Well you must have been wondering what I ate with that Roast Pork with Herb Rub weren't you? The second time I cooked the roast pork, this Cauliflower Gratin went into the oven when I lowered the temperature on the pork and it was a perfect side dish. This dish is a close cousin to the Broccoli Gratin with Swiss and Parmesan I made at Thanksgiving, with a few changes. Obviously you can guess that I switched sharp cheddar for the Swiss cheese, but I also replaced some of the mayo with low-fat sour cream, which I thought worked with cauliflower and made the dish a bit lighter. The cauliflower needed a little more cooking before the gratin is assembled, but this was still very simple to make, and completely delicious!
Cut a medium-sized head of cauliflower into bite-sized flowerets, then cook in boiling water for 10 minutes and let drain in a colander in the sink.
While cauliflower is cooking, mix together finely grated sharp cheddar cheese, mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and pepper.
After cauliflower drains well, place in baking dish and use a rubber scraper to spread the cheese mixture over. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake 25-30 minutes, or until cauliflower is bubbly and lightly browned on top.
Cauliflower Gratin with Sharp Cheddar and Parmesan(Makes 4-6 servings, recipe adapted from Broccoli Gratin recipe in A Pinch of Salt Lake.
Ingredients:
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized flowerets
1 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese (I have made with with low-fat and regular sharp cheddar and both were fine)
4 T mayo (or light mayo, but not fat free)
4 T light sour cream
1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
fresh ground black pepper to taste
3 T finely grated parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375F/190C/ Cut cauliflower into bite sized pieces. (To avoid the little broken pieces of cauliflower all over the cutting board, cut through cauliflower stem, then pull apart the flower end.) Put cauliflower in a small pot, add water to cover by a few inches, then bring to boil and cook 10 minutes, or until cauliflower is just starting to get tender. Drain into a colander placed in the sink.
While cauliflower cooks, whisk together mayo, sour cream, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, and black pepper. Stir in finely grated sharp cheddar.
Spray a glass or crockery baking dish with olive oil or non-stick spray, then pour the well-drained cauliflower into the dish and spread out evenly. Use a rubber scraper to spread gratin mixture over the top of the cauliflower. (This is not a sauce that completely covers the cauliflower, more like a topping.) Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, then bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until cauliflower is bubbling and lightly browned. Serve hot.
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Spray a glass or crockery baking dish with olive oil or non-stick spray, then pour the well-drained cauliflower into the dish and spread out evenly. Use a rubber scraper to spread gratin mixture over the top of the cauliflower. (This is not a sauce that completely covers the cauliflower, more like a topping.) Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, then bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes, or until cauliflower is bubbling and lightly browned. Serve hot.
South Beach Suggestions:
Since the South Beach Diet restricts saturated fat, obviously low-fat sharp cheddar is best here for South Beach dieters. I did use full fat mayo, but low fat mayo would be even more South Beach friendly, and probably wouldn't make much difference in flavor. Using low-fat sour cream also makes it a bit lighter. This dish is pretty forgiving as far as baking temperature, so it's perfect to make when you're already using the oven. I cooked it the second time I made Roast Pork with Herb Rub, adding it after I lowered the temperature for the pork roast to 325. This combination was a wonderful phase one dinner, eaten with a simple green salad.
More Versions of Cauliflower Paired with Cheese
(Recipes from other blogs may not always be South Beach Diet friendly; check ingredients.)More Versions of Cauliflower Paired with Cheese
Mashed Cauliflower with Cheese and Dill from Kalyn's Kitchen
Pureed Cauliflower with Garlic, Parmesan, and Goat Cheese from Kalyn's Kitchen
Twice-Baked Cauliflower from Kalyn's Kitchen
Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan from Simply Recipes
Cauliflower Blue Cheese Gratin from A Veggie Venture
Brown Rice and Blue Cheese Gratin with Cauliflower and Broccoli from Lisa's Kitchen
(Want even more cauliflower cheese recipes? I find these recipes from other blogs using Food Blog Search.)
36 comments:
This dish looks so good! I've been wanting to find more options for califlower. I love it, but I always either steam it or use it for dips so, I'll have to try this. Thanks
Such a satisfying cold winter meal. I've been eating lots of squash and cabbage lately, but should pick up some cauliflower. Lovely recipe Kalyn!
oh yum! i can't wait to try this! i've made cauliflower gratin but never with cheddar. i bet its fabulous!
