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Irresistibly moreish, cauliflower gratin is the ultimate side dish: tender, roasted cauli florets blanketed in a velvet sauce that is bubbling, oozy and rich with cheese. It cosies up to red or white meat, makes friends with firm fish, or stands alone as a satisfying vegetarian main. This failsafe crowd-pleaser will have everyone eating their veggies.
What else can I smother in such a sublime cheesy sauce? Butternut squash casserole if you’re not a fan of cauliflower, or rosemary potatoes au gratin. Both celebration-worthy dishes, or just an absolute comfort on a cold day.
Cauliflower cheese bake
Can you get more comforting than a cauliflower cheese bake? Or much fancier than cauliflower au gratin? As at home on the weeknight table of middle America as it is on the chalkboard menu of a bistro in Paris, it is one of the most easily adaptable dishes there is. Which is why you need it!
Essentially, cauliflower cheese bake is cooked cauliflower in a cheese sauce (also known as Mornay sauce) that has been baked in the oven. There is some room for variation within that: whether to steam, boil or roast the star vegetable. Whether to add aromatics, this recipe includes chopped onion and garlic for an extra layer of flavour.
Which cheese to use? I use a nutty Gruyère, but you might prefer a sharp cheddar. And whether to add white wine to the sauce (totally optional). Finally, breadcrumbs on top for crunch?
Whatever the vibe, laidback or luxe, this go-with-anything winter warmer is one I keep going back to.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- The cauliflower must be cooked before being topped with the cheese sauce. I’ve experimented with blanching and steaming, but the best cauliflower au gratin is with roasted cauliflower.
- Roasting means concentrating the vegetables’ natural sugars resulting in more intense flavour and those gorgeously charred tips.
- Roasting cauliflower first also draws some of the water from it. The benefit is that the cheesy sauce won’t go runny and soupy during its bake. Which it could with either steamed or boiled cauliflower.
- I used one head, about 600g, of cauliflower and turned out a perfect cheese sauce-to-vegetable ratio. If you like it less saucy, use more cauliflower.
- I blend my Mornay sauce to smooth out the onion bits. In my house, we like it smooth. If you don’t mind the unblended consistency, or don’t have time for it, not a problem!
- I’ve added a splash of dry white wine to my cheesy sauce. I love the sharp edge it brings, especially if using Gruyère. It reminds me of a cosy Alpine Swiss fondue. If you tend not to cook with wine, feel free to leave it out.
- Gruyère is the classic cheese for a Mornay sauce. But any well-melting cheese will work fine. Cheddar is a common substitute, if using, I would leave the wine out. Cheddar can be fairly tangy in itself already. By the way, check out my roasted asparagus with Mornay sauce if you are a fan of its cheesy creamy goodness.
- A wide and shallow dish is the best shape for this cauliflower cheese bake.
Serving suggestions
Cauliflower au gratin is most often served as a side dish. This 6 to 8-person cheesy mega-bake is ideal for your festive banquet served alongside a holiday roast turkey, roasted parmesan carrots and Brussels sprouts, and crispy air fryer potatoes.
I also love creamy cauliflower with red meat like honey mustard crusted prime rib roast, or ribeye steak. Both of these with parmesan truffle fries, please!
However, there is no need to relegate cauliflower gratin to the sidelines. It could easily be the star of a vegetarian show and served as a main with pasta and some greens like roasted asparagus and radishes with mustard vinaigrette.
Storage and leftovers
Forward-planners will be pleased to know that this cauliflower side dish can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. Follow the recipe instructions up to the point of putting in the oven, then allow the dish to cool completely, cover and refrigerate.
When ready, follow the cooking instructions adding 10 minutes. Winning at the Thanksgiving dinner game!
As with all dairy-rich sauces, I don’t advise freezing them. Your velvet-smooth cheese sauce will turn mushy and grainy on thawing. Not Thanksgiving worthy!
More side dishes to try
- Parmesan Crusted Potatoes
- Tuna Macaroni Salad
- Roastes Carrots with Garlicky Lemon Tahini Sauce
- Festive Red Cabbage Slaw
Cauliflower Gratin
Ingredients
- 600g – 1kg / 1 large head cauliflower, broken into florets
- 1 tbsp oil
- Salt
For the Mornay Sauce
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 tbsp flour
- 500ml / 2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 tsp This is an affiliate link.nutmeg
- 120g / 4 oz gruyere or cheddar
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
- Salt to taste
- 1 tbsp butter for greasing the pan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Break the cauliflower head into florets while keeping pretty large chunks and arrange on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp of olive oil and a pinch of salt, roast in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or till slightly charred but still has a bite to it. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, make the mornay sauce. Melt the butter in a large pan or a saucepan and add the chopped onion to it, sauté over low heat for 10 minutes without colouring it, then add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds longer.
- Stir in the flour and continue cooking while stirring until it smells a bit nutty, now pour in the whole milk while stirring with a whisk to avoid lumps, add the nutmeg and a pinch of salt and cook over low heat for 10 minutes stirring once in a while until the sauce thickens and coats a spoon. Now blend it with an immersion blender for a silky smooth sauce or leave it as it is. Stir in all but 1/2 cup of grated cheese and stir over low heat till blended. Then slowly blend in the white wine if you are into that delicious Swiss fondue taste. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Butter a shallow baking dish ( or you can bake it in the same skillet you made the sauce in) and add the roasted cauliflower, then pour the sauce over it, scatter the reserved cheese all over and cook in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Great recipe. Elevates the cauliflower nicely. Tasty with white sharp cheddar. Couple things:
1. The recipe calls for 4 ounces total cheese. The written directions say to add all but 1/2 C of the cheese. 4 ounces= 1/2 C leaving nothing for the sauce. Needs clarification please.
2. What is the baking temp for the completed dish. 400 seems way too hot for 30 minutes.
Hi Nanci 4 oz is actually 1 cup of cheese. That’s the difference between weight and volume. The baking temperature is exactly what is listed in the recipe 400F.You only cook it for 30 minutes to heat the sauce through and to get that beautiful char you see in the photos.