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Cauliflower cheese in a baking dish.
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5 from 6 votes

Easy Cauliflower Cheese

An easy cauliflower cheese recipe, the perfect side dish for your roast dinner!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine British
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 455kcal
Author Beth Sachs

Equipment

  • Chopping Board
  • Knife
  • Saucepan
  • Oven Proof Baking Dish

Ingredients

  • 1 Cauliflower large or extra large, broken into florets
  • 50 g Butter
  • 50 g Plain Flour
  • 550 ml Milk
  • 200 g Extra Mature Cheddar grated
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
  • ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
  • 3 tablespoon Parmesan grated

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 220°c (200 fan/ Gas 7).
  • Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and cook the florets for 4 minutes. Drain in a colander.
  • In another saucepan melt the butter then whisk in the flour to form a roux.
  • Pour in the milk and keep whisking over a medium heat until the sauce starts to bubble and thicken. This should take 2-3 minutes.
  • Take the white sauce off the heat and stir in the grated cheddar, Dijon mustard and smoked paprika.
  • Place the drained cauliflower florets into a baking dish and pour over the cheese sauce.
  • Sprinkle over the Parmesan and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until golden and bubbling.

Notes

Top Tips:
  • Use a whisk when making the cheese sauce to prevent any lumps from forming.
  • Drain the cauliflower well after boiling it, to prevent it from releasing water into the cauliflower cheese when baked.
  • Use an extra mature cheddar cheese for the cheese sauce for extra flavour.
  • Don't skip the Dijon mustard and smoked paprika! They give the cauli cheese a wonderful flavour and colour!
  • The recipe can be doubled to feed a crowd.
 
Variations:
  • Try using different cheeses! Blue cheese, and gruyere both work well.
  • Make a healthy cauliflower cheese by using skimmed milk in the sauce and low fat cheese.
  • Add crispy bacon pieces for cauliflower cheese with bacon.
  • Garnish with chopped parsley for colour!
  • Add half a teaspoon of marmite to the cheese sauce for extra umami flavour.
  • Add 200g of cooked macaroni for cauliflower macaroni pasta bake.
 
Storage:
  • To Store. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days.
  • To Reheat. Microwave until piping hot.
  • To Freeze. Cauliflower cheese is best eaten fresh. Cauliflower has a tendency to go a bit soft and mushy if frozen and then thawed. That being said, it can be frozen for up to 3 months if you don't mind the altered texture.
 
Nutrition:
The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.
 
Nutrition Facts
Easy Cauliflower Cheese
Amount per Serving
Calories
455
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
29
g
45
%
Saturated Fat
 
14
g
88
%
Polyunsaturated Fat
 
1
g
Monounsaturated Fat
 
6
g
Cholesterol
 
69
mg
23
%
Sodium
 
488
mg
21
%
Potassium
 
694
mg
20
%
Carbohydrates
 
28
g
9
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
10
g
11
%
Protein
 
25
g
50
%
Vitamin A
 
884
IU
18
%
Vitamin C
 
70
mg
85
%
Calcium
 
610
mg
61
%
Iron
 
2
mg
11
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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