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Cauliflower Cheese is a classic British side dish made with tender cauliflower florets covered in a creamy cheese sauce and baked until golden. Simple and comforting, its a delicious side to everything from a Sunday roast to a midweek family dinner.
This Cauliflower Cheese is simple to make, but a few small details make all the difference. Cooking the cauliflower until just tender and draining it well helps prevent a watery sauce, while mature cheddar and a little Dijon adds plenty of flavour. Sprinkling panko breadcrumbs on top adds a lovely crunch and golden finish but can be skipped if preferred.
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Ingredient Notes
- Cauliflower - Use a fresh, firm cauliflower and cut into evenly sized florets.
- Butter & Plain / All-purpose Flour - Used to make the roux that thickens the cheese sauce.
- Dijon mustard - Adds flavour but can be omitted if preferred.
- Cheddar Cheese - Mature cheddar is my preference as it gives the sauce plenty of flavour without needing as much cheese. You can substitute with another good melting cheese, such as Gruyere, Swiss cheese, Colby, or use a combination.
- Panko breadcrumbs - Add a little crunch and contrast to the creamy cauliflower and cheese sauce. Can be skipped if preferred.
How to Make Cauliflower Cheese
- Cook Cauliflower: Cut into florets and boil for 4-5 mins, until just tender. Drain.
- Make Roux; Melt the butter over low heat, add the flour and cook, stirring for around 3 mins.
- Slowly add milk: Gradually add the milk, allowing it to thicken before adding more.
- Continue adding milk, continually stirring until sauce smooth and creamy.
- Add cheese - Stir in the mustard and cheese until melted and smooth.
- Assemble and bake - Add the cauliflower to baking dish, pour over cheese sauce and gently mix. Top with cheese and breadcrumbs, then bake until bubbling.
Top Tips
- Don't overcook the cauliflower - Keep the floreets fairly chunky and cook only until just tender. Overcooked cauliflower becomes soft and releases more water into the finished dish.
- Drain it really well - Excess moisture is one of the main causes of watery cauliflower cheese. Drain thoroughly and, if needed, gently pat the florets dry with a clean tea towel.
- Add the milk gradually - Whist the milk into the rough a little at a time, making sure wach addition is smooth before adding more. This helps prevent a lumpy sauce or a sauce that doesn't thicken properly.
- Make sure the sauce is thickened - it should coat the back of a spiin before you add the cheese. Remember, the cauliflower will releases a little moisture as it bakes, so you don't want the sauce too thin.
Serving Suggestions
Cauliflower cheeseis traditionally served as a side dish with a Sunday roast, but it works well with plenty of other meals too. Try it with
- Roast chicken, beef, pork or lamb
- Steak or fish
- Baked potatoes - spoon over for a simple meal
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Refrigerate - Store leftovers, covered, in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Reheat in the oven, microwave or pan until piping hot. - Freezing - Taste-wise, cauliflower cheese freezes well for up to 2 months. It can, however, become a little watery which in turn will affect the appearance and texture. You can minimize this by...
- Cooking from frozen - Don't thaw the dish, top with the cheese/ breadcrumb mixture and cook from frozen. Place in a preheated oven at 180C / 355F for around 35-40 mins or until the top is brown and bubbling and the centre is piping hot.
- Not overcooking the cauliflower - When making Cauliflower Cheese for the freezer it is especially important that you do not overcook the cauliflower. It should cleave to the knife when you test it in the boiling water.
- Drain the cauliflower well - and it is also worth drying it in a clean tea towel. Ensuring there is no excess moisture is especially important when freezing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, cauliflower cheese can be offered from 6 months, once your baby is developmentally ready and has started solid foods. There are a few things to consider:
Allergens: This recipe contains dairy and wheat, both common allergens. If your baby hasn't had these foods before, introduce them seperately first so it is easier to identify any reaction.
Sodium: Cheese can be high in sodium, so don't add any extra salt. You can also reduce the amount of cheese or serve with less sauce. I like to use a mature cheddar as its stronger flavour means I can use less.
Serving: Make sure the cauliflower is very soft and serve the florets in an approprtiate size for your baby's stage. Alternatively, mash the cauliflower and sauce together and offer from a spoon.
For informational purposes only-each baby develops at their own pace. Make informed decisions for your child and consult a professional for personalised advice.
If you overcook your cauliflower it will release water, which can cause the sauce to go watery. If your sauce was thick when it went under the grill/ in the oven it was most likely water from the cauliflower causing it to go watery. Make sure to cook the cauliflower until tender but still firm, drain well and pat dry.
You need to take your time with this sauce. As soon as the flour has lost its raw smell, pour in the milk in small amounts, whisking/stirring the whole time. Patience and adding in small increments are key. If you feel that your sauce is too runny you may just need to simmer it for longer. With time the flour will thicken the sauce. Once you add the cheese you will find that it will also help thicken.
More Cauliflower Recipes
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Cauliflower Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Large cauliflower
- 55g (½ stick) butter
- 36g (4 tbsp) plain (all purpose) flour
- 500ml (2 cups) whole milk
- ½ tsp cooking salt (skip if making for baby)
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 115g ( 1 cup) mature Cheddar cheese, grated (shredded) * SEE NOTE 1
Topping
- ½ cup mature Cheddar cheese, grated (shredded)
- 25g (½ cup) panko breadcrumbs * SEE NOTE 2
Instructions
- Remove the base and outer leaves from the cauliflower, break into florets and wash.
