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You are here: Home » American Recipes

Cauliflower Gratin

Jan 17, 2022 -May contain affiliate links

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Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·5 from 1 review
A tilted view of a red baking dish with cauliflower gratin
An overhead view of cauliflower gratin in a baking dish with a spoonful taken out
A tilted view of a red baking dish with cauliflower gratin

With just a handful of ingredients, we've taken the mighty cauliflower and transformed it into a cheesy, decadent bubbly dinner recipe. Enjoy this cauliflower gratin with a hot bowl of our vegetarian French onion soup or a healthy bowl of ratatouille for a French-inspired dinner night.

A tilted view of a red baking dish with cauliflower gratin

Inspired by our mom's Pasta au gratin a.k.a. Baked Mac and Cheese, an amazing, super cheesy pasta dish she used to make for us as kids, we came up with this lower-calorie version of the traditional cauliflower grating, by making a few recipe swaps.

A Healthier Cauliflower Gratin

  • Consider our cauliflower gratig the healthier cousin of a baked mac and cheese. By using cauliflower instead of pasta, the dish becomes lower in calories and carbohydrates, and higher in vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber
  • By swapping the whole milk and butter in traditional bechamel sauce for unsweetened almond milk and olive oil, we made this cauliflower dish lower in calories and colesterol. All without sacrificing flavor, hello nutritional yeast!
  • Every cauliflower au gratin recipe includes cheese, it's a must! Here you have a choice use regular cheese or vegan cheese. The stronger the flavor of the cheese you choose, the less you will have to use to acheive a flavorful dish. .
  • We've transformed a traditionally heavy dish that is usually served as a side dish into a lighter, feel-good, flavorul, satisfying dinner recipe that will make it easy for you to stick to your healthy eating resolutions... all year long!

How to Make Vegan Cauliflower Gratin

First, we oven-roasted the cauliflower. While the cauliflower is cooking we made a bechamel sauce on the stovetop and added cheese. Then we combined the cauliflower and bechamel sauce in a baking dish and baked it with a crumb topping to create this delicious, comforting, and cheesy dish.

An overhead view of ingredients to make cauliflower gratin; mozzarella cheese, almond milk, seasonings, olive oil, and flour

Ingredients for the Cauliflower Gratin Recipe

  • Cauliflower: If you can't find fresh, you can use one 24 ounce bag of frozen cauliflower.
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Adds both flavor and fat to the dish, allowing the cauliflower to crisp up just a bit.
  • Seasoning: Salt, Garlic Powder, and Ground Black Pepper.

Ingredients for the Bechamel Sauce

  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Flour: These are used to make a traditional roux for the bechamel.
  • Plain Unsweetened Non-Vanilla Plant-Based Milk: You can use almond, cashew, oat, or if you prefer you can even use regular milk.
  • Shredded Cheese: Swiss or Gruyere cheeses are ideal to make this cauliflower au gratin. If not available use sharp cheddar or mozzarella cheese for a mild taste. To make it vegan, simply use the vegan cheese of your choice.
  • Seasoning: Nutritional Yeast, Salt, and Pepper. They add flavor to the bechamel sauce
An overhead view of the ingredients to make the mixture that goes on top of cauliflower gratin; parmesan cheese and panko bread crumbs

Ingredients For the Breadcrumb Topping

  • Panko Bread Crumbs: These are light and flaky bread crumbs that add a pleasant crunch to the au gratin cauliflower without much thickness.
  • Parmesan Cheese: Use vegan if you prefer. This adds both salt and flavor.
  • Salt: You won't need much because of the parmesan cheese.

Step-By-Step Instructions for Baked Cauliflower Au Gratin

Start by preheating your oven to 400º and preparing your pan with cooking spray. Cut the cauliflower into small bite-size pieces. Even if you get the frozen cauliflower, it may need to be chopped a bit.

An overhead view of a baking dish with bite sized cauliflower pieces

Mix the cauliflower with olive oil, some salt, garlic powder, pepper, and toss it all really well. You can do this directly in the pan you will bake it in to save on clean-up. Spread this mixture evenly in the baking pan and bake it for twenty minutes.

An overhead view of bechamel sauce in a skillet

While the cauliflower mixture for the vegan cauliflower gratin is baking, prepare the bechamel on the cooktop. Heat the olive oil and add the flour over medium heat. Stir this and cook it for two to three minutes. This is a type of roux.

Slowly add the milk and nutritional yeast, using a whisk and whisking it constantly to make sure there are no lumps and the flour is fully mixed in.

An overhead view of bechamel sauce with a wooden spoon hovering over

Season this and bring it to a simmer until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon (see image above0. Add shredded cheese, stir well and continue cooking until all the cheese has melted. Pour the bechamel sauce over the baked cauliflower and mix everything really well, so all the cauliflower is coated with the sauce.

