Bacon Cauliflower Cheesy Bake. Great flavors all baked in a delicious cheese sauce, made from scratch and so good!
Bacon Cauliflower Cheesy Bake! What a lovely dish to enjoy!
This is great as a main meal or served as a side, with a nice roast dinner, or ham. I often make this when we have company for dinner as I can make it ahead of time and simply pop in the oven when I need to finish cooking it.
Here I show you how to make a wonderful Creamy Cheese Sauce to go all over the bacon and cauliflower whilst it's baking, and I've also added a few carrots.
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The addition of carrots adds a little sweetness against the salty bacon, and also it's a great way of getting picky eaters to enjoy vegetables. They seem to love this dish!
In this bacon and cauliflower cheese casserole recipe, I will also show you how to make a smooth cheese sauce, as I know sometimes people don't like to make them in case they are lumpy. Don't worry! I will show you how to make it smooth!
Don't forget, this dish is also great for making ahead, for example at Thanksgiving or Christmas time.
You can prepare everything and refrigerate or freeze, and then when you are ready to cook, simply bring to room temperature and pop in the oven as the instructions. Easy!
So let's get straight to the recipe and see how we make this delicious Bacon Cauliflower Cheesy Bake. Please enjoy!
Ingredients
1 Cauliflower
1/2 lb or 225 g bacon, chopped and cooked *** You can add more if you wish!
2 Carrots, cut into 1/4 inch thick batons (optional)
The cheese sauce
1/4 cup or 50 g or 2 oz butter
1/2 Cup or 50 g All-Purpose Flour
1 pint or 550 ml milk
2 Teaspoons yellow or grained mustard. *** You do not taste the mustard, but it brings out the flavor of the cheese.
5 oz or 150 g grated cheddar cheese
1 Tablespoon of your favorite dried or fresh herbs. I used Tarragon. Parsley is also very nice.
A pinch of salt. I did not add much as my cheese and bacon maybe a little salty.
Instructions
1. First, cut the cauliflower into quarters as in the photo and boil with the carrots until it is 3/4 cooked. About 25 minutes or so.
2. Have all your ingredients measured and ready. Cook the bacon and drain on kitchen paper.
3. Drain the cauliflower and place on some kitchen paper. You do not want excess liquid in your oven dish. Then arrange the cauliflower like in the photo. Place with the flower side facing up. Use an oven dish that will be deep enough to hold the 1 pint of cheese sauce. Sprinkle the bacon pieces all over, pop some in between the cauliflower too! Then scatter the carrots on top.
4. Now we make the sauce. Please follow these steps and you will get a nice smooth sauce! First melt the butter in a pan, then add the flour.
5. Use a wooden spoon and stir very well, until it is all combined like the photo. Keep stirring this mix for 1 minute on a medium heat. You need to cook the starch. Then remove from the heat.
6. Start by adding 3 Tablespoons of the milk. Combine using the spoon, stirring until it is combined. Then add 1/3 of the milk, again, stir until it is combined.
7. Keep stirring the mixture, it will take a couple of minutes, and you will get lumps like in the photo. Don't worry at this stage! The lumps will go, so long as you stir. Use your wooden spoon to make sure none of the flour is stuck in the sides of the pan. At this stage, return the pan to a medium heat, and add the remaining milk.
8. If you have a hand whisk, switch to using it now, and add the mustard, salt and herbs. Continue to stir until the sauce becomes thick and holds to the whisk. It should be a 'coating' consistency. Be patient, it will seem like nothing is happening for a while, then suddenly, hey presto! The sauce immediately thickens. Keep stirring
9. When it has thickened, add the grated cheese and stir in well.
10. Transfer the sauce to the cauliflower, and pour all over so the cauliflower is coated with the sauce. Sprinkle some extra cheese on the top if you wish to.
At this point, you can allow to cool completely and freeze or refrigerate. Cover with plastic wrap, and then when you want to cook it, bring back to room temperature and follow the steps below.
11. Place in the oven at 200 C / 400 F for about 20 - 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden. When done, remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. It will be VERY hot so take care!
Serve the whole dish at the table or portion onto plates and enjoy!
If you'd like to make a few side dishes for your meal, here's a lovely side dish you can make alongside this one, Ruth's Chris Copycat Sweet Potato Recipe from Noshing With The Nolands.