- Place the florets into a pan of boiling water and boil for approx 5 mins, until tender. (*SEE NOTE 3)
- Drain the cauliflower in a colander and set it aside.
- Meanwhile, make your sauce.Melt butter in a saucepan and add the flour to form a roux, stir continuously for about 3 minutes.
- Add milk a little at a time, keep stirring/whisking continuously between each pour. Stir out any lumps before adding more milk. Continue adding the milk little by little until all the milk is incorporated and the sauce is thick and glossy.
- Take off the heat and stir in the salt, mustard and the cheese.
- Place the cauliflower florets in a baking dish that is just large enough to hold the florets in one layer.
- Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower and gently mix to ensure all the florets are covered
- Cover with the breadcrumbs and remaining cheese. Bake at 180°C/350°F for 30 minutes until bubbly and golden.
Recipe Notes
- I always use a mature cheddar to make a cheese sauce. I find it produces the best flavour and you don't have to add so much to get the desired flavour.
- Breadcrumbs are optional, they give a lovely crispy topping and makes the dish look visually more appealing.
- Test the cauliflower with a knife. The knife should go in easily but the cauliflower should cleave to the knife and not fall apart.
- If you are making this dish ahead of time, to serve it later in the day, cover the dish and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve (do not add the breadcrumbs and cheese for the top at this stage). Preheat oven to 180C / 355F. Cover the top with the cheese and breadcrumbs just before baking and bake for approx 30 minutes. The top should be brown and bubbling and piping hot in the centre.
- If cooking for a baby/ young toddler you can reduce the amount of cheese you add, to lower the sodium levels.
Andreea
Thank you for your recipes! I've tried many of them and, just like this one, came out amazing and my family loved them.
Amy
Thanks Andreea, I'm so happy you are enjoying the site 🙂
Claire
A really tasty recipe. The perfect amount of white sauce for 1 large cauliflower. My 9 month old baby enjoyed it too.
Amy
Thanks Claire, glad you liked it 🙂
Sarah Halton
Brilliant. This is the only cauliflower cheese recipe I've ever found that doesn't split and go watery if you freeze it. Reheating straight from frozen worked excellently, thank you!
Amy
Hi Sarah, great to know. Thanks so much for taking the time to rate and give feedback 🙂
Diane Delaney
Best cauliflower cheese I have made, not too overpowering like some, I add either Brussels sprouts or broccoli, thank you for the recipe.
Amy
Thanks for the feedback Diane, I'm so happy you liked it 🙂
Rebecca
Hiya, I want to freeze this recipe... After I have parboiled the cauliflower and added the cheese sauce, do I then freeze it before I have baked it for half an hour? Or do I freeze it after I have cooked the dish in the oven for half an hour? Thanks
Amy
Hi Rebecca, you can freeze before baking 🙂
Paul Farrell
Good recipe that works. Personally I add some Mozarella in the with cheddar. This eliminating watery dishes if you plan to freeze/frige there no stringy effect.
Carrie Butt
Just made this and the sauce thickened perfectly. Just have to take your time adding the milk slowly and cook the flour for a few minutes before adding the milk as suggested. Quick question on the cheese for little ones. How much would you recommend reducing by?
Amy
Hi Carrie, I'm so glad this worked for you. How much you reduce is up to you, you could serve it as a white sauce with just a touch of cheese on top (when grilling). I think it really depends on the age and how much your baby is eating as well as what your baby has eaten that day. Here is a post I wrote about salt for babies
Lucy
I have'nt made it yet and i have no little foodies. I'm a oap but it looks so good and sounds so easy to make i'm going to try it and freeze it into individual portions.
Amy
Hi Lucy, I hope the recipe was a success for you. If you haven't made it yet then one tip is to slowly add the milk to allow the sauce to thicken. A couple of comments left by readers mentioned that the sauce is the consistency of milk. However, I make this often and the sauce thickens beautifully if the milk is added slowly and stirred in little by little until thick.
AE
Your recipe looks almost exactly like mine, except for the mustard, which I'll try adding next time!
Also, whenever I make a cauliflower bake, I steam the florets in the microwave, in the same dish I'll use for the bake, with just a bit of water, covered with cling wrap (about 8 minutes, but my microwave oven isn't great).
I've been trying some of your recipes and the whole family has enjoyed them, it's great to know there are family friendly recipes for the real mum
Amy
Thanks for the tips AE! So glad you are enjoying the site 🙂
Lisa Scott
I’ve just tried this recipe and it was a disaster! It says 36g or 4tbsp of flour - they are not the same weight - which is it?? I tried with 36g and the sauce didn’t thicken at all - it was just buttery milk!
Amy
Hi Lisa, Sorry this recipe didn't work for you. I used 36g, which is 4 tbsp (USA) (1 tbsp = 9g). It is strange your sauce didn't thicken as you can see from the pictures that mine did (using those measurements). Did you stir the milk in slowly, allowing the sauce to thicken before adding more milk? It can take a while to thicken.
Wendy
Would cooking my cheese sauce in the microwave make it cook to a light brownish colour
Amy
Hi Wendy, I have never made a cheese sauce in the microwave. You won't get the brown crispy topping if you don't bake it in the oven. 🙂
Simone
Just made this tonight and it was a success all round. Thanks for all the cooking tips, I bought mature cheddar and it worked great.
Amy
That is great, Simone. Mature cheddar makes all the difference!