Here’s another vegetable gratin idea, similar to the spaghetti squash gratin. Traditionally, a French gratin is made with a béchamel sauce, which takes extra time to prepare. But this simple version skips that step and still delivers delicious flavor. I’ll share ingredient guidelines, but you don't have to measure exactly — I never do. Trust your kitchen intuition—you’re simply adding a little cream and cheese to cooked cauliflower and baking. That’s it!
3 to 4 tbsp cream
Salt & pepper, to taste
A small handful of grated Gruyère, Comté, or Parmesan cheese — about 1/4 cup
1 to 2 tbsp of butter (optional)
1 small clove of garlic, pressed (optional)
A pinch of grated nutmeg (optional)
Place the cooked cauliflower in a baking dish.
Drizzle the cream on top.
Add the salt and pepper.
Add your optional ingredients:
Use a fork to mix the ingredients with the cauliflower.
Optional: Scatter small slices of butter on top.
Sprinkle with a dusting of freshly grated Gruyère, Comté, or Parmesan.
Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, until heated through, the cream has thickened, and the cheese is melted.
Broil for 2 to 4 minutes at the end for a golden, bubbly top.
Serve warm and enjoy!
I often make this dish with leftover cauliflower — adjust the amount of cream and cheese for how much you have. It's a simple way to use up leftovers and create a new dish for the week.
Another convenient method for cooking the cauliflower is to bake it. Chop it, then toss it with olive oil and pop it in the oven at 350° F to bake until soft.
Have fun exploring different types of cauliflower — maybe at your local farmers' market. A trip to the farmers market is a fun and educational outing for kids. You never know what you'll discover.
One day I met one of my students, Maggie, and her daughter at a farmers' market. Maggie found and bought some Romanesco cauliflower. At my insistence, she also bought the best hand-churned, fresh farm butter. Maggie wrote to me later that afternoon and said that when they got home, her children had a snack of Romasco cauliflower and a bit of butter. She was thrilled they had eaten a snack of fresh vegetables and good, wholesome butter!
Cook in stages. Chop and steam your cauliflower while you're in the kitchen doing something else. Store it in the fridge in a baking dish, and then add your extra ingredients and bake.
A little gratin made with leftover steamed cauliflower
Baking cauliflower — it takes just about five minutes to prep
Baked cauliflower
Romanesco cauliflower
Purple cauliflower is fun!
Spaghetti squash gratin
These handy kitchen tools:
Cheese grater
Garlic press