Recipe Card
Bacon Cauliflower Cheesy Bake
Bacon Cauliflower Cheesy Bake. Great flavors all baked in a delicious cheese sauce, made from scratch and so good!
Ingredients
- 1 Cauliflower
- 1/2 lb or 225 g bacon, chopped and cooked *** You can add more if you wish!
- 2 inch Carrots, cut into 1/4 thick batons (optional)
The cheese sauce
- 1/4 cup or 50 g or 2 oz butter
- 1/2 Cup or 50 g All Purpose Flour
- 1 pint or 550 ml milk
- 2 Teaspoons yellow or grained mustard. *** You do not taste the mustard, but it brings out the flavour of the cheese.
- 5 oz or 150 g grated cheddar cheese
- 1 Tablespoon of your favourite dried or fresh herbs. I used Tarragon. Parsley is also very nice.
- A pinch of salt. I did not add much as my cheese and bacon may be a little salty.
Instructions
- First, cut the cauliflower into quarters as in the photo and boil with the carrots until it is 3/4 cooked. About 25 minutes or so.
- Have all your ingredients measured and ready. Cook the bacon and drain on kitchen paper.
- Drain the cauliflower and place on some kitchen paper. You do not want excess liquid in your oven dish. Then arrange the cauliflower like in the photo. Place with the flower side facing up. Use an oven dish which will be deep enough to hold the 1 pint of cheese sauce. Sprinkle the bacon pieces all over, pop some in between the cauliflower too! Then scatter the carrots on top.
- Now we make the sauce. Please follow these steps and you will get a nice smooth sauce! First melt the butter in a pan, then add the flour.
- Use a wooden spoon and stir very well, until it is all combined like the photo. Keep stirring this mix for 1 minute on a medium heat. You need to cook the starch. Then remove from the heat.
- Start by adding 3 Tablespoons of the milk. Combine using the spoon, stirring until it is combined. Then add 1/3 of the milk, again, stir until it is combined.
- Keep stirring the mixture, it will take a couple of minutes, and you will get lumps like in the photo. Don't worry at this stage! The lumps will go, so long as you stir. Use your wooden spoon to make sure none of the flour is stuck in the sides of the pan. At this stage, return the pan to a medium heat, and add the remaining milk.
- If you have a hand whisk, switch to using it now, and add the mustard, salt and herbs. Continue to stir until the sauce becomes thick and holds to the whisk. It should be a 'coating' consistency. Be patient, it will seem like nothing is happening for a while, then suddenly, hey presto! The sauce immediately thickens. Keep stirring!
- When it has thickened, add the grated cheese and stir in well.
- Transfer the sauce to the cauliflower, and pour all over so the cauliflower is coated with the sauce. Sprinkle some extra cheese on the top if you wish to. ***** At this point, you can allow to cool completely and freeze or refrigerate. Cover with plastic wrap, and then when you want to cook it, bring back to room temperature and follow the steps below.
- Place in the oven at 200 C / 400 F for about 20 - 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden. When done, remove from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes. It will be VERY hot so take care!
- Serve the whole dish at the table or portion onto plates and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 513Total Fat: 37gSaturated Fat: 18gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 1119mgCarbohydrates: 17gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 29g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate
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Carmen Fuentes
says:I think I’m going to add some cooked chicken and make it a meal.
Margaret
says:Thanks so much for such a great recipe with clear instructions. Made it for a dinner party today and it was so tasty and demolished quickly. Everyone enjoyed it
Vicky C
says:Can you substitute something like almond flour for the all purpose flour and heavy cream for the milk? I don’t see the nutritional info here, but typically we’re trying to avoid those ingredients.
Charlena
says:Can you use frozen cauliflower?
Lovefoodies
says:Hi Charlena, I haven’t tried using frozen. The only concern I would have is it might be a bit watery and then make the sauce watery, so I would defrost and pat dry with kitchen paper first to make sure as much water is out first. Hope that helps!
Kecia
says:My mom always put a little mustard in her cheese sauce, too! You are right it does bring out the cheese flavor!
lovefoodies
says:Mom’s always know best! I learned it from my mom too Kecia!!
MamalDiane
says:Looks wonderful. I just bought two heads, perfect timing. Thanks!
lovefoodies
says:That sounds like a good plan Diane! Please enjoy!
Joanne DiPalo
says:Delicious, this is a great side dish for any meal. Pinned/shared.
lovefoodies
says:Thanks very much Joanne, I’m glad you like it!