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    Home » Recipes » Dinner » Vegetarian Recipes

    8th November 2022 Dinner

    Home » Recipes » Dinner » Vegetarian Recipes

    The BEST Cauliflower Cheese

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    The BEST Cauliflower Cheese -  In this luxurious Cauliflower Cheese recipe, Cauliflower is lightly roasted to bring out it’s flavour, before being topped in a creamy smooth sauce and topped with extra cheese. It is then baked till oozing, bubbling and golden.

    Cauliflower Cheese in a baking tray

    The BEST Cauliflower Cheese

    Cauliflower Cheese is British comfort food at its best. It is the ultimate side dish and one that is served with many a Sunday Roast or Christmas/Easter Dinner.

    I have had it for School dinner countless times and then Work lunches too.

    A lot of recipes, boil the cauliflower rather then roast but I prefer to roast it so that there is no risk of a watery cheese sauce and also because I really do not like boiled cauliflower.

    I also like to add some Nutmeg, Smoked Paprika and Mustard but that is entirely optional.

    Ingredients in Cauliflower Cheese

    Here’s what you need to make Cauliflower Cheese -

    Large Cauliflower (Around 1 kg)

    Broken/Cut into florets.

    Roasting it first makes it more flavourful so that is the method that I prefer.

    To roast it, we add the Cauliflower to a tray with Oil, Salt, Pepper and Smoked Paprika.

    Cheese Sauce

    AKA Mornay Sauce (Bechemel with Cheese)

    Butter and Flour

    The same quantity of each make the perfect roux.

    Milk and Double/Heavy Cream

    I add a little Cream to to make a rich sauce but you can use just milk instead.

    Smoked Paprika, Cayenne Pepper

    Adds smokiness and a slight heat. Added at roasting stage to add more flavour.

    Dijon Mustard

    Adds some tang. This makes the sauce extra delicious.

    Cheese

    I use a mixture of Cheese here.

    Extra Mature or Red Leicester

    Sharp Cheddar. It adds so much flavour and colour.

    Gruyère

    This adds a nutty sweetness and also melts beautifully (often used in fondue). Or just add more Red Leicester/Mature Cheddar.

    Nutmeg

    Freshly grated nutmeg adds a lovely flavour. Skip it if you don’t have any.

    How to make Cauliflower Cheese

    Roast Cauliflower

    Break/cut cauliflower into large florets.

    Drizzle over Oil. Sprinkle over Salt, Pepper, Cayenne Pepper and Smoked Paprika and then use your hands to mix it all together.

    Roast for 20 minutes at 220c/Gas Mark 8.

    Turn the heat down to 180 C/Gas Mark 4.

    Make the Sauce

    Melt Butter in saucepan.

    Add the Flour and cook for 5 minutes on medium low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture is golden.

    Butter and flour with whisk in pot

    Turn the heat right down and begin to add the milk bit by bit.

    MIlk added to pot with whisk

    Make sure to whisk between each addition.

    Add the Cream and whisk until fully incorporated.

    Simmer gently and continue to whisk for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.

    Season well, stir in the Nutmeg and Mustard.

    Nutmeg added to sauce in pot

    Thickened sauce with nutmeg

    Remove from the heat and stir through 3/4 of both cheeses. I used Mature Cheddar on this occasion.

    Cheese added to sauce

    Bake

    Add the Cauliflower to the baking dish.

    Pour over the sauce and top with remaining cheese.

    (The price for the most unappealing pic goes to...)

    Cheese sauce added to cauliflower in dish

    Cauliflower Cheese in dish with grated cheese on top

    Bake for 35 - 40 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

    Baked Cauliflower Cheese

     

    Our Top Tips for the BEST Cauliflower Cheese

    Roux

    Mixing the Roux for a little longer adds more flavour almost like a Nutty Brown Butter flavour but not as pronounced.

    Milk and Cream

    For a really luxurious sauce, use 1/2 milk to 1/2 cream.

    Cauliflower

    Roasting the cauliflower adds flavour and removes a lot of moisture, meaning it is less likely that you will have a watery sauce.

    Variations

    • Add Garlic Granules to the Cheese Sauce.
    • Or add some Confit Garlic for a gorgeously sweet garlic flavour.
    • You can add Breadcrumbs to the top of the cauliflower cheese before adding cheese on top before baking to add some crunch.
    • If you want to boil Cauliflower instead, do so for 5 minutes and bake for an additional 10 - 15 minutes.

    Storage

    Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 4 days.

    Make ahead

    Make the recipe up to 3 days in advance. Store in the fridge. Leave the cheese topping. Top with cheese before baking as per recipe.

    To Freeze

    Cauliflower cheese can be frozen for up to 3 months but you may find that the sauce is slightly more watery.

    To cook from frozen, bake for 40 - 50 minute and make sure that it is hot all the way through before serving.

    What to serve with Cauliflower Cheese

    Cauliflower Cheese is a divine side dish that goes well with many roast meat dishes, such as:

    Beef Wellington - Recipe coming soon!

    Steak - Any cut you like with loads of butter, pepper and garlic!

    Roast Chicken – Try Roast Chicken with Crunchy Roast Potatoes Traybake or Buttermilk Roast Chicken

    Roast Lamb – Try The MOST tender Leg of Lamb or Slow Cooked Leg of Lamb.

