Cauliflower Au Gratin Recipe
Looking for the best cauliflower cheese recipe? This classic cauliflower au gratin combines tender cauliflower, creamy cheese sauce, and a golden baked topping for a delicious family favorite.
Equipment
- large saucepan
- Whisk
- Wooden spoon
- Cheese grater
- baking dish
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower broken into florets
- 3 tablespoon butter
- 4 tablespoons flour
- 1½ cups milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard This is optional for you, but it is included in the French method and is delicious.
- 1½ tablespoons Swiss cheese grated or any hard cheese
- Pinch of nutmeg
- Salt and pepper to taste Cheese will also add to the salt level.
Instructions
- Prepare your oven by preheating it to 350°F/177°C/Gas 3
- Prepare your gratin dish or shallow baking dish by lightly brushing it with butter.
- Cook your cauliflower florets in slightly salted boiling water for about six minutes until just tender but not sloppy! You can also steam them if preferred for about ten minutes.
- Now to make the sauce. Melt the butter in a heavy based saucepan over a low heat.
- Add the flour and cook until golden. Some people use a wooden spoon for this - I prefer to use a balloon whisk and stir gently. This way I get no lumps! Stir constantly.
- Pour in about half the milk, stirring constantly to prevent lumps, and it will be lovely and smooth. (Heating the milk first will also aid in making a creamy sauce.
- Stir in the remaining milk, then the bay leaf. Stir constantly.
- Season with a little salt (the cheese will also add salt), pepper, and just a pinch of ground nutmeg to your taste - literally, taste it at this stage.
- Reduce the heat and simmer and stir for a few minutes.
- Remove from the heat for the next part.
- Remove the bay leaf.
- Add the mustard and half of the grated cheese and stir until melted.
- Place the cauliflower florets in your dish and pour over the cheese sauce sprinkle the remainder of the cheese on top.
- Bake for about fifteen to twenty minutes until golden brown.
Notes
- The cheesy cauliflower recipe starts with the Best Béchamel Sauce Recipe and moves on to the Best Smooth Cheese Sauce Recipe and builds from those two great sauces.
- Slightly undercook the cauliflower before baking, so you don't end up with a soggy vegetable dish.
- Warm the milk before adding it to the roux for a smoother sauce, because warm milk mixes in better than cold milk.
- Don't rush the sauce. A few extra minutes of stirring creates a silky texture.
- If the top isn't golden enough, place it briefly under the broiler while watching carefully.
Nutrition
Calories: 140kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 5gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 129mgPotassium: 391mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 297IUVitamin C: 46mgCalcium: 123mgIron: 1mg
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