Cheesy Cauliflower Bake

This Cheesy Cauliflower Bake is the best kind of side dish! Cauliflower bakes, then is topped with a creamy, spicy cheddar cheese sauce. All you need are a handful of ingredients and an hour to make this side dish that is loved by kids and adults alike. Makes 4 servings.

Love baked side dishes? Check out Spinach Madeline and Bacon Wrapped Green Bean Bundles!

This Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole recipe originally appeared at My Cooking Spot, where I was a contributor.

You know those comfort foods that remind you of your childhood that you occasionally make for old time’s sake?

You know the dishes that are so simple, yet so satisfying?

This Cheesy Cauliflower Bake is one of those dishes for me.

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Why I love this recipe:

We ate a ton of cauliflower (and broccoli!) sprinkled with cheddar cheese when I was a kid.

I recently updated the recipe to include a decadent, silky smooth and absolutely tasty cheddar cheese sauce.

It’s basically like mac and cheese without the pasta… on top of cauliflower.

I love this Cheesy Cauliflower recipe because it’s pretty hands-off, and it cooks up in less than an hour.

You also need just a few ingredients, which you might already have on hand.

This recipe would be excellent to serve alongside your favorite weeknight dinner protein, like your favorite roasted chicken or apple cinnamon pork chops. It would also be fabulous as a holiday side dish, too.

More side dishes to make for anytime: Hatch Green Chile Macaroni and Cheese | Hasselback Sweet Potatoes | Oven Roasted Butternut Squash with Maple and Cranberries | Homemade Mashed Potatoes | Roasted Broccoli with Lemon and Garlic

What you need to make this recipe:

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• Sharp knife and cutting board
• Box grater
• Sauce pan
• Casserole dish
• Rubber spatula or wooden spoon

Here’s what you need:

• Cauliflower — I used a fresh cauliflower, but you could easily use frozen, too. You’ll need around 5 cups total.
• Unsalted butter — this forms the base of our roux. While you could swap it out with a neutral oil, I love the creaminess the butter adds to the dish.
• All-purpose flour — I keep unbleached AP flour in my house, but the regular kind works, too. I have not attempted to make this roux with a gluten free flour, so I do not recommend it at this time.
• Milk — this is the liquid element to our cheese sauce. You can use whatever milk you’ve got on hand. While I like to use at least 2% or whole milk, you could get away with 1% or skim, too.
• Extra sharp cheddar cheese — grate your own and enjoy! You can use yellow or white cheddar.
• Grainy dijon mustard — this adds flavor, as well as cuts through the richness of the cheese sauce to balance it out. Don’t skip it. You could use a regular dijon if you don’t have grainy.
• Spices — we’re using a combination of kosher salt (medium grain, please and thank you), black pepper (freshly ground!), garlic powder and cayenne pepper to season this cheesy sauce. We’ll also add a little sweet paprika on the top for color.

How to make Cheesy Cauliflower

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray a baking dish with nonstick baking spray.

Add the cauliflower florets to the baking dish. Drizzle with a little olive oil. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper.

Roast the cauliflower for 25 minutes.

Alternately, you could steam the cauliflower in the microwave or on the stovetop for a faster dish. I like to bake mine, though, for the added flavor.

How to make the cheese sauce

While the cauliflower bakes, make the cheese sauce.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan or a nonstick skillet.

Whisk in the flour, continuing to whisk as it heats and darkens into a blonde roux.

Slowly pour in the milk, whisking vigorously as you pour so the mixture doesn’t have lumps.

When the milk has been added, measure in the mustard.

Turn off the heat, and add the shredded cheese. Stir vigorously until combined.

Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.

Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower, and toss to combine. Sprinkle the paprika on top.

Bake for an additional 30 minutes or until bubbly and delicious. The cauliflower should be nice and tender, too.

Serve warm!

How to store:

Let any leftovers cool completely before storing in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep for 3-5 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

I do not recommend freezing this dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick tips and tricks to the best Cheesy Cauliflower

• Use fresh or frozen cauliflower. Just know that frozen cauliflower will need to cook for longer. You can thaw the frozen cauliflower slightly before adding it to the dish, too, if you’d prefer.
• Swap out the cheese. My family loves cheddar, but this would be excellent with monterey jack cheese. You could even through in some shredded or grated parmesan, if you’re into that.
• Recipe shortcut: Instead of baking the cauliflower, steam it in the microwave. This will eliminate the need to bake it before adding the cheese sauce on top of it. Be careful not to overcook it.
• How to store: Let the cauliflower cool, then transfer to an airtight food storage container. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave until warmed through.

More awesome side dishes to try:

• Italian Brussels Sprouts
• Vegan Green Beans with Toasted Pine Nuts
• How to Roast Butternut Squash
• Baked Sweet Potato Cubes with Butter and Bourbon

Now who wants this cauliflower recipe?

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