Cauliflower Au Gratin (2024)

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This Cauliflower Au Gratin is a decadently creamy dish! Cauliflower florets baked in a cheesy bechamel sauce, topped with loads more cheese and a crunchy breadcrumb topping make a delicious side or even main dish for busy weeknights!

Trust me, anytime you make anything au gratin it is just phenomenal. This cauliflower au gratin I made with bechamel sauce to which I added some mozzarella cheese and topped it off with some grated Parmesan cheese. Now, if you’re not a cauliflower fan, I understand, my husband isn’t one. But if you are, you will love this dish.

Cauliflower Au Gratin

• Great For Busy Weeknights
• Delicious Flavors
• Simple To Make
• Classic Side Dish

Full of cheesy goodness and amazing flavor, this Cauliflower au Gratin dish is one of the most satisfying meals to make. In just under an hour you get it all prepped and cooked, ready to be served on your dinner table. There’s something about the breadcrumbs combined with melted cheese that just blows away your taste buds. So, let’s give this a try!

Ingredient Notes

• Cauliflower – Cleaned and cut into florets.
• Butter – I use unsalted butter but regular salted butter works well too.
• Flour – All-purpose flour to make a bechamel sauce with the butter and milk.
• Milk – Any regular 2% brand works well with this recipe.
• Nutmeg – Ground nutmeg to flavor out bechamel sauce.
• Cheese – I used a mix of shredded gruyere and grated Parmesan cheese.
• Breadcrumbs – I prefer to use Panko breadcrumbs because they’re extra crispy.

How To Make Cauliflower Au Gratin

1. Preheat oven:Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Cook the cauliflower:Cook the cauliflower in a large pot of salted boiling water for about 5 minutes, or until tender but still firm. Drain.
3. Make the cheese sauce:In a saucepan, melt the 4 tbsp of butter. Add the flour and whisk, cook for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the roux and stir until smooth. Let it come to a boil, whisking continuously until thickened, another minute after it comes to a boil. Remove from heat. Stir in the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1 cup of the gruyere cheese and ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese.
4. Assemble the gratin:In a 9×13-inch casserole dish, pour about ⅓ of the cheese sauce, then place all the cauliflower on top. Pour the remaining cheese sauce over the cauliflower. Sprinkle the remaining gruyere cheese and parmesan cheese over the casserole.
5. Make the breadcrumb topping:Combine the melted butter with the panko breadcrumbs and sprinkle over the cauliflower.
6. Bake:Transfer the casserole dish to the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the top is browned.

FAQ’s and Expert Tips

FAQ’s

Expert Tips

1. If you are looking for a gluten-free option to this recipe, you can switch up the all-purpose flour with any preferred gluten-free flour such as almond flour, buckwheat flour or amaranth flour.
2. While nutmeg is one of the main ingredients to get that delicious flavor, if you do end up wanting to leave it out, you can substitute it with a couple of drops of hot sauce or a pinch of ground paprika to boost up the flavors.
3. As some of you may enjoy a more meaty add-on, you can mix in some bacon bits with the cauliflower, then cover everything with the last cheesy topping and let everything cook together.

Leftovers

If you end up having any leftovers, let them cool down at room temperature, then store in an airtight container in your fridge. This dish holds well for about 2 days. To reheat, bring to room temperature then place it in the oven at 425°F for 8 – 10 minutes or until hot.

More Delicious Recipes To Try

• Loaded Scalloped Potatoes
• Indian Cauliflower Fried Rice with Chicken
• Baked Breaded Cauliflower Florets
• Fries Supreme
• Cauliflower Rice