Green Bean and Cauliflower Gratin

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Green Bean and Cauliflower Au Gratin is a creamy, cheesy side dish that’s perfect for holidays or weeknight dinners! Tender green beans and cauliflower are smothered in a rich, cheesy sauce and baked until hot, bubbly, and golden brown. It’s a delicious way to dress up your veggies and a comforting side dish the whole family will love!

This year I have been working really hard on vegetables and side dishes.  I always have a ton of appetizers, main dishes, and desserts on my blog but I don’t have many side dishes and vegetables because I basically rotate the same 5 of each every week.  It’s not that we don’t eat things because we do.  I’m really not sure why we don’t try more new vegetables or side dishes.

Broccoli and Cauliflower Cheese Bake is one of our favorite vegetable side dishes. Another one that is easy to make and full of flavor is Balsamic Brussels Sprouts and Sweet Potatoes.  Then there’s Easy Green Bean Skillet as well. 

When looking for vegetables I usually search by ingredient.  This week green beans were on sale at the market so I started looking for green bean recipes.  A lot of them were either roasting them in the oven or sauteing them with garlic or balsamic vinegar.  So when I found this recipe for Green Bean and Cauliflower Gratin I was intrigued.

What does “au gratin” mean?

Au gratin is a French cooking term that refers to a dish topped with cheese, breadcrumbs, or a combination of both and baked until the top is golden brown and slightly crispy.   Au gratin dishes usually include a rich, creamy sauce. While potatoes au gratin are probably the most popular example, vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, and green beans can also be prepared this way.

For starters you don’t usually see green beans and cauliflower together.  It’s just not a likely pair.  Secondly there isn’t a ton of cheese in this recipe which was surprising.  The sauce is made mostly from half and half, flour, butter, and a little Parmesan cheese.   The topping is where the burst of flavor comes from.  It is made with cheese, breadcrumbs, and butter.

Why you will love Green Bean and Cauliflower au Gratin:

• It’s veggies covered in a cheese sauce!  Tender green beans and cauliflower are covered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce that’s full of flavor.
• This side dish is easy enough for a weeknight meal but fancy enough for the holidays.
• Kids will love the flavor of the cheese sauce on this vegetable side dish.
• It’s made with simple ingredients and minimal prep work so this dish is easy enough for a weeknight dinner.
• Serve it alongside roasted chicken, turkey, ham, pork chops, or steak.

Ingredients:

• fresh green beans
• cauliflower
• salted butter
• breadcrumbs (either regular or seasoned panko)
• black pepper
• mozzarella cheese
• garlic cloves
• all purpose flour
• half and half
• Parmesan cheese
• mustard powder

While the recipe called for boiling the vegetables before baking I wasn’t into that.  I like to steam my vegetables so that’s what I did.  I did a quick steam on both the cauliflower and beans then put them in the creamy sauce.   That ended up working well because they were soft but not mushy which was perfect in this side dish.

How do you steam cauliflower and green beans?

Wash the cauliflower and cut it into bite-sized florets. Wash the green beans and trim off the ends. Fill a large pot with about 1–2 inches of water and place a steamer basket inside. Make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the basket. Bring the water to a boil over medium high heat. Place the cauliflower florets in the steamer basket, cover, and steam for 3 minutes. Add the green beans to the basket, cover, and continue steaming for another 4–5 minutes.

This dish was so good!   The vegetables were tender but not mushy, the sauce was creamy and delicious, and the topping was golden brown and perfect. The combination was one I wouldn’t have picked but it ended up really working well.  My husband and I both enjoyed it and said we would want to have it again soon.

Pro Tips & Substitutions:

• Broccoli can always be substituted for cauliflower.
• Instead of fat free half and half you can substitute heavy cream, whole milk, 2% milk, or fat free half and half. 
• Buy a bag of fresh green beans that can be steamed in the bag if you are looking for a fast and easy way to steam them without any mess.   Simply cut the bag open after steaming and pour them into the baking dish.

If you’ve tried my Green Bean and Cauliflower au Gratin or any other recipe on  Hezzi-D’s Recipe Box please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can FOLLOW ME on:

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Green Bean and Cauliflower Gratin

Cauliflower and green beans in a creamy sauce topped with a cheesy breadcrumb mixture.

4.95 from 20 votes

Print Pin

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Calories: 231kcal

Author: Hezzi-D

Equipment

• Pyrex Basics 3 Quart Glass Oblong Baking Dish 9 x 13

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds green beans trimmed and halved
• 3 cups cauliflower florets
• 1 Tablespoon butter
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1 teaspoons black pepper
• 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 3 teaspoons flour
• 3 cups half and half
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon mustard powder

Instructions

• Steam the green beans and vegetables for 5-10 minutes or until they are soft but not mushy.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooking spray.
• Place 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium microwave safe dish and heat for 30 seconds. Add the breadcrumbs and mix. Stir in the mozzarella cheese and black pepper and set aside.
• Add the remaining butter to a large saute pan and melt over medium heat.
• Add the garlic and cook for one minute, stirring frequently.
• Sprinkle the pan with the flour and cook, stirring, for one minute.
• Slowly add the half and half while whisking the mixture. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simme, whisking occasionally, about 5 minutes.
• Stir in the Parmesan, mustard powder, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Remove from heat.
• Spread a third of the cream mixture to the bottom of the baking dish. Place the vegetables in the dish on top of the mixture. Pour the remaining sauce on top of the vegetables.
• Sprinkle with the breadcrumb mix.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Food Network Magazine, November 2019.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 326mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 8g

More Holiday Side Dish Recipes:

• Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts by Savory Experiments
• Baby Yams with Honey Apple Syrup by Palatable Pastime
• Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Bake by Sweet Beginnings
• Cranberry Kissed Green Beans by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Easy Corn Pudding by Lemon Blossoms
• Garlic Mushrooms by House of Nash Eats
• Slow Cooker Glazed Carrots by Blogghetti
• Sophisticated Green Bean Casserole by An Affair from the Heart
• Spinach Orzo Salad by Shockingly Delicious
• Twice Baked Butternut Squash by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
• Wild Rice Supreme by The Fresh Cooky