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–+ servings
Cauliflower Cheese in a tray

The BEST Cauliflower Cheese

Safira
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.
5 from 4 votes
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Side, Side Dish
Cuisine british
Servings 8
Calories 286 kcal

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
 

  • Break/cut cauliflower into large florets. Add to a large roasting tin.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Turn the heat right down and begin to add the milk bit by bit. 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.
  • Remove from the heat and stir through 3/4 of both cheeses.
  • Add the Cauliflower to a 9 x 13 baking dish.
  • Pour over the sauce and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 35 - 40 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.

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

Calories: 286kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 11gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 500mgPotassium: 525mgFiber: 3gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 802IUVitamin C: 60mgCalcium: 282mgIron: 1mg
Keyword Cauliflower Cheese, Roast Cauliflower Cheese
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