These individual cauliflower gratins are light, healthy, and low-carb baked in a creamy cheese sauce with a crunchy breadcrumb and cheese topping.
Cauliflower gratin is a light, healthy, low-carb vegetable side dish. This recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight, or you can serve them as a Meatless Monday meal. The individual cauliflower gratins are baked in a creamy cheese sauce with a crunchy breadcrumb and cheese topping. Gruyère cheese makes the perfect pairing with the subtle taste of the cauliflower in this cauliflower gratin.
I made this a side dish for David when he smoked ribs a couple of weeks ago and called this cauliflower gratin “supper” for myself. They were so good I didn’t even care if I didn’t have meat for supper. I’ve come to realize that I really enjoy meatless dishes, but don’t get me wrong; there is nothing like a big fat juicy ribeye steak to indulge in once in a while. No, I could never be a vegetarian, but I don’t mind eating like one once a week.
I guess what I’m saying is that since David and I have been participating in Meatless Monday for over 3-years now, making meatless meals has taught me a lot about food. Leaving the dinner table, feeling satisfied is key when eating meatless meals. Cauliflower is rich in protein. One cup of cauliflower has 2.28 grams of protein, loaded with the nutrients to reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease and cancer.
You’ll leave the supper table satisfied and feeling pretty darn good about yourself.
How To Make Individual Cauliflower Gratins:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
THE CAULIFLOWER: - Butter the inside of four 1-cup ramekins and place them onto a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook cauliflower florets for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.
THE CHEESE SAUCE: - Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat; add the garlic and heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the and flour whisk together and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the warm milk; stir until it comes to a boil. Continue to whisk, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Turn off the heat.
- Add nutmeg, ½ cup of the Gruyère, and the ¼ of Parmesan; season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the cheese has melted and the ingredients are well blended.
ASSEMBLY: - Pour about half the sauce into the bottom of the four ramekins; set the remaining sauce aside.
- Place the drained cauliflower on top of the sauce, packing down. You may have to trim larger cauliflower florets to fit the ramekins a little better.
- Carefully pour the remaining cheese sauce into each cauliflower stuffed ramekin. Top with remaining Gruyère and parmesan cheeses and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
BAKING:
Bake the gratins in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is brown and crispy. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Whether you make them a side dish or have one as a meal, I hope you enjoy this healthy, delicious recipe.
Individual Cauliflower Gratins
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower 3-pound, cut into large florets
- Kosher salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter + some for buttering ramekins
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 clove garlic grated
- 2 cups milk warmed
- black pepper fresh cracked, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
- ¾ cup Gruyere divided, freshly grated
- ½ cup Parmesan divided, freshly grated
- ¼ cup fresh breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Butter the inside of four 1-cup ramekins and place them onto a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper; set aside.
- In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook cauliflower florets for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.
- Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat; add the garlic and heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the and flour whisk together and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the warm milk; stir until it comes to a boil. Continue to whisk, for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. Turn off the heat.
- Add nutmeg, ½ cup of the Gruyere, and the ¼ of Parmesan; season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir until the cheese has melted and the ingredients are well blended.
- Pour about half the sauce into the bottom of the four ramekins; set the remaining sauce aside.
- Place the drained cauliflower on top of the sauce, packing down. Some larger cauliflower florets may need to be trimmed to fit the ramekins a little better. Carefully pour the remaining cheese sauce into each cauliflower stuffed ramekin. Top with remaining Gruyere and parmesan cheeses and sprinkle with breadcrumbs.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Leave a Reply