Whole roasted cauliflower cheese is purely joyous comfort food whether you decided to eat it as a main course or as a side dish.
Whole roasted cauliflower cheese is simple to make and incredibly satisfying to eat. The vegan cheese sauce is sublime and although we thoroughly recommend using it to create the whole roasted cauliflower cheese, it’s also perfect for using as a base for other dishes. Try it with macaroni cheese, or stirred into pasta or over making cauliflower cheese with small florets and why not include some broccoli or sprouts in there.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
This recipe for whole roasted cauliflower cheese is very easy to make gluten-free, by using gluten-free flour.
Tips for the perfect whole roasted cauliflower cheese
Par-boiling the cauliflower, really helps, reduces cooking times and ensures an evenly cooked cauliflower.
Leaving the best leaves on the cauliflower – cauliflower leaves are perfectly edible, adding flavour and texture to the dish.
Size of cauliflower
We’ve used a 500g cauliflower and the timings work perfectly for this. However, if you have a larger cauliflower, we’d recommend increasing the cooking time to 40 to 45 minutes. To check the cauliflower is cooked through insert a sharp knife into the centre.
Suggestions for vegan cheese
Please note none of these links are affiliate links – but we feel it is helpful to share the kind of ingredients we use and rate.
Our preferred choice of vegan grated cheese for our whole roasted cauliflower cheese sauce is the cheddar from a brand called sheese mild cheddar – for a stronger flavour use a full cheddar alternative.
To give our plant-based cheese sauce its lightly smoky flavour we have used Applewood vegan smoked grated cheese – it creates a great depth of flavour and melts well.
If you’d prefer not to use smoked cheese the sauce is still delicious if you choose to use vegan cheddar.
There are many plant-based cheese alternatives available now, many supermarkets have their own brand versions, all will work, but it’s worth testing a few to find which ones you prefer.
Serving Ideas
For a simple meal the whole roasted cauliflower cheese is delightfully satisfying- we’d share a 500g cauliflower between 2.
It’s also a tasty additional side dish to accompany a roast dinner.
We also make this cheese sauce to go with pasta and over other vegetables.
Equipment needed
Large saucepan Saucepan
Whisk
Ovenproof dish, with higher sides (rough size)
How to store
Store any leftover cauliflower and sauce in an airtight continue in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To reheat, either return to the oven for 15 minutes or place in a saucepan and warm through.
We’ve loved this whole roasted cauliflower cheese since we first made it, the dish is purely joyous comfort food whether you decided to eat it as a main course or as a side dish.
Ingredients
Scale
500g head of cauliflower (with small leaves kept on)
To make the cheese sauce
50g plant-based butter
50g plain flour (gluten-free if needed) ½ tsp smoked paprika
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of salt
Few twists of ground black pepper
600ml plant-based milk (we use oat milk)
200g vegan grated cheese (50/50 mix of vegan grated Smokey Cheese & a vegan grated cheddar)
To serve
Fresh Chives
Instructions
Remove the larger outside leaves from the cauliflower, then place the whole cauliflower in a large pan of salted boiling water. The water should just about cover the cauliflower, place it on the pan lid, leaving it slightly ajar. Simmer for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes drain the cauliflower and place it in the oven dish.
Whilst the cauliflower simmers– heat the oven to 200°C/180°C Fan and make the cheese sauce.
Place a medium-sized saucepan on the hob and gently warm, add the butter and let it melt, once it’s melted add the flour and sweet smoked paprika, whisk together over the heat for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat.
Once the pan is removed from the heat, pour in the plant-based milk, add the salt and pepper, vegan Worcester sauce, Dijon mustard and nutritional yeast. Whisk together and return the pan to the heat. Bring to the boil and continue to whisk.
Reduce the heat and continue to whisk as the sauce starts to thicken add half the cheese and gently whisk until melted then add the second half and mix until combined.
Pour the sauce liberally over the cauliflower and into the base of the oven dish.
Place the oven dish in the centre of the oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cauliflower is golden on top and the cheese sauce is bubbling.
Remove the dish from the oven. To serve scatter over the chopped chives.
Notes
Storage – Store any left-over cauliflower and sauce in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat the cauliflower in the oven for 15 minutes.
Keywords: cauliflower cheese, vegan,
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Have you ordered our 1st COOKBOOK!
We’ve written The Plant-Based Family Cookbook filled with 60 easy to make tasty recipes that you and your family will enjoy, perfect for if you are fully plant-based or hoping to introduce more vegan meals into your week.
Here are some more tasty recipes for you to try out;
