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This Cheesy Cauliflower is flavorful and a nice way to mix up your side dish game. Roasted cauliflower is mixed with mozzarella and cheddar cheese and baked until soft and bubbling. The finished dish is finished off with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. This makes a nice holiday side dish or a vegetable to serve with dinner!
CHEESY CAULIFLOWER
I am excited to be celebrating National Farmer’s Day on October 12th with the American Dairy Association Mideast —a day to celebrate America’s famers, who are proud to work hard to help feed the world.
Even during these challenging times, Ohio and West Virginia dairy farmers remain committed to producing safe, nutritious dairy foods, including milk, cheese and yogurt, that provide essential nutrients to help nourish our families and communities.
Today’s Cheesy Cauliflower is loaded with dairy that adds protein to this plant-based side dish. It is a nice way to jazz up cauliflower and add it to your holiday menu or your weekly dinner menu.
Cauliflower is boiled until tender and then baked with milk, butter and three kinds of cheese. The finished dish is finished off with breadcrumbs and fresh parsley. Your guests will love this dish!
WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN THIS CAULIFLOWER CHEESE BAKE?
CAULIFLOWER: The star ingredients in this dish is the cauliflower. When making this dish you will cut the cauliflower into florets and then boil them until almost tender. From there you bake it with a mixture of milk, butter and cheese.
CHEESE: This recipe uses three cheese. I used mozzarella, cheddar cheese and Parmesan cheese. You can easily use whatever cheese you have on hand. Some other cheeses that work nicely are pepper jack and gouda.
MILK: Milk helps create a creamy, cheesy sauce for the cauliflower. I use cream or whole milk but you can use whatever milk you have on hand. The more fat that is in the milk the more creamy the dish will be.
BUTTER: A small amount of butter is added to this dish to add richness. You can easily skip that is you don’t want to add the butter.
BREADCRUMBS: One optional ingredients to top off this Cauliflower Cheese Casserole is panko or regular breadcrumbs. I usually add them the last 5 minutes of cooking.
IS DAIRY HEALTHY FOR ME?
Dairy is a healthy way to get protein into you and your kids daily diets. Here are just a few ways that dairy is nutritious for you.
- Milk, cheese and yogurt contain a unique package of nine essential nutrients. Dairy’s unique nutrient package is hard to replace and is one of the most affordable and accessible ways of getting calcium, vitamin D and potassium — three of the four critical nutrients most often lacking in Americans’ diets.
- Dairy foods fit into a plant-based diet. Plants and dairy can work together to provide nutrients Americans need—and often lack. Did you know that most Americans don’t get enough calcium, vitamin D, potassium and fiber in their diets? Milk is the leading food source of calcium, vitamin D, and potassium, while plant foods provide fiber.
- Greek yogurt is high in protein, which helps to keep you fuller longer, and it packs in dairy’s 9 essential nutrients. Six ounces of Greek yogurt typically contains 14–17 grams of protein (regular yogurt has 7-8 grams). It adds creaminess and tang, too. Find out the differences between Greek and regular yogurt. If you like cooking with Greek yogurt check out this Roasted Red Pepper Greek Yogurt Hummus or these Southwestern Greek Yogurt Deviled Eggs.
- There are more than 300 different cheeses in the U.S. Whether you’re lactose intolerant, watching your sodium intake or looking for the best cheese to pair with wine, there’s a cheese for you. Find your perfect cheese match!
- Eating healthy on a budget as difficult as you may think! Get 5 easy tips for making healthy, easy meals without breaking the bank, like making a grocery store game plan and stocking up on in-season produce.
Cheesy Cauliflower
This Cheesy Cauliflower is flavorful and a nice way to mix up your side dish game. Roasted cauliflower is mixed with mozzarella and cheddar cheese and baked until soft and bubbling. The finished dish is finished off with Parmesan cheese and fresh parsley. This makes a nice holiday side dish or a vegetable to serve with dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, separated into florets
- 2 garlic coves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 2 Tablespoons butter, chopped into small pieces
- 1/4 cup cream or half and half
- 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1/2 cup of sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup of panko or regular breadcrumbs {optional}
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400º F.
In a large pot boil salted water and add cauliflower. Cook the cauliflower for about 8 minutes, or until the cauliflower is just tender. Drain.
In a small mixing bowl combine the garlic, oregano and cream and whisk well.
In a 9 by 13 baking dish spray with non-stick spray. Spread half the cauliflower on the bottom of the dish in an even layer.
Pour the cream mixture over the cauliflower and sprinkle the mozzarella cheese.
Spread the remaining cauliflower in the baking dish. Sprinkle the sharp cheddar cheese over the cauliflower and then place the butter throughout the dish.
Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is just bubbling.
If you want to add breadcrumbs add them with about 5 minutes left. Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the cauliflower and return to the oven for 5 minutes.
Remove the cauliflower dish from the oven and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve warm.
