Whole Baked Cauliflower Cheese Recipe
A comforting and indulgent whole baked cauliflower cheese recipe, featuring tender boiled cauliflower smothered in a rich, creamy cheese sauce made with mature cheddar and a blend of flavorful cheeses, finished with a golden-brown crust and fresh chives.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 60 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: British
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
Cauliflower
- 1 large cauliflower (about 1kg)
Cheese Sauce
- 50g unsalted butter
- 50g plain flour
- large pinch of sweet smoked paprika
- 600ml whole milk
- 2 tsp English mustard
- 170g mature cheddar, gruyère, comté or a mixture
- ½ bunch of chives, finely chopped
Instructions
- Boil the cauliflower: Bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Remove any large outer leaves from the cauliflower, leaving smaller leaves attached. Carefully lower the whole cauliflower into the boiling water and cook for 15 minutes until just tender. Drain well and set aside.
- Prepare the cheese sauce: Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. In a medium pan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter. Stir in the plain flour and a large pinch of sweet smoked paprika, cooking for 1-2 minutes to form a roux. Remove the pan from heat and gradually whisk in the whole milk until smooth. Mix in the English mustard, then return the pan to the heat and bring the sauce to a boil, whisking continuously. Add two-thirds of the mature cheese mixture and stir until the cheese melts. Season the sauce to taste.
- Assemble and bake: Place the boiled cauliflower in the center of a deep baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce evenly over the cauliflower. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, until the cheese topping is golden brown and bubbling.
- Garnish and serve: Once baked, sprinkle the finely chopped chives over the cauliflower cheese. Serve hot as a hearty side dish or vegetarian main course.
Notes
- The choice of cheese can be varied to your taste; gruyère or comté add nuttiness while mature cheddar gives a strong sharp flavor.
- For extra flavor, you can add a pinch of nutmeg to the cheese sauce.
- This dish can be prepared ahead: boil the cauliflower and make the cheese sauce in advance, then assemble and bake when ready to serve.
- Use a deep baking dish to prevent cheese sauce from spilling during baking.
- For a lighter version, use semi-skimmed milk and reduce cheese quantity, but flavor and creaminess may be affected.
Keywords: cauliflower cheese, baked cauliflower, vegetarian cheese bake, British side dish, creamy cheese sauce, comfort food
