Cauliflower Cheese {Easiest Ever Recipe!}
The perfect and delicious side dish or vegetarian main course, this is comfort food at its best. Try this quick Cauliflower Cheese recipe to serve with a Sunday roast, your full-blown Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, or just a regular accompaniment to any meal.
Servings: 4 people as a main course or 8 as a side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 kg Cauliflower (1 very large or 2 small) Cut into florets
- 500 ml Milk (plus a couple of extra tablespoons)
- 30 g Cornflour
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Garlic granules
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 100 g Red Leicester cheese Grated
- 75 g Parmesan Grated
For the topping:
- 25 g Red Leicester cheese Grated
- 25 g Parmesan Grated
Instructions
- Boil the cauliflower in a large pan of salted water for 5-7 minutes until the florets are almost, but not quite, cooked. (When you poke a knife into a stem, it should go in easily but not be soft.)
- While the cauliflower is cooking make the cauliflower cheese sauce.
- Heat the 500ml of milk in a saucepan over a medium heat.
- In a small bowl mix the cornflour with the extra tablespoon of milk (you may need a little more). Use just enough to whisk the cornflour to a thick, lump free paste (this feels a bit tricky but it will come together eventually).
- Add this paste to the milk and whisk in. Cook for about 5 minutes until the sauce starts to thicken, whisking often.
- Add the mustard, garlic granules, salt and pepper and cheeses. Whisk and cook for another 5 minutes until smooth and the cheese is melted.
- Put your drained cauliflower in an ovenproof dish (or grill safe if you're using the grill). Be sure it's drained very well. Pour over the sauce.
- Sprinkle the extra cheeses on top and then cook as follows:
Either:
- Preheat the oven to 200C (you can do this when you start cooking) and bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is melting and golden.
Or:
- Preheat the grill to medium and put under the grill to cook for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted (be sure to use a grill proof dish if doing this).
Notes
Cauliflower cooking time: This will depend on the size of the florets. Don't over cook the cauliflower when it's boiling as it is going to cook more in the oven
Drain well! Be sure to drain cauliflower well so not watery
Tip: You could add breadcrumbs (I like Panko) on top for crunch.
Tip: Sometimes I double the sauce quantities, so if you prefer a saucy cauliflower cheese you might like to do this too!
Nutritional info: Shown for 1 portion of 4
Nutrition
Calories: 389kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 65mg | Sodium: 696mg | Potassium: 1005mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 478IU | Vitamin C: 121mg | Calcium: 712mg | Iron: 1mg