Upgrade your basic steamed veggie dish with this Best Cauliflower Cheese Bake recipe. Transform bland cauliflower into a flavorful masterpiece and make lovers out of haters with this creamy, cheesy bake!
Ingredients For The Best Cauliflower Cheese
To make this cheesy bake, you need the following ingredients:
- Cauliflower florets
- Avocado oil
- Sat and pepper
- Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Half and half
- Nutmeg
- Mustard powder
- Cheddar cheese
- Gruyere cheese
How To Make The Best Cauliflower Cheese
- Roast the florets: preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place the cauliflower florets on the baking sheet and drizzle them with avocado oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 20 minutes or until cooked but still firm.
- Make the creamy sauce: melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the flour. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes.
- Whisk in the milk and half and half. Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the nutmeg, mustard powder, ½ cup shredded cheddar, and ½ cup gruyere cheese, until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix in the roasted cauliflower florets and spoon the mixture into a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Top with the remaining ½ cup cheddar and ½ cup gruyere.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheeses are melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
Can I Make This Ahead Of Time?
You can roast the cauliflower and make the sauce ahead of time. Assemble, place in the baking dish, cover, and refrigerate for one day. Bake when ready to serve.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Store them in an airtight container and the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in the oven or microwave until hot.
Best Cauliflower Cheese
Equipment
- Medium-sized saucepan
- Whisk
- Baking sheet
- Oven
- 9x13-inch baking dish
- Knife and cutting board
Ingredients
For the cauliflower:
- 7 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (or olive oil)
- ½ tsp salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
For the sauce:
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3 tbsp flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup half and half
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp mustard powder
- ½ tsp salt
- Freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, freshly shredded and divided
- 1 cup gruyere cheese, freshly shredded and divided
Instructions
- Roast the florets: preheat the oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place the cauliflower florets on the baking sheet and drizzle them with avocado oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and bake for 20 mins or until cooked but still firm.
- Make the creamy sauce: melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat and add the flour. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes.
- Whisk in the milk and half and half. Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and stir in the nutmeg, mustard powder, ½ cup shredded cheddar, and ½ cup gruyere cheese, until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
- Mix in the roasted cauliflower florets and spoon the mixture into a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- Top with the remaining ½ cup cheddar and ½ cup gruyere.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350 F and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheeses are melted, bubbly, and golden brown.
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Use Pre-Cut Cauliflower Florets?
Yes, you can. Make sure they are roughly the same size so they bake evenly.
How Can I Prevent A Watery Cheese Sauce?
Roasting the florets instead of boiling or steaming them, minimizes the water content. Also, when making the sauce make sure the flour and butter mixture is cooked before adding the milk and half and half to make it thick.
Can I Substitute The Cheeses Mentioned?
Yes, of course! You can use any melty cheeses of your choice like Swiss, Colby, or mozzarella.
What If I Don’t Have Half And Half?
You can use the same amount of milk or cream.
Is It Necessary To Use Freshly Ground Nutmeg?
Freshly grated nutmeg has a very special flavor, but you can use ground nutmeg as an alternative.
Can I Freeze Cauliflower Cheese?
This in not recommended. Freezing can negatively affect the texture of the sauce and the cauliflower.
What’s The Best Way To Cut Cauliflower With Minimal Effort?
Cut out the core to release the florets. Then break them apart into smaller pieces.
