Cauliflower Gratin

Looking for a delicious, yet simple dish to make for dinner tonight? Our Cauliflower Gratin is easy to put together and makes for a healthy savoury side. A hearty dish on it's own, it can make for a main course (and a fun substitute to a mac and cheese!) or be served in a smaller portion as a side for a protein.

The first step is making the bechamel sauce in a Saucepan or Dutch Oven which will be the base of the dish. One of the keys to this dish is getting as much surface area to brown during baking. The Oval Au Gratin dishes (the name rings a bell?) are the perfect pieces of bakeware to achieve maximum browning and bubbling. Their durable stoneware and four sizes makes them a great choice for oven baking. The flared sides of these dishes also give you more surface area, so everyone gets that extra crispy edge piece!

Our Cauliflower Gratin serves up to six portions at a time and can be prepared in less than an hour, making for a convenient dish for weeknight cooking. Here are all the ingredients you’ll need and steps to follow to tackle this recipe. Keep in mind, this recipe uses cauliflower, but you can experiment with a mix of other veggies as well. Make it your own!

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 6 – 8 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.

Melt 2 Tbsp (30ml) of butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2- 4 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add salt, pepper and nutmeg, ½ cup (125ml) of the cheddar, and the asiago.

Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of the oval baker. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top.

Combine the breadcrumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup (60ml) of cheddar and sprinkle on top.

Dot the remaining butter over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.