Who doesn’t love cheesy cauliflower? Perfect for a weeknight dinner or a Sunday roast, serve up a side of this golden, crispy cauliflower cheese bake.
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Preheat oven to 230°C. Place a large baking tray in the oven for 5 mins to preheat.
Use a large sharp knife to cut the cauliflower into small florets and cut stalks into 2cm cubes. Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on the hot baking tray. Season. Spray with oil. Roast for 25 mins or until crisp.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 min or until mixture becomes grainy. While constantly stirring, gradually add the milk. Cook, stirring constantly, for 4-5 mins or until sauce boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Add the mustard, salt, nutmeg, chilli and 1/2 cup of the cheese and whisk for 2 mins or until cheese melts. Season.
Add cauliflower to the cheese sauce and toss gently to coat. Pour into an 8-cup (2L) ovenproof dish. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and remaining cheese.
Bake for 15-20 mins or until cheese and breadcrumbs are golden. Serve cauliflower cheese with salad.
COOK. STORE. SAVE.
Clever storage: The roast cauliflower and cheese sauce can be made in advance. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days before you’re ready to bake.
If you’re craving something hearty, warming and comforting, you can’t look past a classic vegetarian cauliflower cheese bake. It features roast cauliflower covered in a delicious homemade cheese sauce and topped with golden breadcrumbs for a crowd-pleaser side dish that feeds eight. While this recipe certainly looks impressive, it’s deceptively easy to make and uses no-fuss ingredients you’re likely to have sitting in your fridge or pantry, such as milk, mustard, breadcrumbs and flour. You only need to set aside 10 minutes of prep time – then you simply pop the dish in the oven to cook.
Making a baked cheesy cauliflower can be broken down into three main steps: roasting the cauliflower, preparing the cheese sauce, and baking the final dish. Begin by roasting the cauliflower in the oven. Arrange florets and stalks in a single layer to allow each piece to turn a golden brown colour. While the cauliflower is baking, use the time to create the easy and creamy cauliflower cheese sauce. It’s as simple as cooking butter, flour and milk in a saucepan, constantly stirring for a smooth, lump-free consistency. We use shredded tasty cheese, as it’s great for melting and has a mild flavour that doesn’t overpower the rest of the dish. When it comes to adding the cauliflower and sauce together, gently toss so each floret is coated evenly.
You’ll know it’s ready to serve when the cauliflower cheese bake is bubbling, golden all over and the cheese has melted. We serve our best cauliflower cheese recipe with a simple mixed leaf salad, but it also pairs beautifully alongside a number of main dishes. Some of our favourites include roast beef, crispy pork belly, a chicken tray bake or a simple steak.
For more comforting side dishes and bakes, try our hash brown potato bake, rainbow root vegetable gratin, Curtis Stone’s sausage and cornbread stuffing or these hasselback sweet potatoes.