This roasted cauliflower gratin recipe was inspired by a craving for macaroni and cheese and the desire for something a little healthier. I combined my favorite roasted cauliflower with lots of cheese and a delicious breadcrumb topping, similar to potato gratin.
It has all the indulgent flavor of a classic gratin but with a veggie-forward spin that makes it a little healthier and just as satisfying. Whether you’re planning a holiday menu, hosting a dinner party, or simply craving something cheesy and cozy, this cauliflower gratin will be a new favorite!
What is a Gratin?
You know those crispy, golden bits of baked cheese or sauce left around the edge of a casserole dish? In my family, we always fight over them. Apart from being called delicious, there’s actually a French word for it: gratin.
The term comes from the French verb gratter, meaning to scrape, because in 16th-century France, nothing went to waste. Every last browned bit was scraped from the pan. Over time, “gratin” came to describe a dish with a bubbly, browned top layer, usually created by broiling with cheese or breadcrumbs.
One of the most famous examples is gratin dauphinois, made with thinly sliced potatoes and cream. However, gratins can be made with almost anything, including vegetables, like my broccoli Idaho potato gratin and roasted butternut squash gratin, pasta, or even fruit for a sweet version.
This Roasted Cauliflower Gratin is my modern take on the French classic. Featuring roasted cauliflower tossed in a creamy cheese sauce, baked until golden, and finished with a crispy breadcrumb topping, it’s cozy, cheesy, and the perfect side dish for holidays or weeknights!
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete details!
- Fresh Cauliflower – You’ll need 2 ½ pounds of cauliflower florets for this recipe, which is about one large head of cauliflower. Save time by buying pre-chopped cauliflower, if desired. I don’t recommend using frozen cauliflower, or it’s likely to be soggy!
- Olive Oil – This coats the cauliflower, adding good-for-you fats and helping it caramelize in the oven.
- Butter – This forms the base of the cheese sauce, creating a rich flavor. Use dairy-free butter if you want to keep your cauliflower gratin dairy-free.
- Flour – All-purpose flour thickens the cheese sauce. Substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour or potato starch if you need to keep this recipe gluten-free.
- Milk – I use low-fat milk to keep this recipe a little lighter, but any regular or plant-based milk will work.
- Cheese – Sharp, shredded cheese creates a bold, savory taste. Parmesan cheese or Gruyère makes for a good substitute, if preferred. For the best results, buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself. Pre-shredded varieties contain anti-caking agents that prevent them from melting as nicely.
- Breadcrumbs – I use Panko breadcrumbs, but any breadcrumbs or crushed crackers work well.
How to Make a Roasted Cauliflower Gratin Recipe
- Roast the cauliflower. Toss the cauliflower florets with oil, and spread them in an even layer on a baking sheet. Roast until caramelized and fork-tender, stirring after about ten minutes to prevent burning.
- Create the sauce. In the meantime, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, and whisk in flour, salt, and pepper to form a thick paste or roux. Slowly whisk in the milk, adding a little bit at a time.
- Thicken. Heat until the mixture thickens and bubbles around the edges, stirring frequently. Be careful not to let it boil! Whisk in the cheese, allowing it to melt completely. Then, reduce the heat, and stir frequently until you’re ready to assemble the cauliflower gratin.
- Layer. Spread the roasted cauliflower in an even layer in a baking dish, and pour the cheese sauce evenly on top. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly over the cheese.
- Bake. Transfer the baking dish to the oven, and bake just until the edges begin to brown and the cheese sauce is bubbly.
- Broil. Preheat the broiler, and broil the dish for just a few minutes until the top is browned to your liking. Enjoy!
Tori’s Top Tips for Success
- Roast, don’t steam. Roasting prevents watery cauliflower and adds caramelized flavor.
- Use strong cheese. Sharp cheddar, Gruyère, or a cheddar-Parmesan mix works best.
- Don’t walk away from the broiler. It only takes a minute to turn golden brown.
- Add a little spice. A pinch of cayenne, smoked paprika, or nutmeg in the cheese sauce takes the flavor to a new level of deliciousness.
Roasted Cauliflower Gratin
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 pounds cauliflower florets (about one large 3 lb cauliflower head)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/4 cups lowfat milk
- 3/4 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, tightly packed
- 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs (I used Panko)
Gluten Free/Passover Modification Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon potato starch
- 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spread out the florets on the baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat (I usually use clean hands to make sure the cauliflower is evenly coated). Place them in the oven to roast for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, stir the florets with a wooden spoon. Return to the oven and roast for about 15 minutes longer till the edges brown/caramelize and the cauliflower is tender.
