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 and browned to perfection, 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 – it’s so easy 

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 Cheddar Cheese 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 

Step 1

So first you need to trim your cauliflower and breakup  into large florets 

 

Step 2

Steam your Cauliflower florets 

Steaming your cauliflower florets for approximately 7-10 minutes means they will retain their flavour and stay firm (you do not want soggy cauliflower!!)

Your Cauliflower florets should be tender but still quite firm after approximately 7 minutes 🙂 

 

Step 3

How to make the Cheese Sauce for your cauliflower

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 

 

Step 4

Add the Cheese to your sauce! 

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 

 

Step 5

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!

 

 

What cheese should I use for my Cauliflower Cheese?

Oh now there’s a question! 

I use Cheddar Cheese every time and I also use medium matured – I like to taste the cheese!

Cheddar melts really well and that’s what you need for this recipe to produce a velvety sauce  

It is personal preference of the level of maturity you choose. It works well with mild cheddar too, obviously the flavour impact will be less. But equally creamy and delicious. Also great for the little ones 

I often choose the lighter fat Cheddar – if I’m trying to watch the calories, it also works well too 

How about using  Blue Cheese for something a little different? It’s good

 

Leftover Cauliflower Cheese

Is there such a thing?

If there is,  package it up in an airtight container and it will be good for a couple of days 

Make sure you re-heat it until it’s piping hot before you eat it, either in the oven or microwave 

 

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 Quick 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 Cauliflower recipe …. 

I think you might love these two cauliflower recipes too 

Whole Roasted Cauliflower 

Bang Bang Cauliflower 

 

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