    Other Sides for a Sunday Roast

    Crunchy Roast Potatoes

    Creamed Sweetcorn

    Garlic Parmesan Potatoes

    Best Garlic Mashed Potatoes

    Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

    Home Made Aunt Bessie Style Roast Potatoes

    Jewelled Rice or Pilaf

    **if you make and enjoy this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating. Please tag us on instagram. We love to see your creations and your feedback helps us to shape future content! we love to hear from you. Thankyou! x

    Cauliflower Cheese in a tray

    Cauliflower Cheese in a tray
    5 from 3 votes
    Print

    The BEST Cauliflower Cheese

    The BEST Cauliflower Cheese -  In this luxurious Cauliflower Cheese recipe, Cauliflower is lightly roasted to bring out it’s flavour, before being topped in a creamy smooth sauce and topped with extra cheese. It is then baked till oozing, bubbling and golden.

    Course Side, Side Dish
    Cuisine british
    Keyword Cauliflower Cheese, Roast Cauliflower Cheese
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 1 hour
    Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings 8
    Calories 286 kcal
    Author Safira

    Ingredients

    Roast Cauliflower

    • 1 Kg Cauliflower Cut into large florets
    • 1 tbsp Oil Veg or Olive
    • ½ tsp Salt
    • ⅛ tsp Black Pepper
    • ¾ tsp Smoked Paprika
    • ½ tsp Cayenne Pepper

    Cheese Sauce

    • 55 g Butter
    • 55 g Plain Flour
    • 550 ml Milk
    • 100 ml Double Cream Heavy Cream
    • ¼ tsp Salt
    • ¼ tsp Pepper
    • Pinch Nutmeg Fresh, Grated
    • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard or Mustard Powder
    • 125 g Extra Mature Cheddar Grated (Or Red Leicester), I prefer Red Leicester
    • 30 g Gruyère Cheese Or add more Red Leicester/Cheddar

    Instructions

    1. Break/cut cauliflower into large florets. Add to a large roasting tin.

    2. Drizzle over Oil. Sprinkle over Salt, Pepper, Cayenne Pepper and Smoked Paprika and then use your hands to mix it all together. Roast for 20 minutes at 220c/Gas Mark 8.

    3. Turn the heat down to 180 C/Gas Mark 4.

    4. Whilst the cauliflower is baking, melt Butter in saucepan. Add the Flour and cook for 4-5 minutes on medium low heat, stirring continuously until the mixture is golden.

    5. Turn the heat right down and begin to add the milk bit by bit. Make sure to whisk between each addition.

    6. Add the Cream and whisk until fully incorporated. Simmer gently and continue to whisk for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.

    7. Season well, stir in the Nutmeg and Mustard.

    8. Remove from the heat and stir through 3/4 of both cheeses.

    9. Add the Cauliflower to a 9 x 13 baking dish.

    10. Pour over the sauce and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

    Recipe Notes

    Roux

    Mixing the Roux for a little longer adds more flavour almost like a Nutty Brown Butter flavour but not as pronounced.

    Milk and Cream

    For a really luxurious sauce, use 1/2 milk to 1/2 cream.

    Cauliflower

    Roasting the cauliflower adds flavour and removes a lot of moisture, meaning it is less likely that you will have a watery sauce.

    Variations

    • Add Garlic Granules to the Cheese Sauce.
    • Or add some Confit Garlic for a gorgeously sweet garlic flavour.
    • You can add Breadcrumbs to the top of the cauliflower cheese before adding cheese on top before baking to add some crunch.
    • If you want to boil Cauliflower instead, do so for 5 minutes and bake for an additional 10 - 15 minutes.

    Storage

    Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 4 days.

    Make ahead

    Make the recipe up to 3 days in advance. Store in the fridge. Leave the cheese topping. Top with cheese before baking as per recipe.

    To Freeze

    Cauliflower cheese can be frozen for up to 3 months but you may find that the sauce is slightly more watery.

    To cook from frozen, bake for 40 - 50 minute and make sure that it is hot all the way through before serving.

    What to serve with Cauliflower Cheese

    Cauliflower Cheese is a divine side dish that goes well with many roast meat dishes, such as:

    Beef Wellington - Recipe coming soon!

    Steak - Any cut you like with loads of butter, pepper and garlic!

    Roast Chicken – Try Roast Chicken with Crunchy Roast Potatoes Traybake or Buttermilk Roast Chicken

    Roast Lamb – Try The MOST tender Leg of Lamb or Slow Cooked Leg of Lamb.

    Nutrition Facts
    The BEST Cauliflower Cheese
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 286 Calories from Fat 189
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 21g32%
    Saturated Fat 12g75%
    Trans Fat 0.2g
    Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
    Monounsaturated Fat 6g
    Cholesterol 56mg19%
    Sodium 500mg22%
    Potassium 525mg15%
    Carbohydrates 16g5%
    Fiber 3g13%
    Sugar 6g7%
    Protein 11g22%
    Vitamin A 802IU16%
    Vitamin C 60mg73%
    Calcium 282mg28%
    Iron 1mg6%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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    1. https://www.wonderfulcook.com/ says

      December 19, 2022 at 7:25 am

      5 stars
      Fabulous recipe! Such a simple recipe but so delicious! My whole family loved it. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
      • Safira says

        December 19, 2022 at 9:48 am

        Thankyou so much. Glad you enjoyed it. x

        Reply

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