Baked Cauliflower Au Gratin

Cauliflower is in season, and you can make one of the most comforting and satisfying dishes with it – Cauliflower au gratin. The florets are baked in a cheesy cream sauce and the crisp baked crust on top complements the smooth creaminess underneath.

Unlike the Scalloped potatoes, the Cauliflower au gratin isn’t called by any other name. It is ‘au gratin’ meaning ‘the gratin’. A gratin is a way of baking dishes in a casserole with a topping of cheese and/or breadcrumbs with butter, baking them in the oven until the top is brown and crunchy. I have gone one better – why choose between cheese or breadcrumbs? – I have added all of that, the cheese with breadcrumbs and butter.

The top forms a nice golden brown crust with lots of flavor in it from the cheese. Parmesan is a good choice in that as it has that umami flavor while its dry and grated texture helps it mix well with the breadcrumbs. The salt in parmesan balances the sweetness of butter and adds flavor to neutral-tasting breadcrumbs.

Underneath are the cauliflower florets in a creamy and cheesy sauce made of milk and gruyere cheese. Onion and spices give it that delicious mix of aroma and flavor that makes the cream sauce worth spooning.

How to make cauliflower au gratin

I am sharing a very simple recipe here, but it can never be bland and is packed with flavors. Prep involves a little chopping and a little work in making a roux, which is the key to a smooth, creamy sauce, and the oven does the rest when the mix bakes.

The prep involves (Step 1) chopping the cauliflower and then frying them lightly in butter so they turn a golden brown on the edges. Put the florets in the preheated oven to bake them for a good 20 minutes so they cook and are just tender.

While the florets bake in the oven, we continue with Steps 2- 6 as below:

1. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Not too big, as you don’t want to feel a lot of raw cooked cauliflower in each bite, nor too small, that it turns into a cauli-porridge (if you get what I mean).
2. Saute onions in butter for more flavor and until they turn pink. Add the flour and mix them so they make a smooth roux.
3. Milk helps transform the roux into a creamy sauce.
4. Add the gruyere and stir well. As the cheese melts, it turns the sauce into a rich, indulgent one.
5. Add the baked and then cooled florets to the sauce and mix so they are coated well with the cream sauce.
6. Transfer them to a casserole and prepare a mix of parmesan, melted butter, and panko breadcrumbs. Top the casserole with this mix. Transfer the casserole to the oven and bake. When you see a golden brown color on top, take it out and let it rest for a few minutes before you serve.

Serve with

Cauliflower au gratin is a fantastic side dish to add to a table for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or, for that matter, any dinner spread. It can stand on its own against or complement the other meaty heavyweights like Roasted chicken, Pork chops, Easy Grilled Chicken, or Grilled Shrimps. A refreshing salad will help reset your palette from the cheesy and creamy richness of the au gratin. Check out these light vinaigrette-based salads like White bean salad with lemon vinaigrette or Apple Kale Salad With Apple Cider Vinaigrette.

Other cauliflower recipes

I can savor almost any cauliflower dish as long as its packed with flavors. Check out some of these delicacies:

• Cauliflower Potato Soup
• Low Carb Cauliflower Rice
• Healthy Taco Salad with Cauliflower – Low Carb
• Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
• Parmesan Cauliflower Fritters (Low carb, Keto)
• Creamy Cauliflower Curry (Vegan)