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Baked Cauliflower Cheese

By: Author Jack Slobodian

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This baked cauliflower cheese is rich, packed with cheese flavour and has a nice golden crunchy topping. Its the perfect side to have with your Christmas dinner or Sunday roast.

A baking tray with freshly baked cauliflower cheese with a crunchy topping. A spoon taking out a piece of cauliflower from the baking tray.

About Cauliflower

Cauliflower is a vegetable that is now available all year around. Its a cool season vegetable that doesn’t like hot temperatures. Which is why its typical peak season is in Autumn. You can find and grow many different types of cauliflowers that can range in hues from white, purple, green and orange/yellow.

What to look for when buying Cauliflower

When buying cauliflower you want to make sure

  • The head is firm and compact
  • White varieties should be very pale with no dark spots
  • Thick leaves wrapped around the cauliflower

If the cauliflower is starting to show signs of softness, do not purchase as this is one of the first signs of spoilage.

It’s Health Benefits & Nutrition

  • Cauliflower contains more than 15 different types of vitamins and minerals, including choline which is not found in many foods. Choline is an essential nutrient to support your metabolism, memory, mood, muscle control and other brain and nervous system functions.
  • Additionally it has a high water content (92%) that contributes to its low calories, providing just 25 calories per 100 grams.

Prepping the Cauliflower

Method

  1. Place the cauliflower on to a chopping board.
  2. Cut off the cauliflower leaves and cut the florets into individual pieces. Discard any big stalks and cut any big florets into halves.
  3. Add the cauliflower to a colander and wash.
  4. Bring a medium pot of generously salted water to the boil and add the cauliflower.
  5. Place a lid on the pot and boil for 5 minutes, until al dente.
  6. Drain the cauliflower and set to the side whilst you make the cheese sauce.
A non prepped cauliflower on a chopping board
Full Cauliflower
Cauliflower that has been prepped on a chopping board
Cut off the cauliflower leaves and cut off individual florets. Discard any big stalks and half the bigger florets
Washed cauliflower in a colander
Add the cauliflower to a colander and wash
Cauliflower being boiled in a medium pot on a hob
Cauliflower being boiled in a pot with the lid on
Cooked Cauliflower being drained in a colander

Making the Cheese Sauce

All the cheese sauce ingredients measured and in bowls

Method

  1. Get ready and measure the ingredients for the cheese sauce.
  2. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat.
  3. Add flour and mix with a wooden spoon. Cook for 2-3 minutes mixing every 30 seconds to minute.
  4. Add one third of the milk and whisk vigorously. Once the mixture starts to thicken add another big splash of milk and continue mixing until the sauce starts to thicken again. Repeat this until you have used all the milk.
  5. Turn the heat down to very low and slowly mix in handfuls of cheese until you have incorporated all the cheese. Turn off the heat and stir in a tea spoon of mustard and some freshly grated nutmeg. Taste and season, adding a pinch of salt if necessary.
Melting butter in a large pot
Adding flour to a pot of melted butter
A roux being cooked in a large pot just hot enough to make it bubble
Mixing bechamel sauce in a pot over a medium heat
Checking the thickness of the bechamel sauce with a spoon
Checking thickness of the cheese sauce with a spoon
  • Note: Once the mixture (béchamel sauce) starts getting hot is when it also starts to thicken.

Mixing and Baking the Cauliflower

Method

  1. Pour the cauliflower into the cheese sauce and mix.
  2. Transfer the cauliflower cheese to a baking tray. Sprinkle with panko crumbs and bake for 20-25 minutes at 180c until the top is golden brown.
Cauliflower being added to a pot of cheese sauce
Mixing cauliflower into a pot of cheese sauce with a wooden spoon
Cauliflower cheese in a baking tray on a table
Cauliflower cheese in a baking tray with a large sprinkle of panko breadcrumbs
A baking tray with freshly baked cauliflower cheese on a table, with a fireplace in the background.

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A baking tray with freshly baked cauliflower cheese with a crunchy topping. A spoon taking out a piece of cauliflower from the baking tray.

Baked Cauliflower Cheese

Jack Slobodian
This baked cauliflower cheese is rich, packed with cheese flavour and has a nice golden crunchy topping. Its the perfect side to have with your Christmas dinner or Sunday roast.
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Course Side Dish
Cuisine British
Servings 5 people
Calories 400 kcal

Equipment

  • Large Pot
  • Small to Medium Sized Baking Tray

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 large Cauliflower Cut into small florets & washed
  • 60 g Butter
  • 50 g Flour
  • 600 ml Milk
  • 200 g Mature Cheddar
  • 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
  • 1 pinch Nutmeg Freshly grated
  • Sea Salt
  • Panko Crumbs optional

Instructions
 

Prepping the Cauliflower

  • Bring a medium pot of generously salted water to the boil and add the cauliflower. Place a lid on the pot and boil for 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain the cauliflower and set to the side whilst you make the cheese sauce.
  • Preheat the oven to 180c.

Making the Cheese Sauce

  • Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add flour and mix with a wooden spoon. Cook for 2-3 minutes mixing every 30 seconds to minute.
  • Add one third of the milk and whisk vigorously. Once the mixture starts to thicken add another big splash of milk and continue mixing until the sauce starts to thicken again. Repeat this until you have used all the milk.
  • Turn the heat down to very low and slowly mix in handfuls of cheese until you have incorporated all the cheese. Turn off the heat and stir in a tea spoon of mustard and some freshly grated nutmeg. Taste and season, adding a pinch of salt if necessary.

Mixing and Baking the Cauliflower

  • Pour the cauliflower into the cheese sauce and mix. Transfer the cauliflower cheese to a baking tray.
  • Sprinkle with panko crumbs and bake for 20-25 minutes at 180c until the top is golden brown.

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 18gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 80mgSodium: 439mgPotassium: 716mgFiber: 4gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 615IUVitamin C: 81mgCalcium: 328mgIron: 1mg
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