Baked cauliflower cheese gratin
A cauliflower bake made with thinly sliced layers baked with grated cheese, black pepper and garlic powder, topped with a light béchamel sauce and grilled until golden. A delicious, different way to enjoy cauliflower, perfect as a versatile side with fish, lean meat or eggs.
At a glance
- Prep15 min
- Cooking40 min
- Total55 min
- DifficultyMedium
Allergens
- Gluten
- Dairy
Who this recipe is for
A comforting, flavourful vegetable side or main dish, suitable for a weight-loss or weight-maintenance plan and appealing to people who find traditionally boiled vegetables difficult to enjoy.
Ingredients
Step by step
- Cut the cauliflower into slices or very thin layers so it cooks evenly in the oven.
- Place a first layer of cauliflower slices in an ovenproof dish.
- Sprinkle grated cheese over the top and season with ground black pepper and garlic powder (do not add salt, as the cheese provides enough).
- Add a second layer of cauliflower and cover again with grated cheese, pepper and garlic powder.
- Repeat with a third and fourth layer of cauliflower, seasoning each with cheese and spices.
- Place the dish in an oven preheated to 180 ºC for about 30 to 40 minutes, until the cauliflower is soft and tender.
- Remove the dish from the oven and pour over the béchamel sauce prepared beforehand with flour, butter and milk.
- Add a final layer of grated cheese over the béchamel.
- Grill in the oven at a high temperature for 5 to 10 minutes, until the top is golden and crisp.
Adaptations
How to change it depending on the day. Each change keeps the dish, it does not replace it.
For a gluten-free version
Make the béchamel with cornflour (cornstarch) or rice flour instead of wheat flour.
For a lighter or dairy-free béchamel
Make a plant-based béchamel with unsweetened soy drink and extra-virgin olive oil instead of cow’s milk and butter.
To turn it into a one-dish meal
Add quality cooked ham cubes, shredded chicken or tuna between the cauliflower layers before baking.
What it provides
Cauliflower is a very low-calorie cruciferous vegetable rich in water, dietary fibre, vitamin C and sulphur compounds with antioxidant properties. Cheese and béchamel provide calcium and a moderate amount of fat, making the vegetable more pleasant in flavour and texture and helping people who dislike boiled textures to enjoy it.
The dietitian's tip
Baking raw cauliflower in thin slices instead of boiling it prevents it from absorbing too much water and reduces the characteristic smell of cruciferous vegetables during cooking. You can bake it ahead and grill the béchamel topping just before serving.
Discover more balanced recipes in our weight-loss section. Other tasty ways to eat vegetables: aubergine and sweet potato omelette made in the microwave and oven-baked sea bass with potatoes.
What a recipe is not
This recipe fits into a plan; it does not replace one. It cures nothing and it is not calculated for one particular person: the quantities are indicative and will need adjusting to your case.
If you have a medical condition, take medication or follow a prescribed diet, check with your doctor or your dietitian before changing anything.
Where this recipe comes from
The main guide
Weight-loss diet: how to lose fat and keep it off
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