Thanks so much for commenting on my blog! This dish looks fabulous. I love cheesy side dishes served with a lighter main course, and broccoli and cauliflower are two of the vegetables I crave most.
One of my all time favorite dishes. Looks wonderful.
I had a party over the weekend and have LOTS of leftover cauliflower from the crudite. Thanks for this delicious looking way for me to use it up tonight. Have a terrific day, Kalyn.
I am always looking for more ways to use cauliflower as I love the vegetable. Do you think this can be assembled ahead of time and then baked? The ingredients are probably fantastic together. Thanks for the inspiration.
I'm glad people are liking this, because it's such an easy way to make this type of dish, so much easier than making an actual sauce. Definitely I think this can be made ahead, refrigerated, and then cooked later. If you have time, I'd take it out of the fridge and let come to room temperature before you bake.
I love cauliflower and this is so easy to make & is a satisfying meal too. Thanks Kalyn.
Cheers,
Siri
Cauliflower cheese - a great British classic. Ok, I know yours isn't quite the same but in my eyes this is a classic combination which would remind me of my childhood.
I love cauliflower, but Josh hates it. Maybe he would enjoy it if I fixed this dish though. It looks fantastic!
Some day I'm going to learn to love cauliflower, and when I do, I'm going to make this recipe. I try once every year to find a cauliflower dish that will change my mind about it. Usually melted cheese will do the trick!
Yes yes yes! I agree gratin goes so well with roasted pork. I love cauliflower too so a great excuse to switch the potatoes to cauliflower :)
I wish I saw this before I steamed mine tonight. Doh!
PS - Greetings from Heber
I love this dish, I made it last week with cheddar & stilton, then on Sunday with just Port Salou & a low fat creme fraiche sauce.
It makes life so much easier when you can just pop things in the oven & more or less forget about them.;0)
I was just thinking the other day that it had been awhile since I made a gratin. I used to love broccoli gratin.
Kalyn, I can't thank you enough for this recipe. I have a terrible weakness for mac and cheese and I was mourning not having it in my life anymore. You totally have come to my rescue!! I made this last night and my entire family just snarfed it up in utter ecstasy. It is BETTER than mac and cheese. This dish is such a keeper. Again, thanks.
This sounds really good to me, I just wish I could convince hubs to eat cauliflower. Maybe I'll make a have recipe just for me! :-)
Great way to get some cauliflower in us!
This looks delicious Kalyn! i love cauliflower and cheese mmm
Nothing goes better with cauliflower (or broccoli for that matter!) than cheese, cheese, cheese.
Looks like a great recipe Kalyn, and I'm sure I'd enjoy it because I love both cauliflower and cheese!
Thanks everyone for the nice feedback. I just bought some cauliflower so I can make this again!
It's a real coincidence, but I was wondering what to do with the cauliflower that's about to die in my fridge. This looks lovely.
I have a real thing for macaroni and cheese. I might be some kind of addict, actually. This looks like it would sub nicely without all the carbs/calories. Thank you! I am so making this!
What a tasty sounding gratin with the cheese, mayo and mustard!
I had this tonight. My goodness it was really good. I'm still stuffed!
My sweet husband just brought me two lovely heads of cauliflower from our garden. I am so happy to find this recipe. We love your twice baked cauliflower and enjoy it on special occasions. Thanks so much.
I made this recipe tonight out of hopes to find something different to eat, as my veggie likes are limited. I am still on phase one of the SBD and have become bored with some of my options. I made a combo cauliflower broccoli chicken chunk bake. I was missing some of the ingredients so I used a dab of sugar free soy milk instead of sour cream and didn't have dijon so I used a dash of montreal chicken seasoning and a dash of olive oil and it was divine!!! Even the kids LOVED it!!! I know mine was a bit diff but it was inspired by your recipe. Thanks for the great ideas, choices...HOW WONDERFUL!!!
Ashlyn, how great! I love it that my recipe inspired you to create a variation.
Made this the other day and very happy with it. I didn't have any cheddar, so make it with a three cheese mixture. This one's a keeper.
Cathie, glad to hear that you enjoyed it!
This dish was delicious! It was a big hit in our house and we have one picky eater. Thanks Kalyn!
Oh good, so glad it even was a hit with the picky eater!
So glad I found this recipe! I was in search of one that didn't require flour and this one is perfect.
City Girl, glad you like it!
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