  • An overhead view of a baking dish with bite sized cauliflower covered in bechamel sauce
  • An overhead view of cauliflower mixed with bechamel sauce in a baking dish

To make the crumb topping, mix panko bread crumbs with parmesan cheese and salt in a medium bowl and sprinkle it evenly on top of the cauliflower. Baked the dish again for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

An overhead view of cauliflower gratin ready to be baked for the final time

You'll find more specifics on the recipe card at the end of this post!

How to Serve Vegan Cauliflower Gratin

This dish can stand on its own as the main entree for a lunch or dinner dish served with focaccia bread a fresh salad or an easy tomato rice soup It also makes a fantastic side dish. Serve it hot.

Tips for the Best Cauliflower Gratin

  • Make sure to cook the cauliflower before adding the bechamel sauce, it will be too crunchy otherwise. If you don't have the time to roast the cauliflower you can place it in the microwave for 5 minutes.
  • We used plant-based milk in this recipe in order to reduce the calorie count, you can choose to use regular milk, but the calorie count will change.  For this vegan cauliflower gratin recipe, we used unsweetened, plain almond milk and that's what the nutritional facts reflect.
  • Make sure to cook the roux on the stovetop until it gets bubbly and starts to brown. This will help ensure it works as a thickening agent.
  • The sauce is ready for cheese when it coats the back of a spoon. The cheese and time in the oven will thicken it more.
  • Don't skip the panko topping, it add texture and crunch to this creamy cauliflower dish.
An overhead view of cauliflower gratin in a baking dish with a spoonful taken out

How to Store and Reheat Vegan Cauliflower Gratin

Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for two to three days. It can be reheated in the microwave in serving-sized portions.

It can also be frozen in individual serving-size portions and reheated as needed.

FAQ

Can I Freeze Cauliflower Gratin?

Freeze the cauliflower gratin once baked, but just bake for 15 minutes.  When ready to serve, thaw and bake for 15-25 minutes before serving.

Can I Make the Vegan Cauliflower Gratin Ahead of Time?

Making ahead instructions. Prepare the cauliflower gratin for up to step #8 and keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days.  Right before serving add breadcrumb mix and bake.

Can I Make a Cauliflower Gratin Gluten-Free?

Yes. In this recipe, you will need to substitute the flour with gluten-free flour. You'll also need to find gluten-free panko bread crumbs or substitute a different type of crumb.

A tilted view of a red baking dish with cauliflower gratin

Other Cauliflower Recipes

Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Cauliflower Meatballs with Coconut Turmeric Sauce

Buffalo Cauliflower Tacos

Turmeric Zucchini Cauliflower Soup

An overhead view of cauliflower gratin in a baking dish with a spoonful taken out
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A tilted view of a red baking dish with cauliflower gratin

Cauliflower Gratin


5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 1 review

  • Author: Vicky Cohen and Ruth Fox
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 6
  • Diet: Vegetarian
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Description

With just a handful of ingredients, we've taken the mighty cauliflower and transformed it into a cheesy, decadent bubbly dinner recipe. Enjoy this cauliflower gratin with a hot bowl of our vegetarian French onion soup or a healthy bowl of ratatouille for a French-inspired dinner night. 


Ingredients

  • 1 medium-size cauliflower head or one 24 ounce bag of frozen cauliflower
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the bechamel sauce

  • 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 tablespoon all-purpose flour.  See note 4 to make it gluten-free
  • 2 cups plain unsweetened non-vanilla plant-based milk, (almond, cashew, oat, etc) you can use regular milk if you prefer ( See Note 1)
  • 8 oz shredded cheese, Swiss or Gruyere cheese are preferable, but you can also use sharp cheddar or vegan cheese. 
  • 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon pepper

For the breadcrumb topping

  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs
  • ⅓ cup parmesan cheese (you may use vegan)
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt


Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400F. Coat the bottom of a medium-size baking dish with oil or cooking spray
  2. Cut the cauliflower into small bite-size pieces and place it in the baking dish.
  3. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt, garlic powder, pepper, and toss well. Bake for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature of the oven to 375F
  4. In the meantime, prepare the bechamel sauce. In a large non-stick saucepan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add flour and cook over medium heat stirring constantly, until it starts to lightly brown  2-3 minutes.
  5. Slowly whisk in the milk and nutritional yeast, whisking constantly and making sure there are no lumps.
  6. Add salt and pepper and bring to a simmer until it thickens and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
  7. Add shredded cheese, stir well and continue cooking until all the cheese has melted.
  8. Pour the bechamel sauce over cooked cauliflower and mix well, so all the cauliflower is coated with the sauce.
  9. Mix panko bread crumbs with parmesan cheese and salt in a medium bowl and sprinkle it evenly on top of the cauliflower.
  10. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden.

