This easy and hearty recipe for cheesy cauliflower casserole will have everyone asking for a second serving of vegetables!
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Why we love this recipe
I’m guessing it’s not often that the folks around your supper table ask for seconds of vegetables (unless mashed potatoes are involved, and then all bets are off) but that is all about to change with this recipe for easy, hearty, cheesy cauliflower casserole.
Full of tender cauliflower and baked in a creamy, dreamy cheese sauce, it gives a macaroni and cheese vibe but with vegetable goodness.
It’s also super easy to make, and you
And while it is the perfect side for grilled chicken or steak, in my house it as has also been eaten all by its gorgeous self, because I’m here to tell you that this is one of the times that the vegetable is going to take center stage. Let’s make it!
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Cauliflower: You want a nice large head of fresh cauliflower, which is available pretty much year round in your supermarket’s produce section. And here’s a handy guide on how to cut it up into the florets you need.
- Milk: Either whole or lowfat milk will work just fine – don’t use skim.
- Cheddar Cheese: You can use any variety from milk to extra sharp! We love sharp for maximum cheesy flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.
How to make this recipe
STEP 1: First you need a nice big head of cauliflower.
Cauliflower is a weird and wonderful vegetable, don’t you think? It looks like a bouquet of flowers from another planet. A super delicious bouquet of flowers.
STEP 2: You want to cut that cauliflower up into nice bite-sized florets and steam those florets until they are nice and tender.
STEP 3: Preheat your oven to 400 and find a nice big casserole dish – 9 x 13 is great if you have one.
STEP 4: While the cauliflower is steaming, stir up a quick and easy cheese sauce by melting 2 tablespoons of butter, stirring in 2 tablespoons of flour, then whisking in 1 cup of milk until things are slightly thickened. You are looking for a consistency of heavy cream, more or less.
STEP 5: Stir in a cup of cheddar cheese until it is nice and melted and smooth.
STEP 6: Spread the cauliflower out in your casserole dish, pour the cheese sauce over it, grind on a little fresh pepper and bake for 30 minutes.
Cool it off for a little bit (I know! So hard!) and then you are ready to serve up what is about to be your new favorite vegetable recipe.
Recipe FAQs
If you have a steamer basket, pop the cauliflower in the basket, settle the basket in a pot with a couple of inches of water, cover it with the pot lid, bring the water to a boil and steam until the cauliflower is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. No steamer basket? A strainer will work just fine as a substitute.
If you absolutely can’t find fresh, then yes. If it is precooked just let is defrost. If it needs cooking, defrost and then steam it.
You can! Just make sure it is a meltable kind – Monterey Jack, Swiss and Muenster are all good options. Just make sure it is chopped or shredded.
It can! When you are ready to serve it up, bring it to room temperature and then pop it in a 350 oven for about 10-15 minutes.
Leave your question in the comment section below and I will get back to you pronto!
You’re running out to get a cauliflower right now, aren’t you? Me too!
Want to round out your meal?
Other cauliflower recipes we love!
Could you leave us some stars?
If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.
Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
This easy and hearty recipe for cheesy cauliflower casserole will have everyone asking for a second serving of vegetables!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Stovetop, Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Steam cauliflower florets until tender, about 10 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 400 and butter a casserole.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Whisk in flour until well mixed.
- Whisk in milk and simmer until slightly thickened. Take off the heat and stir in cheese until smooth.
- Spread cauliflower in the casserole and pour the cheese sauce on top. Grind some pepper over the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes, cool slightly and serve.
Notes
Cauliflower: You can use frozen cauliflower in a pinch, but this recipe is at its very best when you use fresh cauliflower. It’s available pretty much all the time in the produce section of your grocery store.
Cheddar Cheese: Cheddar comes in various flavor varieties from mild to extra sharp. I like sharp cheddar for this recipe, but you can use any kind you like. You can also shred it yourself or get the bag of pre-shredded cheddar in the dairy section of your supermarket.
Michelle says
My favorite casserole! Wonderfully cheesy and more similar to mashed potatoes than cheese over cauliflower.
Thanks Michelle – I’m so glad you like them!
Laurie says
I’ve seen you can use steamed cauliflower, but what about frozen cauliflower?
Hi Laurie! You can use frozen cauliflower so long as it is thawed and pre-cooked!
Laurie says
Can you make this the night before and refrigerate?
Absolutely! I would just let it come to room temperature before you pop it in the oven. :)
James Stuart White. (Ros) says
Super easy veggie recipe.Thanks.
Now to find a Broccoli and Bacon casserole.
Well, I just love the idea of a broccoli bacon casserole – I’ll need to work on one! :)
Dolly Lucia says
Mmmmm…… so good!! Best cauliflower ever!!
Aw, thanks Dolly! We love it too!
Kelli says
Love Cauliflower! I’m trying all kinds of recipes with this yummy veggie. I made this and it is Devine. Really easy to make ..
I’m so glad you liked it! :)
Patricia Lanell Randolph says
Macaroni and cheese is my favorite dish. Cauliflower is m new macaroni. This was delicious. I just put the cheese on top.
Isn’t cauliflower the best? :)
Jamie says
Do you think I could use frozen steamable cauliflower
Hi Jamie and yes! You can! Just steam them up the way you normally would and then pick up the recipe at Step 2. :)
Susan Wooley says
I found this recipe not very flavorful. Using a cheese sauce instead of just cheese adds calories and not much in the way of flavor. It was okay, but I won’t use this recipe again
Hi Susan! I’m sorry to hear that this one didn’t work out for you! Here’s another of my favorite cauliflower recipes – no cheese, but lots of flavor with the rosemary! And thanks for reaching out to me – I appreciate all kinds of feedback! :) https://www.framedcooks.com/2013/12/rosemary-roasted-cauliflower.html
Diane says
The SIMPLE TASTY Old Fashion way…..so simple and so easy. Makes this enjoyable to create. Haven’t baked it yet, did all stages except final which is place in oven. Which I will do tomorrow. So you know I tasted the CHEESE SAUCE in the recipe felt like eating it plain that’s how YUMMY!
Well, you HAVE to always taste cheese sauce in advance – I think it is a rule!! Hope you loved it even more when it came out of the oven! :)
Bonnie says
How many carbs?
Hi Bonnie! I wish I could help, but I’m not at the point where I’m able to provide nutritional info on my recipes – sorry about that!
Ernest Contreras says
Great recipe I will prepare and take to a pot lunch for a family affair, it’s perfect Thanks
Chef Ernie
Thanks Chef Ernie! I hope you love it as much as our family does!
Renee says
I made this last night for my very picky husband and stepson. I doubled the recipe and used half cheddar and half swiss. It brought out the creaminess of the sauce. I used heavy cream instead of milk, because we tried to do low-carbs. There are so many low-carb recipes that try to hide the cauliflower or make it seem like something else. This recipe highlights the cauliflower. I added some parsley and a little garlic powder into the cream sauce before pouring it over to the cauliflower. The cooking time that you mention was exactly perfect. I was worried this would be a greasy mess because I used heavy cream, but it was not. This will definitely be a repeat because my stepdaughters are vegetarians.
Renee! Thanks for telling us how it came out – I always love to see how folks vary up my recipes, and your additions sound terrific! :)
cindy m says
tasted great but was a little too mushy, going to cut down the pre-boiling of the cauliflower by 5 minutes and see if this is better
Tracy says
Keto friendly when i delete flour and use several different cheeses with cream.
Great to know! Which cheeses, Tracy?