Cauliflower Casserole

Cauliflower Casserole

This creamy, cheesy Cauliflower Casserole with bacon gives the loaded baked potato treatment to cauliflower au gratin.

Why You’ll Love This Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole Recipe

• A People Pleaser. People pleasing is not a good trait to have, unless you’re a creamy cauliflower casserole. IN THAT CASE: If you’re looking for a single side dish to serve at your next holiday gathering or family dinner that pleases just about every taste preference and diet under the sun, look no further, friends.
• The Best Way to Get Your Veggie Fix. Tender, caramelized roasted cauliflower florets are hidden amongst indulgent, melting pockets of cream cheese, gruyere, and crispy bacon, a.k.a. you’ll question whether or not this dish actually contains vegetables (same goes for this Broccoli Bake).
• Some Sneaky Swaps. Healthy swaps, like Greek yogurt and reduced-fat cream cheese, cut calories without sacrificing flavor. Yes, this is a creamy cauliflower casserole without mayo or sour cream! As a bonus, it’s also naturally low-carb.

How to Make Cauliflower Casserole

The Ingredients

• Cauliflower. Unlike raw cauliflower (which is bland), roasted cauliflower (like in this Roasted Vegetable Salad, for example) is complex, caramelized, and rich. For maximum ease, I roasted the cauliflower in the same baking dish that I used for the final casserole; no need to wash in between.
• Garlic Powder. All the garlic flavor without the fuss of actually chopping garlic.
• Ground Nutmeg. My nod to the traditional flavors in a classic cauliflower casserole au gratin recipe.
• Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese. Lends the ultimate creamy texture that ramps up the “loaded” factor of this dish.
• Greek Yogurt. My sneaky swap for mayo or sour cream that keeps this cauliflower casserole creamy. You may also make this cauliflower casserole with low-fat sour cream.
• Bacon. Turns this casserole into the stuff of dinner legend.
• Cheese. Gruyere and Parmesan are the perfect nutty combination here! (This Brussels Sprouts Casserole is another side dish crowned with this tasty cheese combo.) If you don’t have Gruyere, any similar melty, alpine-style cheese will work wonderfully.
• Chives. A beautiful addition of color and fresh flavor.

The Directions

1. Roast. Toss the cauliflower florets with the oil and spices, then roast until tender.

2. Cook and Crumble the Bacon. Here are more tips for Baked Bacon.

3. Make the Sauce. Mix together the cream cheese, yogurt, and shredded cheese.

4. Finish. Remove the cauliflower from the oven, dollop with the cream cheese mixture, and sprinkle with the remaining cheeses. Bake the cauliflower casserole at 425 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Pop under the broiler to brown the top. Sprinkle with chives and additional bacon. ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

• Loaded “Baked Potato” Cauliflower Casserole. Swap the Gruyere for sharp cheddar and the nutmeg for cayenne.
• Fontina and Herb Cauliflower Bake. Swap the Gruyere for fontina, add 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme to the cauliflower prior to roasting, and top the final casserole with chopped, fresh parsley. Bacon optional…or not.
• Italian. Swap the Gruyere for shredded provolone or mozzarella, omit the nutmeg, and add 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning plus a pinch of red pepper flakes to the cauliflower prior to roasting.

Meal Prep Tips

Here’s how you can make this cheesy cauliflower casserole ahead.

• Roast the cauliflower 1 day in advance, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• Prepare the cream cheese mixture 1 day in advance and store in the refrigerator.
• When ready to cook, warm the cauliflower in a baking dish in a 350-degree F oven until hot.
• Let the cream cheese mixture come to room temperature.
• Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F, then dollop on the cream cheese mixture, top with cheese, and bake as directed.

What to Serve with Cauliflower Casserole

• Chicken. Baked Chicken Cutlets would be a perfect side with this cheesy cauliflower casserole.
• Pork. Crock Pot Pork Chops cook on your countertop while your oven is occupied with the cauliflower.
• Beef. These Air Fryer Steak Bites are another option that cooks outside your oven.
• More Sides. So many sides pair well with cauliflower casserole, from Sauteed Carrots to Roasted Garlic Potato Rolls.

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• The Sauce Is Thick. When you mix everything together for the creamy cheese sauce, you may wonder if you’re missing something, but I promise you’re not. It will melt and get smoother as it bakes.
• Break Up the Florets into Small Pieces. We want bite-sized florets here! If you’d have to cut it with a fork on your plate before eating it, it’s too big for this cauliflower casserole.
• Don’t Use Frozen Cauliflower. I have not personally tried this swap, and I don’t think I would recommend it. I fear the frozen cauliflower would make this casserole too watery so I would stick to fresh, if possible. If you decide to experiment and make a frozen cauliflower casserole, I would love to hear about your results.

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Cauliflower Casserole

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Creamy and cheesy cauliflower casserole with cream cheese and bacon is an easy, low-carb side dish perfect for holidays and gatherings.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 8 servings

Calories 229kcal

Author Erin Clarke / Well Plated

Ingredients

• 2  medium heads of cauliflower cut into bite-size florets (about 3–4 pounds cauliflower, prior to being cut, or 5–6 cups florets)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 6 slices bacon
• 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese at room temperature
• ¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• ⅔ cup freshly grated Gruyere or similar melty, nutty, alpine-style cheese, divided
• ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese divided
• 3 tablespoons fresh chives chopped

Instructions

• Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Lightly coat a wide 3-quart (9×13) casserole dish, with nonstick spray, and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
  
• Transfer the cauliflower to the prepared casserole dish and spread it into an even layer. Keep the bowl handy. Roast cauliflower on the lower rack for 30 minutes, until the florets are tender and begin to brown.
  
• Meanwhile, arrange the bacon strips in a single layer on the prepared foil-lined baking sheet. Bake on the upper rack until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.
  
• Remove the bacon and cauliflower from the oven. Stir the cauliflower, spread it back into an even layer, and place it on the upper rack to continue cooking until the end of its baking time.
  
• Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and lightly pat dry. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop or crumble the bacon into small pieces.
• In the same bowl that you used to toss the cauliflower, beat together the cream cheese and Greek yogurt until combined. Stir in ⅓ cup Gruyere cheese, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, and half of the chopped bacon.
  
• Remove the roasted cauliflower from the oven and dollop the cream cheese mixture over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining ⅓ cup of Gruyere and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan.
  
• Return the pan to the upper third of the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and gooey, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the oven to broil. Broil the casserole until golden on top, 1 to 3 minutes. Do not walk away, and watch carefully to make sure the cheese does not burn.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh chives and remaining bacon. Serve hot.

Video

Notes

• TO STORE: Leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• TO FREEZE: Baked cauliflower casserole may be kept frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before warming.
• TO REHEAT: Warm the cauliflower casserole in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F until steaming and heated through.
• TO MAKE AHEAD: The cauliflower can be roasted 1 day in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cream cheese mixture can be prepared 1 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, warm the cauliflower in the baking dish in a 350-degree F oven until hot. Let the cream cheese mixture come to room temperature. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F, then dollop on the cream cheese and bake as directed.
• TO DOUBLE: This recipe is easy to scale! Feel free to double it (bake in two separate 9×13-inch pans) or halve it and bake in a 1 1/2-quart casserole or gratin dish.

Nutrition

Serving: 1of 8 | Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Potassium: 529mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 266IU | Vitamin C: 70mg | Calcium: 208mg | Iron: 1mg

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