Fitness / September 15, 2024

Cauliflower Cheese

This ooey, gooey, Cauliflower Cheese side dish is a warm accompaniment to all of your favorite comfort foods!

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You know what makes everything better? Cheese. Seriously, when hasn’t cheese increased the likeability and tastiness of an otherwise bland dish? Do not knock cauliflower because it is one of my all-time favorite vegetables. But have you tried cauliflower cheese?

Cauliflower cheese is a warm and cozy comfort food. It’s essentially just cauliflower doused in a creamy, flavorful cheese sauce. But hey, simple is a good thing here at FFF. We love an easy cheesy recipe that includes your daily dose of veggies!

I’ve been making cauliflower cheese for holidays and potlucks for years, and I’ve never escaped a gathering without being asked (relentlessly) for my recipe. So, without further ado, I give you everything you’ve been waiting for—my iconic, delicious, yet still so nutritious, cauliflower cheese

Is Cauliflower Cheese Healthy?

This dish is loaded with cream, cheese, and other dairy (vegan and lactose intolerant friends beware). However, given the cauliflower, it’s a healthy-ish option—at least when it comes to comfort foods. I’d still recommend enjoying this in moderation, as the fat and calorie content is rather high. But at least cauliflower is so freaking good for you!

There’s A Reason They Call It A Superfood!

Cauliflower isn’t just my favorite veggie because it looks like a cloud. While this recipe is not the healthiest, cauliflower on it’s own has been known to help with weight control and weight loss. This superfood is packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, folate, and anti-inflammatory compounds! It’s also low in calories, virtually fat-free and cholesterol-free.

INGREDIENTS

1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1/2 cup gruyère cheese, grated

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

Preheat oven, boil cauliflower until tender.

Mix

Make cheese sauce with butter, flour, milk, cream, and seasonings.

Bake

Combine cauliflower and sauce in dish, bake until golden.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store?

You can prepare this dish up to a day ahead of time; just store it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake it! You can also store leftovers in the freezer and defrost before reheating. Storing leftovers in the fridge may lead to a soggy dish.

HOW TO ENHANCE this DISH?

The possibilities are endless when it comes to modifying cauliflower cheese. You can add chives, breadcrumbs, other cheeses, and even bacon. You can also make a variation of this dish with whole cauliflower.

HOW TO STOP SAUCE FROM GETTING WATERY?

After boiling your cauliflower, make sure you drain it really well. If there’s water left over in the cauliflower pot, you’ll risk watering down your sauce mixture.

Serving Suggestions

Cauliflower cheese is a great side dish for any meal, but I really love it with other comfort foods. Try serving your cauliflower cheese with a star protein like my smoked pork tenderloin and other healthy but decadent sides like honey balsamic Brussels sprouts.

Cauliflower cheese is also the perfect addition to your upcoming holiday spreads! Serve with stuffing (this one is vegan!), brown sugar sweet potatoes, and, of course, roast turkey. This recipe is dropping just in time for the weather to cool down and your oven to heat up, so enjoy my cauliflower cheese comfort food all season long!

Cauliflower Cheese

This ooey, gooey, Cauliflower Cheese side dish is a warm accompaniment to all of your favorite comfort foods!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine british

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 30

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 348kcal

Author Britany Saare

Ingredients

1 large cauliflower cut into florets
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese grated
1/2 cup gruyère cheese grated

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a baking dish.
Place cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water. Cook for 5-7 minutes until just tender. Drain well.
In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour to form a paste and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk and cream, and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sauce thickens.
Remove sauce from heat. Stir in mustard powder, nutmeg, salt, pepper, and cheeses until smooth.
Arrange the drained cauliflower in the prepared baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until the top is golden and bubbly.