- While the cauliflower roasts, in a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour, salt, and pepper. Stir to form a thick paste.
- Slowly whisk in the milk, ¼ cup at a time. Heat the milk mixture over medium heat for a few minutes, whisking frequently, till it thickens and begins to bubble around the edges. Do not let the sauce boil.
- Whisk in the grated cheddar cheese and stir till melted. Reduce heat to lowest setting, stirring frequently, until ready to assemble the gratin.
- Remove roasted cauliflower florets from the oven and reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Place the roasted florets in an even layer in a 2 qt gratin dish or 8×8 inch baking dish.
- Pour the cheese sauce evenly across the top of the cauliflower florets.
- Sprinkle the breadcrumbs evenly across the top of the cheese sauce.Place the assembled gratin into the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes till edges begin to brown and the cheese sauce is bubbly.
- Remove the gratin from the oven and turn on your broiler. When broiler is hot, place the gratin back in the oven and let it brown under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching it carefully, till the top is browned to your liking.
- Serve hot. If you’re like to try a spicy modification on this recipe, substitute cayenne pepper for the black pepper, and add another pinch of cayenne to the sauce.
NOTES
Nutrition
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FAQs
This dish is extremely versatile. If you’re keeping kosher, it can serve as a lighter main dish or dairy side dish. It’s also great with seared salmon or poached fish filets. If you’re not worried about keeping kosher, it works well with a variety of roasted meats like honey herb roasted chicken, roast turkey, or braised beef brisket.
For a vegetarian meal, serve the cauliflower alongside black-eyed pea burgers or oven roasted root vegetables. On holidays, it fits right in with classic sides like slow cooker stuffing, olive oil mashed potatoes, and orange cranberry sauce.
Yes! You can assemble the gratin up to 24 hours in advance and refrigerate it, tightly covered. When you’re ready to bake, remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 15–20 minutes. Then bake as directed, adding an extra five to ten minutes to account for the chill.
You can also bake the cauliflower gratin completely, refrigerate it for up to 3 days, and reheat it in the oven at 350°F until warm and bubbly.
I found this while looking for low-carb cauliflower recipe. I’ve made it twice. It is absolutely delicious. Dare I say it is as good or better than mac and cheese? Can’t wait to make it again and again. Very easy! Thanks Tori.
It’s a tough call, Carol! I adore mac and cheese, but I must say I feel a lot better physically after eating this. Healthy carbs are always a good choice in my book. 😉
OMG. Just had this with a Filet with my GF and we totally ate it all tonight. Fantastic! Delicious! And BETTER than potatoes au gratin.
Fab Nick! I like it better too, if only because it has so much less starch. 🙂
I have made this a few times before and it is always quite a hit. I’m making it again but this time going to double the recipe. My question is should I also double the flour/butter mix? I am roasting the cauliflower tonight and will assemble later. Thanks! 🙂
Hi Elizabeth– yes I would double the sauce, however you may not need the entire amount of sauce on top. Just use as much as you feel it needs to be sufficiently covered and creamy. I’ve doubled this many times with great success. Enjoy!
This was excellent! My boyfriend even went back for seconds (he does not like cauliflower)! We are on South Beach diet, so I used crushed pine nuts, instead of bread crumbs, other than that I didn’t change anything and it was so good. Thanks for the recipe.
Had two heads of orange cauliflower in my bountiful basket…this was SO DELISH!!!! Sweet, creamy, addicting. Perfect for our “winter in October” weather!
Great idea Codi, I’ve never made it with the orange cauliflower. 🙂
I made this tonight, steamed instead of roasted but was delicious!
Made this last night -amazing! Thanks for the recipe
Looks amazing! Thanks for the interesting history as well.
I loved the pictures. I never buy a cook book unless it has pictures to show me what the dish should look like finishd. What a good idea to show me right along. I can’t wait to try this!!!!
Roasted cauliflower is good with tahini sauce, too, if you like getting away from the fat in the cheese.
I´ve made your recipe of this before…only I use Italian Bread Crumbs..it´s yummy!!
gonna make it soon I love cauliflower
This sounds and looks great…..ty for sharing
you´re making me hungry. since i cannot have anything white, this is an exception and diabetic friendly to boot. luv ya
Have plans on making it very soon..
looks good.
yum! I will try it.
This is absolutely delicious, my family love it, even if you don’t like cauliflower you will love this recipe. Thanks Tori
Yum!
Sounds delicious!