Notes

  1. We used plant-based milk in this recipe in order to reduce the calorie count, you can choose to use regular milk, but the calorie count will change.  For this recipe, we used unsweetened, plain almond milk and that's what the nutritional facts reflect.
  2. Making ahead instructions; Prepare the cauliflower gratin for up to step #8 and keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days.  Right before serving add breadcrumb mix and bake again.
  3. Freezing instructions: Freeze the cauliflower gratin once baked, but just bake for 15 minutes.  When ready to serve, thaw and bake for 15-25 minutes before serving.
  4. To make this recipe gluten-free use gluten-free flour for the bechamel sauce and gluten-free panko bread crumbs for the topping.
  5. This post was originally published on January 20th, 2015 and it has been updated.
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Category: Entree
  • Method: Baked
  • Cuisine: French

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ⅙ of the dish
  • Calories: 378
  • Sugar: 3.2
  • Sodium: 885
  • Fat: 25.4
  • Saturated Fat: 9.6
  • Unsaturated Fat: 13.6
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 23.1
  • Fiber: 3.1
  • Protein: 15.9
  • Cholesterol: 40.6

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @mayihavethatrecipe on Instagram and hashtag it #mayihavethatrecipe #tahiniandturmeric

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christina @ The Beautiful Balance

    January 21, 2015 at 9:59 am

    I actually haven't tried Go Veggie and I'm surprised to say that. I always stray away from faux cheese (well all cheese in general) because the ones I've tried have been gummy and chewy in a weird way. Definitely going to give this brand a try though!

    Reply
    • Vicky & Ruth

      January 26, 2015 at 3:35 am

      Give it a try Christina, Go Veggie is really good when you added to recipes, specially if you want to avoid dairy.

      Reply
  2. Melissa {lilmisscakes}

    January 26, 2015 at 8:38 pm

    You always have the most inspiring vegan recipes! This recipe is no exception.

    Reply
    • Vicky & Ruth

      January 28, 2015 at 2:41 am

      Thank you Melissa, you are so sweet!

      Reply
    • Vicky & Ruth

      January 28, 2015 at 2:46 am

      Thank you Melissa! You are so sweet!

      Reply
  3. Ronnie Fein

    January 27, 2015 at 8:28 am

    I love any dish that has cauliflower, so this is a winner for me. I got a chuckle out of your Mom's "pasta au gratin." Like fancy Mac and cheese!

    Reply
    • Vicky & Ruth

      January 28, 2015 at 2:41 am

      Thank you Ronnie, we have been using more and more cauliflower in the past couple of year and we are loving it!

      Reply
    • Vicky & Ruth

      January 28, 2015 at 2:46 am

      Thank you Ronnie. We love cauliflower too! We have been using it more this last couple of years. So versatile!

      Reply
  4. Couldn't Be Parve

    January 29, 2015 at 2:47 am

    I love cauliflower "mac" and cheese, and this version looks fantastic. I will have to try it dairy free sometime!

    Reply
  5. Sayid Mansour

    January 31, 2015 at 12:42 pm

    That looks really good, huh? I hope it's yummy.

    Reply
  6. Sarah Klinkowitz

    February 16, 2015 at 7:10 pm

    Cauliflower and pomegranate?! How cool is that?!

    Reply
  7. sylvie

    May 04, 2015 at 8:33 am

    I'm a cauliflower big eater and I'm always looking for new ways to cook it and this vegan version looks darn good!

    Reply
    • Vicky & Ruth

      May 04, 2015 at 9:42 pm

      Thank you Sylvie!

      Reply
  8. Debbie

    February 17, 2016 at 7:50 pm

    Cauliflower Gratin is fantastic. This is a weekly go to dish. I omit the cheese and use flavored breadcrumbs on top. I get rave reviews. Thank you so much!!

    Reply
  9. Jane stommel

    January 18, 2022 at 1:07 pm

    Incredible

    Reply
    • Vicky and Ruth

      January 19, 2022 at 10:49 am

      thank you!

      Reply

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We are Vicky & Ruth, authors of the vegan cookbook Tahini and Turmeric. Born and raised in a multicultural Jewish-Lebanese-Spanish household our culinary journey began in Barcelona, Spain where we learned from our family the rich flavors of Lebanon, Turkey, Israel, Morocco, and Spain. From our mother's fragrant Lebanese dishes to our grandmother's secret Sephardic Turkish specialties, our Moroccan friend's fragrant recipes, our sister's vibrant Israeli creations, and our neighbor's authentic Spanish fare, each dish was a key that unlocked new exciting yumminess.

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