Easy Cauliflower Cheese
Oh I love me a bit of Easy Cauliflower Cheese, delicious firm cauliflower smothered in beautiful smooth creamy velvety cheese sauce, topped with even more cheese, so lush! I could eat it all day! seriously
I make it at every occasion possible. My family know if I’m doing a roast, then this delicious bubbling cheesy side with a golden top will be there on the table!
My family and friends love it, even the weening babies – who always take a special leftover package home with them 
It’s also the perfect Vegetarian main too – served with other veggies and veggie gravy!
Perfect Cauliflower Cheese Recipe
So what do we need for the perfect famous side dish?
Well these are crucial in my opinion:
- Steamed Cauliflower – do not overcook that cauliflower else you’ll end up with a soggy mess
- Perfect Medium matured Cheddar Cheese, grated (vegetarian rennet if it’s for a vegetarian meal)
- A smooth velvety Cheddar Cheese Sauce – more about that later where I share my cheats sauce
- Lashings of grated CheddarCheese on top – this goes beautifully brown and toasted on the top – lots of flavour (technically it’s called the Maillard reaction)
How to make easy cauliflower cheese?
Full Recipe card at the bottom of the post
So first you need to trim your cauliflower and breakup into large florets
Steam your Cauliflower florets
Steaming your cauliflower florects for approximately 7 minutes means they will retain their flavour and stay firm (you do noit want soggy cauliflower!!)
They should be tender but still quite firm after approximately 7 minutes
How to make the Cheese Sauce
So this is where my sauce is a little different and in my opinion much easier and quicker than a roux sauce
See below for full details however you simply make a paste with your flour and some milk, bring you remaining milk to a simmer, tip this hot milk into the paste , stir and return to the heat, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens
Add the Cheese!
Then you add half your cheddar cheese and stir some more, you will notice your sauce thicken slightly too
Thick velvety cheese sauce, season with salt & black pepper
Easy cauliflower cheese – ready for the oven
Pour your sauce over the cauli and finally add your grated cheese and say ‘see you later beautiful’
Bake as per instructions until bubbling and golden brown! DELICIOUS
Can I freeze Cauliflower cheese?
With this one I have to say no. Sorry.
Freezing will make both the cauliflower soggy and the cheese sauce usually split. So when it thaws you’ll have a watery mess
More reason to eat it all up and just store the leftovers in the fridge for a couple of days and reheat until piping hot
Cauliflower & Broccoli Cheese
Another idea for your Cauliflower cheese if you want to jazz it up a little is to add some broccoli florets into the mix – yum
More ideas – add wilted greens or maybe a couple of leeks?
And if you’re feeling really fancy add some home made breadcrumbs onto the top with your cheese before baking – gives a little extra crunch!
What can I serve with my cauliflower Cheese?
For me it’s the perfect side to a lovely family roast
It’s also good as a Baked Potato filling
Or maybe as the main event with other veggies and gravy?
It’s also good on the side of my Toad in the Hole – yummerama
And very good with a steak!
And it makes an appearance on my Christmas lunch table to – do you have it for Christmas lunch to?
And if you love this ….
Here’s my Perfect Roast Chicken which I think you might love too
The Easy Slimming Group
I also have a Facebook Closed Group called Easy Peasy Slimming Style Recipes. (this recipe is not one of them – however you could use smiled milk and half fat cheese and less of it to be honest)
Come over and join this great honest community Facebook for Easy Peasy Slimming Recipes if you’re interested
Just use the join button if you like real home cooked tasty easy food!!
We support encourage and laugh!!Loads of tips and tricks – I promise
Oh and why not join me on Instagram – I’d love to see you there
Big Love Clare
Easy Cauliflower Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 Cauliflower Large or 2 small
- 475 g Semi-Skimmed Milk semi skimmed is fine
- 50 g Plain Flour
- 160 g Cheddar Cheese Medium Matured & grated
- Salt & Black Pepper
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 220C/200C/gas 7.
- Steam your large cauliflower florets for approximately 7 Mins, they need to be tender but still firm
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Drain your cauliflower florets well an place in an oven proof dish
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In a small bowl mix your plain flour with some of your milk to a smooth thin paste
- Next in a large pan bring the rest of the milk to a boil - be careful here - do not let it boil over - remove from heat
- Carefully tip the hot milk into the milk and flour paste - stirring
- Transfer it back to the heat and stir continuously until the sauce thickens
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Add half the grated cheese and stir off the heat - you should see the sauce thicken a little further as the cheese melts. Season your sauce with salt & black pepper
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Pour the sauce over the cauliflower florets and sprinkle the remaining half of the cheese over the top
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Bake in your preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until everything is bubbling and the top is golden - enjoy
Notes
Nutrition
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