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cauliflower cheese in glass baking dish
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5 from 2 votes

Easy Cauliflower Cheese

The best cauliflower cheese recipe made in under 30 minutes - 3 cheeses for the most luxurious sauce and no roux needed!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Side
Cuisine: British
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 212kcal
Author: Mimi Harrison
Cost: £0.77

Ingredients

  • 100 g extra mature cheddar, coarsely grated (£2.55/2 = £1.27)
  • 150 g red Leicester, coarsely grated (£2.55/2 = £1.27)
  • 4 slices American cheese, roughly torn (£0.80/2)
  • 1 large head of cauliflower, sliced into florets (£1.80)
  • 500 ml whole milk £0.85
  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped to serve (£0.60)

Cupboard Essentials

  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 2 tbsp cornflour + 4 tbsp cold water, for slurry
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp garlic granules
  • 1 tbsp dijon mustard
Metric - US Standard

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 200°C/400°F.
  • In heavily salted boiling water, add the cauliflower florets. Boil for 5-6 minutes, then drain and set aside.
  • In the same pan, add the whole milk, cheeses (reserve 50g of the red leicester), cayenne pepper, garlic granules, dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Cook over low to medium heat.
  • While the cheese melts, prepare the cornflour slurry by mixing the cornflour with cold water until smooth.Stir in the cornflour slurry. Continue cooking until the sauce thickens.
  • Distribute the cauliflower across a baking dish, then pour the cheese sauce on top. Stir to combine, and top with the reserved red leicester. Pop in the oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
  • Leave to stand for 5 minutes. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving. Dig in!

Notes

  • Salt the boiling water generously for the cauliflower; boil florets for only 5 minutes to ensure they’re well-seasoned and not bland.
  • Drain the cauliflower and spread it evenly on a baking tray to allow steam to evaporate while preparing the cheese sauce.
  • Taste the sauce once thickened; adjust seasoning with cayenne pepper, salt, or pepper as desired.
  • Rotate the baking dish halfway through cooking if your oven has hot spots to promote even browning

Nutrition

Serving: 3.75oz | Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 9.8g | Protein: 12.5g | Fat: 14.3g