From the roundup: 24 Fall Casserole Recipes for Cozy Comfort Dinners
My seven-year-old saw cauliflower going into the baking dish and announced she was not eating dinner, then had two servings and asked if there was more. White cheddar cauliflower gratin has that effect, mostly because the cheese sauce is sharp enough to actually taste like something and the panko topping comes out of the oven genuinely crispy instead of soft and sad. The one thing I learned the hard way is that you have to roast the florets first before adding the sauce, because skipping that step leaves you with a watery casserole that no amount of breadcrumbs can save. Plan for about 70 minutes total, so this fits a Sunday night or an early weeknight when you have a little breathing room.
How this one came together
I made this for the first time on a night when I had a head of cauliflower that needed to be used and absolutely nothing else planned for dinner. I almost skipped roasting it first because I did not want to wait, and I am glad I did not. The one time I tried baking the cauliflower raw in a gratin, the whole dish turned out soupy and the florets had that steamed, school-cafeteria texture. Roasting first takes an extra 25 minutes but it is what makes this actually good.
My older kids eat this as a main without complaint, which in this house counts for something. My youngest picks around the cauliflower and eats mostly the crusty panko top, which, honestly, fair enough.
Why you will love this
- Roasting the cauliflower before it goes into the dish prevents a watery sauce and adds real flavor
- The white cheddar sauce takes about 8 minutes on the stovetop and uses ingredients most people already have
- Works as a vegetarian main for four or a side dish for a larger table
- The panko topping gives you actual crunch, not just a soft baked top
- Leftovers reheat well in the oven and the topping crisps back up nicely
Tips for success
- Grate the cheddar from a block rather than using a bag of pre-shredded. The starch coating on bagged cheese makes the sauce grainy instead of smooth.
- Warm the milk before adding it to the roux. Cold milk going into hot butter and flour can cause lumps that are hard to whisk out.
- Give the florets real space on the baking sheet. Crowded cauliflower steams instead of browns, and you will lose the golden edges that make this worth the extra step.
- Let the gratin rest 5 minutes after it comes out of the oven. The sauce is very loose straight from the oven and settles into something spoonable after a short rest.
What to serve alongside it
- A simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette cuts through the richness of the cheese sauce
- Crusty bread is useful for getting the sauce out of the corners of the baking dish
- Roasted chicken thighs work well alongside this if you want to add protein without much extra effort
- A glass of dry white wine, something like an unoaked Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, pairs well with the sharp cheddar
Substitutions
Gruyere or fontina can replace the white cheddar if that is what you have. Both melt smoothly and give the sauce a slightly nuttier flavor. For a lighter version, use all whole milk and skip the heavy cream. The sauce will be a little thinner but still works. Gluten-free panko swaps in directly for regular panko with no other changes needed, and gluten-free all-purpose flour works in the roux.
Broccoli florets can replace half or all of the cauliflower. The roasting time stays the same. For picky eaters who resist cauliflower, a half-and-half mix is a reasonable starting point since the cheese sauce covers a lot of ground.
Make-ahead and storage
You can roast the cauliflower and make the cheese sauce up to one day ahead. Store them separately in the fridge, then assemble and add the breadcrumb topping right before baking. This also means the baking dish goes into the oven cold, so add 5 to 8 minutes to the bake time and check that the sauce is bubbling at the edges before pulling it out.
Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator for up to four days. Reheat portions in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. The microwave works but softens the panko crust. This gratin does not freeze well. The sauce separates when it thaws and the texture of the cauliflower suffers, so plan to eat it within the week.
White Cheddar Cauliflower Gratin
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Heat your oven to 425 degrees F. Spread the cauliflower florets on a large rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and toss everything to coat. Spread the florets in a single layer with some space between them. Roast for 22 to 25 minutes, flipping once halfway through, until the edges are golden brown and the florets feel tender when poked with a fork. Pull them out and drop the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.
- While the cauliflower roasts, make the cheese sauce. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for about 60 seconds, stirring constantly, until fragrant but not browned. Whisk in the flour and keep whisking for about 90 seconds so the raw flour taste cooks out. The mixture will look like a pale paste.
- Slowly pour in the warm milk while whisking steadily, then add the heavy cream. Keep whisking and cook over medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you drag your finger across the spoon, the line should hold. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Stir in the grated white cheddar a small handful at a time, letting each addition melt before adding more. Stir in the Dijon mustard, nutmeg, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning if needed. It should taste boldly cheesy and slightly sharp.
- Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a 2 quart baking dish and spread it into an even layer. Pour the cheese sauce over the top and use a spoon to nudge it down into the gaps between florets.
- Mix the panko breadcrumbs with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and the thyme leaves in a small bowl until the crumbs are lightly coated. Scatter the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the surface of the gratin.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes until the sauce is bubbling around the edges and the panko topping is deep golden brown. Let the gratin rest for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce settles slightly. Serve straight from the baking dish.
Notes
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