Cheesy cauliflower casserole is a creamy, low-carb comfort food dish that doubles as a side or vegetarian main.
Cauliflower casserole is made with bite-sized cauliflower florets baked in a rich and creamy sharp cheddar cheese sauce.
Holly’s Cheesy Cauliflower Highlights
- Flavor: Sharp cheddar adds robust cheesy flavor to this recipe.
- Swaps: Try replacing the cauliflower with broccoli.
- Time-Saving Tip: Use a bag of precut cauliflower florets.
- Serving Suggestions: Double the cheese sauce recipe and use it over grilled asparagus, Brussels sprouts, or roasted broccoli.
Cheesy Components
Cauliflower: Choose a large head and cut florets into bite-sized pieces. Frozen cauliflower florets should be thawed and patted dry before using. This is also a great way to use up leftover roasted cauliflower.
Cheese Sauce: Use full-fat cream cheese and real butter for the best flavor. Grate the cheddar and parmesan cheeses yourself since pre-packaged shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that don’t provide the best melt.
Melty Mix-Ups
- Make it a main dish and add sliced summer sausage, diced ham, or bacon crumbles.
- For a cauliflower au gratin casserole, top the dish with homemade keto breadcrumbs and broil until they’re golden brown.
How To Make Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
- Cook the cauliflower pieces.
- Prepare the cheese sauce (full recipe below).
- Combine in a baking dish and top with the remaining cheddar and bake.
Preserving Cheesy Perfection
Keep cheesy cauliflower casserole covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat portions with a little milk mixed in to loosen the sauce, either in the microwave or on the stovetop. Freeze portions in zippered bags for up to one month.
Once thawed, the texture will be softer, but the cheesy florets can still be used in a hearty soup or added to keto buffalo chicken dip.
Must-Try Cauliflower Recipes!
Have you tried this Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole? Leave a comment and rating below!
Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- pinch cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 ½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Cut cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook cauliflower for 4-5 minutes or until tender crisp. Drain well.
- Add heavy cream, cream cheese, and butter to a saucepan and stir over medium heat until smooth and cream cheese is melted.
- Add dry mustard powder, onion powder, and cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil then cook 2 minutes while whisking.
- Remove from heat, stir in parmesan and 1 ¼ cups cheddar cheese. Whisk until smooth.
- Toss together cauliflower and sauce in a 2-quart baking dish and top with remaining ¼ cup cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes or until top is browned and bubbly.
Notes
- Shred block cheddar cheese as it will melt better than pre-shredded cheese. Pre-shredded has anti-caking agents in it that will inhibit melting.
- Refrigerate leftover cauliflower casserole in a covered container for up to 4 days.
- Reheat leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Freeze cooked and cooled cauliflower casserole in zippered bags for up to 1 month. The texture may not be the same, but perfect to blend into a soup.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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Will the cheese sauce last in the fridge if made ahead to use on vegetables throughout the week?
Hi Roberta, this cheese sauce should last 3-4 days in the fridge. Just be sure to store in an airtight container and reheat only the portion you intend to use. Enjoy!
Carb Manager puts this at 5 net carbs, but it is delicious!
Thank you for sharing Scott! We always recommend calculating it with the ingredients/brands you used, as nutrition can change based on that information!
Creamy sauce. Great recipe. I will definitely make again.
So glad you love the casserole Paula!
I do not like mustard even mustard Powder. Will it make a big difference if I omit this do I need to add anything else in place?
Omitting the mustard powder won’t make a huge difference but if you would like to substitute it Tumeric will give you the same flavor profile without the mustard taste!
Hi
When you say a large head of cauliflower, about what would the weight be. What large to you may be different from what is large to me. I want to make sure there will be enough of the sauce to coat the cauliflower nicely, so don’t want to use one that is too big. I did read through the notes and did not notice if a weight was mentioned.
THANKS for you help.
Recipe looks great and we love cauliflower.
Hi Donna, for this recipe we use a large head of cauliflower which is approximately 2 ½ lbs in size. If yours is a little larger or a little smaller that should still work well. You can add a splash more heavy cream or cream cheese if you need to stretch your sauce a little.