Comfort food recipe that has quickly become one of the favorites in my house. Cauliflower Au Gratin with the addition of potatoes is so creamy, cheesy and such a delicious side dish for holidays as well as for Sunday night dinner.
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Easy Cauliflower Au Gratin
As you have probably noticed I’m obsessed with French food and particularly Gratins. Recently I’ve been making them non-stop. My Eggplant Gratin, Potato Zucchini Gratin or Chicken, Potato and Bacon Gratin are among my most popular recipes at home for a reason.
Whenever I have some kind of celebration at my house, I make sure to prepare one of those Gratins and they always disappear quickly.
Baked to their bubbly and crispy perfection, gratins are so satisfying and make a perfect side dish for any occasion.
My today’s recipe is inspired by Ina Garten Cauliflower Gratin. I first made it a few years ago and immediately fell in love with the simplicity of preparation process and the excellent taste of the dish.
I love Ina’s original version of the recipe but I decided to add potatoes for more volume and nutrition.
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What I really like about this Cauliflower Au Gratin or any other gratins is that you can make them ahead of time, which is very convenient for Thanksgiving or Christmas.
Just assemble everything in a baking dish, cover with a foil and store in a fridge for a few hours or even overnight until you’re ready to bake it.
In this recipe I used Gruyere Cheese. I absolutely love it. It has a nice flavor, a little crispy bite and works amazing in so many recipes. If you don’t have Gruyere, use my suggestions below.
Substitute For Gruyere
Any other hard cheese with distinctive flavor will work. Here are some of my suggestions:
- Parmijiano-Reggiano;
- Grana Padano;
- Aged Gouda;
- Aged Cheddar;
- Aged Provolone.
What Pairs With Cauliflower Gratin
Greek Lemon Oregano Chicken – dish with minimal ingredients but so much flavor;
Pork Tenderloin With Seared Peaches – perfect for busy weeknight meal;
Steak Chateaubriand – French classic ready in under 30 minutes.
How To Reheat Cauliflower Gratin
Preheat the oven to 350F. Pop Cauliflower Au Gratin in the oven and bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes until it’s hot throughout.
How To Make Cauliflower Au Gratin
1. Precook the vegetables
Preheat the oven to 375 F.
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, cauliflower florets and potatoes and cook on a medium heat for 7 minutes. Drain.
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2. Prepare the white sauce
In a medium saucepan and over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, add flour and whisk to combine until no lumps remain.
Add warm milk, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens.
Remove pan from the heat. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, pepper, 1/4 cup of Gruyere cheese, Parmesan and nutmeg. Give it a whisk. Give sauce a taste and add more salt if needed.
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At this point you should have a silky smooth white sauce that works great in so many recipes.
3. Assemble Gratin
Transfer cooked cauliflower and potatoes into the 8 by 11 inches baking dish. Cover with a white sauce and carefully mix to combine the ingredients.
Sprinkle Panko breadcrumbs, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoon of melted butter and sprinkle 1/4 cup of Gruyere on top of the gratin.
4. Bake
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.
Turn on the broiler and bake for 2-3 minutes until top of the gratin is golden brown. Yum!
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Cauliflower Au Gratin
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lb cauliflower head cut into small florets
- 1 lb potatoes, red or yellow peeled and cubed
- 4 tbsp butter divided
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 1/2 c warm milk
- 1/2 c Gruyere cheese grated
- 1/4 c Parmesan cheese grated
- 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
- 1/3 c Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tap pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, cauliflower florets and potatoes and cook on a medium heat for 7 minutes. Drain.
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter, add flour and whisk to combine. Add warm milk, stirring constantly until the sauce thickens.
- Remove pan from the heat. Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon of salt, pepper, 1/4 cup of Gruyere cheese, Parmesan and nutmeg. Give it a taste and add more salt if needed.
- Transfer cauliflower and potatoes into the 8 by 11 inches baking dish. Cover with a sauce and carefully mix to combine the ingredients.
- Sprinkle Panko and the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere on top of the gratin and drizzle with 2 tablespoon of melted butter.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until vegetables are tender.Turn on the broiler and bake for 2-3 minutes until top of the gratin is golden brown.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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