What else can I smother in such a sublime cheesy sauce? Butternut squash casserole if you’re not a fan of cauliflower, or rosemary potatoes au gratin. Both celebration-worthy dishes, or just an absolute comfort on a cold day.
Cauliflower cheese bake
Can you get more comforting than a cauliflower cheese bake? Or much fancier than cauliflower au gratin? As at home on the weeknight table of middle America as it is on the chalkboard menu of a bistro in Paris, it is one of the most easily adaptable dishes there is. Which is why you need it! Essentially, cauliflower cheese bake is cooked cauliflower in a cheese sauce (also known as Mornay sauce) that has been baked in the oven. There is some room for variation within that: whether to steam, boil or roast the star vegetable. Whether to add aromatics, this recipe includes chopped onion and garlic for an extra layer of flavour. Which cheese to use? I use a nutty Gruyère, but you might prefer a sharp cheddar. And whether to add white wine to the sauce (totally optional). Finally, breadcrumbs on top for crunch? Whatever the vibe, laidback or luxe, this go-with-anything winter warmer is one I keep going back to.
Serving suggestions
Cauliflower au gratin is most often served as a side dish. This 6 to 8-person cheesy mega-bake is ideal for your festive banquet served alongside a holiday roast turkey, roasted parmesan carrots and Brussels sprouts, and crispy air fryer potatoes. I also love creamy cauliflower with red meat like honey mustard crusted prime rib roast, or ribeye steak. Both of these with parmesan truffle fries, please! However, there is no need to relegate cauliflower gratin to the sidelines. It could easily be the star of a vegetarian show and served as a main with pasta and some greens like roasted asparagus and radishes with mustard vinaigrette.
Storage and leftovers
Forward-planners will be pleased to know that this cauliflower side dish can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Follow the recipe instructions up to the point of putting in the oven, then allow the dish to cool completely, cover and refrigerate. When ready, follow the cooking instructions adding 10 minutes. Winning at the Thanksgiving dinner game! As with all dairy-rich sauces, I don’t advise freezing them. Your velvet-smooth cheese sauce will turn mushy and grainy on thawing. Not Thanksgiving worthy!
More side dishes to try
Parmesan Crusted Potatoes Tuna Macaroni Salad Roastes Carrots with Garlicky Lemon Tahini Sauce Festive Red Cabbage Slaw
title: “Cauliflower Gratin” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-08” author: “Bonnie Somogyi”
The cheese sauce is what makes this casserole so special. Technically called a mornay sauce, it is basically béchamel sauce with cheese added to it. I have some substitutes for the Gruyere cheese called for in the recipe, which work well in a pinch, but the best flavor comes from Gruyere, so I highly recommend it. For more holiday casseroles, try my easy squash casserole recipe, classic green bean casserole, and broccoli casserole recipe.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
Cauliflower — you need a head of cauliflower cut into florets. Choose a bigger head of cauliflower (you need 3 pounds of florets!) that is firm with no soft or brown spots. Butter — butter is an important part of the rich cheese sauce, and you also use it to toast the bread crumbs. Olive oil isn’t a good substitute for this recipe. Flour — regular all-purpose flour is all you need. If you want to make this dish gluten-free, just use your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour. Milk — I use whole milk, but you could swap it for 2% milk if you like, or use half and half for a richer sauce. Cheese — to make the mornay sauce, you’ll need to grate Gruyere and parmesan cheese. Instead of gruyere cheese, you can use another melty cheese like American Swiss cheese, sharp cheddar cheese, fontina cheese, or gouda cheese, but the flavor will be different. Spices — black pepper and nutmeg add warmth and cozy flavor to the cauliflower cheese. Bread crumbs — bread crumbs form a crunchy topping for the cauliflower bake. If you’re gluten-free, use gluten-free bread crumbs or gluten-free panko breadcrumbs.
How to Make Cauliflower Gratin
- Add the cauliflower florets to a large pot of generously salted boiling water. Boil for about 10 minutes or just until fork tender. The cauliflower should still be firm. Drain well and set aside for now.
- Make the cheese sauce in a medium saucepan. Melt butter over medium heat, then add the all-purpose flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes.
- Slowly whisk in the warmed milk until smooth. Bring the mixture to a boil while whisking. Then remove the saucepan from the heat.
- Stir in 1 cup shredded gruyere cheese and grated parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Add the black pepper, grated nutmeg, and salt to taste.
- Spoon about ½ cup of cheese sauce into a casserole dish and spread it so it covers the bottom of the dish. Top with the drained cooked cauliflower.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the cauliflower.
- Sprinkle the rest of the shredded gruyere cheese over the top. Bake the cauliflower casserole for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 375°F.
- While the cauliflower au gratin is in the oven, toast the breadcrumbs. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet and then add the breadcrumbs. Cook, stirring frequently, until the crumbs start to toast and brown. Remove from the heat. After the cauliflower cheese bake has been in the oven for 20 minutes, carefully remove it from the oven and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top. Pop it back into the oven until the top starts to brown and the filling is bubbly. This will only take about 5 minutes. Allow it to cool for 15 minutes before serving to allow the sauce to thicken up. Enjoy!
Pro Tips for Making this Recipe
Don’t overcook the cauliflower, and drain it well. Boil the cauliflower just until it is fork-tender but still has some firmness to it. It needs to still have a bit of bite when you bake it, or it will turn into watery mush. When draining it, I like to use a colander and let the cauliflower sit for a few minutes to remove as much water as possible. Shred the cheese yourself instead of buying the pre-shredded kind. Pre-shredded cheese has anti-clumping agents added to it, so it isn’t as melty and gooey. Use freshly grated nutmeg if possible. Freshly grated nutmeg has a far superior flavor to pre-grated nutmeg in this cauliflower au gratin recipe. Add more flavor to the mornay sauce. Grated garlic cloves, garlic powder, or fresh chopped herbs would be a nice addition to the creamy cheese sauce. To make fresh breadcrumbs: Tear one or two slices of bread (I love crusty sourdough!) and pulse in a food processor until finely chopped. You can also finely chop it with a sharp knife. If you don’t have fresh bread, panko bread crumbs can also be used.
If you’ve tried this cauliflower gratin recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
