Baked Cauliflower with Cheese and Breadcrumbs, better known as au gratin cauliflower, is roasted in the oven. It’s so easy to throw together and it only takes 20 to 30 minutes to bake. Packed with flavor and textures, everyone will enjoy this dish as a vegetable or even a side.
Link You May Need:
Homemade Seasoned Breadcrumbs (You can also use this recipe to season plain breadcrumbs.)
This recipe is available to everyone.
Baked Cauliflower with Cheese and Breadcrumbs
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into florets
- 1/4 cup high-smoke oil Avocado or anything that can withstand 450°F or higher
- 1/2 cup seasoned gluten free breadcrumbs homemade – see above link or 4C brand
- 8 small cloves garlic minced or finely grated
- 1/4 cup grated Pecorino-Romano Cheese or Parmesan (or your favorite vegan cheese*)
- Salt to taste
- Pepper to taste
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 450°F with a rack in the bottom third of the oven if using toasted breadcrumbs. (I often use breadcrumbs from when I slice my homemade bread. They are already quite dark. Therefore, they need to be in the lower portion of the oven.) If your breadcrumbs are white or yellowish, the center shelf is perfect.
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Add the florets to a large bowl, pour on the oil, and toss to coat.
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Add the bread crumbs and garlic and toss. Sprinkle with salt and transfer to an ungreased baking sheet, each one lying on its flat side to begin with. Bake for 20 minutes.
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Using a heat-proof spatula, turn the cauliflower florets over, gather them closely into the center of the pan, and top with 1/4 cup grated cheese. (Alternatively, you can add any leftover breadcrumbs and then the cheese.) Return to the oven and bake an additional 3 – 10 minutes depending upon how tender you want them to be. Bake at least until the cheese melts.
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Remove from the oven and serve in a baking pan/dish, or portion them onto individual plates.
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For baking in advance, under-bake them so that when you rewarm them in the oven prior to serving, they won’t be overcooked. Then, rewarm in a 450°F for 10 minutes or until warm. You can also prepare the dish just prior to baking, cover, and bake the full amount of time the following day.
Tips
Variations:
*Dairy-Free:
For dairy-free/vegan, use your favorite cheese + nutritional yeast. Also, you can stir a little cashew butter into the oil for a boost of cheese flavor.
Thyme:
For Thanksgiving, during the holidays, or when you’re serving something like rosemary chicken, mix in about 1//8 teaspoon ground thyme to the breadcrumbs.