Name: Cauliflower au Gratin
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets; 2 Tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 4 Tablespoons butter, cubed; 3 Tablespoons flour; 2 c. milk; 1 c. Swiss cheese, shredded; 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese; 1 teaspoon onion powder; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon dry mustard; 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

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Cauliflower au Gratin is baked in a creamy, cheesy sauce that is easy enough as an everyday side dish but fancy enough to serve at the holidays.

A few weeks ago I bought several heads of cauliflower because they were on sale and I figured I could make soup and use one head as a side dish. I started looking for recipes and this side dish recipe caught my eye.

The thing about vegetables is that often times kids won’t eat them. They won’t even try them because they think they won’t like them. I’ve found if you put cheese on top they are more willing to give them a try.

This recipe has two types of cheese in it. There’s Swiss cheese and there’s Parmesan cheese. Since I know some kids aren’t fond of Swiss cheese you could totally substitute cheddar cheese in place of it in this recipe.

Ingredients:

cauliflower
olive oil
salt and pepper
butter
flour
milk
Swiss cheese
Parmesan cheese
garlic
ground mustard
Worcestershire sauce

To make this dish the first thing to do is roast the cauliflower. I drizzled mine with olive oil then topped it with salt, pepper, and garlic. Roast it until it just begins to be tender.

While the cauliflower is roasting it’s time to make the sauce. In a sauce pan I melted the butter and then stirred in the flour to make a roux. This is what will help to thicken up the sauce.

Slowly add in the milk and bring to a simmer. The sauce is then removed from the heat and the cheese is stirred in. I found that not all of my cheese melted and I had to put it back on the burner on low heat in order for it to melt into a cheese sauce.

Once the cheese sauce is finished pour half into a baking dish and top with the cauliflower. Then pour the remaining cheese sauce on top and bake until bubbly.

Can I make this ahead of time?

Yes. Just roast the cauliflower and make the sauce ahead of time. Then you can put everything in the baking dish and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before actually baking.

Can I use a different cheese?

Of course! I know Swiss cheese isn’t to everyone’s taste. Some good substitutions would be provolone, cheddar, or Gruyere. You can also reduce the amount of Swiss cheese and add in cream cheese if you want the sauce to be creamier.

Can I use frozen cauliflower?

You can use frozen cauliflower but it is a lot softer and will add more liquid to your dish. Steam it or cook it ahead of time and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Don’t worry about adding in the olive oil in this case.

Can I add in any spices?

Sure! Add in fresh spices like rosemary, thyme, or sage to the sauce or sprinkle them on top of the dish once it is finished. You can also add in dried oregano, thyme, or rosemary when making the sauce.

Pro Tips and Substitutions:

If you don’t like Swiss cheese you can substitute cheddar, Gruyere, or provolone.
Combine a mixture of breadcrumbs, butter, and Parmesan cheese and sprinkle on top of the mixture for a crunchy topping before you bake it.
If you like broccoli you can make this with half broccoli and half cauliflower.

More Vegetable Side Dish Recipes:

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