Cauliflower Gratin

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, American Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving

Keyword: cauliflower au gratin, gratin cauliflower, Healthy Thanksgiving Sides

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 40

Total Time: 45

Servings:

Calories: 289kcal

Cauliflower Gratin is a delicious side dish featuring tender cauliflower florets baked with a Gruyere cheese sauce and breadcrumb topping until creamy and bubbly. An easy vegetable side for your Thanksgiving table.

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Ingredients

1 head medium large cauliflower cut into medium florets
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour see notes
1 cup milk see notes
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon black pepper
⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
6 ounces gruyere cheese shredded (a little over 1 cup)
¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese divided
¾ cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375ºF and grease 11x7 casserole dish (2 qt) with butter or oil. Set aside.
Boil Cauliflower: Bring a large pot of water to boil. Place cauliflower florets in pot (making sure water is covering cauliflower) and cook for 5 minutes. Cauliflower should be tender but not too soft. Drain and pat dry, then transfer to prepared dish.
Make cheese sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, add butter and flour. Stir constantly until well combined. Slowly add in milk, whisking until combined. Reduce heat to medium and allow mixture to thicken, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. Add garlic, pepper, nutmeg, gruyere cheese and ½ cup parmesan. Whisk until cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Pour over cauliflower in dish and set aside.
Breadcrumbs: In a small bowl combine breadcrumbs with remaining ¼ cup parmesan cheese and chopped parsley. Mix until well combined and sprinkle evenly over cauliflower.
Bake: Bake cauliflower for 20-25 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Let dish stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Notes

FLOUR: use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, cornstarch, or arrowroot flour.

MILK: to lighten this dish up, use a non-dairy milk like unsweetened cashew or almond milk. Using cow’s milk will result in a richer/creamier dish.

MAKE AHEAD: assemble the dish as directed, but do not add the bread crumbs or bake it. Store covered in the fridge for 1-2 days. When ready to bake, remove it from the fridge 30 minutes before baking, top with breadcrumbs, and bake as instructed.

STORAGE: leftover cauliflower gratin can be stored tightly covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. We do not recommend freezing the gratin.

REHEAT: reheat, covered with aluminum foil, in a low oven (300 degrees F) for 15-20 minutes, until warm. Option to reheat individuals portions in the microwave.

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