Cauliflower is baked in a creamy cheese sauce and topped with crispy breadcrumbs in this easy Cheesy Cauliflower Gratin recipe. This easy cauliflower bake is perfect holiday entertaining, but simple enough to serve on busy weeknights!
Creating this Easy Cauliflower Gratin Recipe
When it comes to kids and vegetables, there really is no magic trick to ensure that the two will always get along. That being said, adding cheese to a veggie dish is almost always a good start.
I can’t make any promises, which I’m sure any readers who feed kids will understand, but I will say this: All of my kids eat this cauliflower and cheese casserole every time I make it!
We all have different tastes. The key is finding how our children like their vegetables prepared or served.
The acceptance of a vegetable is so often dependent on the way it is served and especially, I find, how it looks. There are so many different ways to prepare vegetables and often what it takes is to serve it in an unexpected way.
Cheesy cauliflower au gratin is not just a recipe for kids though. Both the texture and flavor are mild, which helps make it more appealing to young kids.
With Gruyere, Parmesan, and a hint of Dijon mustard, this cheesy cauliflower casserole is sophisticated enough to add to your adult dinner menu too.
Tools Needed to Make Cauliflower Gratin
You’ll need a few kitchen tools to prepare this cheesy cauliflower gratin recipe. Here’s what I recommend having on hand before getting started:
- Measuring Cups and Spoons – to measure the ingredients.
- Cutting Board and Sharp Knife – to cut the cauliflower into florets.
- Large Pot – to cook the fresh cauliflower in.
- Medium Saucepan and Whisk – to make the cheesy sauce
- Wooden Spoon – to stir the cooked the tender cauliflower florets into the creamy sauce
- Casserole Dish – to bake the cauliflower casserole in.
Ingredients for Cauliflower Gratin
For this easy cauliflower and cheese casserole, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Cauliflower
- Butter
- All-purpose flour
- Milk
- Cinnamon
- Dijon mustard
- Gruyere cheese
- Parmesan cheese
- Panko Breadcrumbs
- Salt and black pepper
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this creamy cauliflower au gratin, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make Cauliflower Gratin
This Cauliflower Gratin recipe is so easy to prepare and makes a quick, no fuss side dish. I will also admit to eating it for lunch from time to time — it is a good dose of veggies, after all!
Here’s how the cauliflower cheese casserole is made:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil. Add the cauliflower florets and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and stir constantly for about a minute until mixture thickens.
- Whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Whisk constantly until thick, about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon, Dijon, and Gruyere. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- In a medium baking dish, combine the cooked cauliflower and sauce.
- Top with the Parmesan and Bread Crumbs and the remaining tablespoon of butter melted.
- Bake until golden brown and bubbling. Serve warm.
The above is simply a quick summary of this cauliflower au gratin recipe. Check out the free printable card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Cauliflower Gratin Tips
- Don’t cut the cauliflower florets too small, otherwise they’ll become mushy when cooked.
- Likewise, don’t boil the cauliflower longer than the recipe says. It still needs to bake in the oven and you don’t want to end up with overcooked vegetables.
- Make sure you drain the cauliflower well after boiling so you don’t end up with excess liquid in your cheesy gratin sauce.
- Whisk the butter and flour mixture and add the milk slowly while whisking so you get a nice, creamy sauce with no lumps.
- Don’t skip the breadcrumb topping! The crunchy texture adds a lot of flavor.
Cheesy Cauliflower Gratin FAQs
Got questions about how to make this recipe for cheesy side dish?Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions.Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
What Can I Substitute for Gruyere Cheese?
In this cauliflower gratin recipe, I would recommend substituting Swiss cheese or a sharp white cheddar in place of the gruyere if you’re unable to find it.
How to Store and Reheat Cauliflower Gratin
Cauliflower au gratin is best enjoyed immediately, but leftovers will stay fresh up to 5 days in the fridge when stored in an airtight container. Reheat leftovers in the oven for best results (15 minutes or so at 350F).
Can Cauliflower Gratin Be Frozen?
I’ve never tried freezing this cauliflower side dish before, but I imagine it can be frozen successfully. Shorten the bake time slightly so the cauliflower doesn’t cook all the way through, let it cool completely, then freeze.
What to Serve with Cauliflower Gratin
The great thing about cauliflower au gratin is that it’s fancy enough to serve for special occasions, like Thanksgiving or Christmas, but simple enough to make on a busy weeknight.
Here are some mains to serve with the cauliflower and cheese casserole:
- Salmon en Papillote
- Slow Cooker Spiral Ham
- Easy Smoked Chicken
- Baked Honey Mustard Chicken
- Rosemary Roast Chicken
Don’t see what you’re looking for here? You can always head over to check out the recipe index to look for more recipes.
Try this Recipe for Cauliflower Gratin!
Next time you’re looking for a new way to serve cauliflower, give this Cheesy Cauliflower Gratin a try!
Did you love the delicious cheese sauce and crunchy topping? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this delicious side dish.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see a photo your photo of this baked cauliflower casserole!
More Cauliflower Sides
Want more cauliflower recipes? Here are a few favorite side dish recipes you might like:
Cauliflower Steaks can be enjoyed as a main dish or as a side. They pair nicely with grilled meats, pasta salads, and more!
These Roasted Cauliflower, Bacon, Leek, Mushroom Twice Baked Potatoes are a riff on the traditional twice baked potato. They’re loaded with pureed roasted cauliflower, sautéed leeks and crimini mushrooms, bacon crumbles, and sharp cheddar cheese.
Roasted Garlic Mashed Cauliflower Potatoes are anything but traditional. They’re ramped up with the flavors of roasted garlic, cauliflower puree, and the smoothness of cream cheese.
Roasted Cauliflower is an incredibly easy side dish perfect for the fall and winter season.
This Cauliflower Soup has tons of flavor thanks to roasted garlic and bacon. You can serve it as a side or a main dish.
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How do you like to eat cauliflower?
Cheesy Cauliflower Gratin
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Cauliflower is baked in a creamy cheese sauce and topped with crispy breadcrumbs in this easy Cheesy Cauliflower Gratin recipe. This easy cauliflower bake is perfect holiday entertaining, but simple enough to serve on busy weeknights!
Ingredients
Cauliflower Gratin
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-size florets
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2/3 cup freshly grated Gruyere Cheese
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Breadcrumb Topping
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
- 1 tablespoon melted butter
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
Garnish
- 2 teaspoons fresh parsley
Instructions
Recipe Prep
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cooking the Cauliflower
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil.
- Add the cauliflower florets and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Alternatively, you can steam the caulliflower if you have a steamer basket.
Making the Gratin Cheese Sauce
- In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter. Add the flour and stir constantly for about a minute until mixture thickens.
- Slowly whisk in milk and bring to a boil. Whisk constantly until thick, about 1 minute.
- Remove from heat and stir in cinnamon, Dijon, and Gruyere. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Baking the Cauliflower Gratin
- In a medium baking dish, combine the cooked cauliflower and sauce.
- Combine the thyme, melted butter, parmesan, and breadcrumbs, stir.
- Top the cauliflower and cheese sauce mixture with the breadcrumb mixture.
- Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until it is golden brown and bubbling.
- Garnish with the fresh parsley. Serve warm.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 429Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 766mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 6gSugar: 5gProtein: 21g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
