stove or in the microwave.
Step 6:
In a small pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring regularly, for 3 minutes to make a roux.
Step 7:
While stirring, gradually pour the hot milk slowly while whisking. Whisk on the heat for 1 minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat.
Step 8:
Turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the stove. Stir in the salt, nutmeg, and both cheeses until the mixture is thick and resembles a sauce.
Bake the cauliflower mixture:
Step 9:
Add the roasted cauliflower to the Mornay sauce and toss to coat evenly.
Step 10:
Transfer the mixture to a 6’’ x 8’’ baking dish.
Step 11:
Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs over the top.
Step 12:
Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted and the cauliflower is bubbly and golden.
Step 13:
Allow it to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
👩🏽🍳 Tips for the best baked cauliflower with cheese
⭐ Cut the cauliflower into evenly-sized florets to make sure each piece is cooked and perfectly tender.
- When roasting the cauliflower, spread the florets in a single layer with enough space between them.
- When adding milk to the roux, keep the heat low to medium-low to prevent the sauce from breaking. A gentle heat helps the sauce thicken without becoming clumpy.
- For an extra crispy topping, you can mix the breadcrumbs with a little melted butter before sprinkling them over. This adds more crunch and a golden finish.
- The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. If it's too thick, add a splash of milk. If too thin, cook a bit longer while stirring.
👩🏽🍳 Troubleshooting FAQs
There's no need to blanch the cauliflower if you are going to roast it before baking. However, if you prefer to skip the roasting step, you can blanch or steam the cauliflower to soften it.
Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil for 15-20 minutes of the baking time. Remove the foil during the last 5-10 minutes of baking to allow the cheese to brown.
Yes, this is a great make-ahead dish! You can prepare the cauliflower mixture ahead of time and bake it before serving to keep it fresh. After assembling the dish, cover it tightly and refrigerate. When ready to serve, bake for 30 minutes until fully cooked and golden brown.
🍴 How to serve baked cauliflower with cheese
Indulge in this delicious side dish or vegetarian main dish, perfect for holidays, parties, and weeknight dinners any time of the year.
While this casserole is meal-worthy on its own, you can serve it with your favorite main dishes, soups, and salads. It especially goes well with fried and grilled recipes, roasts, burgers, and sandwiches.
Some of our favorite plant-based dishes to serve it with are vegan turkey roast, vegan ham, black bean quinoa burger, and easy mushroom Wellington.
🍴Storage and reheating suggestions
To store leftover baked cauliflower with cheese, cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil or transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat, you can use the microwave or oven until warm. If the cheese has become dry or hardened, you can sprinkle a little water or milk over the top before reheating to help moisten it.
I do not recommend freezing baked cauliflower because the texture of the cauliflower becomes mushy, and the sauce becomes watery when thawing.
🍴 More delicious recipes
If you like this recipe, check out my other delicious recipes:
If you tried this recipe, don't forget to comment and rate! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📖 Recipe
Baked Cauliflower with Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower , cut into florets
- 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
For Mornay Sauce
- 1½ cups milk
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg, grated
- ½ cup Gruyère cheese
- ½ cup white cheddar cheese
Topping
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 220°C / 430°F (200°C fan).
- Coat the cauliflower with oil, salt, and pepper, then spread it evenly on a large tray.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes without turning, until the cauliflower is slightly firm and has acquired some brown color.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C / 350°F.
- Make the cheese sauce (Mornay sauce): Heat the milk until hot but not boil, either on the stove or in the microwave.
- In a small pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook, stirring regularly, for 3 minutes to make a roux.
- While stirring, gradually pour the hot milk slowly while whisking. Stir on the heat for 1 minute until the mixture is thick enough to coat.
- Turn off the heat, but leave the pot on the stove. Stir in the salt, nutmeg, and both cheeses until the mixture is thick and resembles a sauce.
- Add the roasted cauliflower to the sauce and toss to coat evenly.
- Transfer the mixture to a 6’’ x 8’’ baking dish.
- Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs over the top.
- Bake at 180°C / 350°F for 30 minutes until the cheese is melted, and the cauliflower is bubbly and golden.
- Allow it to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Cut the cauliflower into evenly sized florets. This promotes uniform cooking and browning, ensuring each piece is perfectly tender.
- When roasting the cauliflower, spread the florets in a single layer with space between them. Overcrowding can lead to steaming rather than roasting, affecting the texture.
- When adding milk to the roux, keep the heat low to medium-low to prevent the sauce from breaking. A gentle heat helps the sauce thicken without becoming clumpy.
- For an extra crispy topping, you can mix the breadcrumbs with a little melted butter before sprinkling them over. This adds more crunch and a golden finish.
- The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. If it's too thick, add a splash more milk. If too thin, cook a bit longer while stirring.
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