Indulge in a symphony of flavors with our delectable Cauliflower Pasta and Cheese Gratin, a culinary masterpiece that seamlessly blends the goodness of cauliflower with the comforting richness of a classic pasta dish. This low-carb, gluten-free recipe offers a healthier alternative to traditional pasta gratin, making it a perfect choice for health-conscious individuals or those with dietary restrictions.
Embark on a delightful culinary journey as we unveil the secrets behind this remarkable dish. Discover how simple ingredients like cauliflower, cheese, and spices transform into a harmonious ensemble of flavors, textures, and aromas.
Uncover the art of preparing a creamy and flavorful cheese sauce, the key component that elevates this dish to new heights. Learn the techniques for achieving a perfectly cooked cauliflower that retains its texture and nutritional value.
Delve into the secrets of assembling the gratin, layering the cauliflower and cheese sauce to create an irresistible symphony of flavors. Explore the art of achieving a golden-brown crust, adding an extra layer of texture and visual appeal to the dish.
This comprehensive guide will lead you step-by-step through the process of creating this culinary masterpiece. With detailed instructions, helpful tips, and stunning visuals, you'll be able to recreate this dish in the comfort of your own kitchen.
So, prepare to tantalize your taste buds and embark on a culinary adventure with our Cauliflower Pasta and Cheese Gratin. Let the delightful flavors and aromas transport you to a world of culinary bliss.
CAULIFLOWER GRATIN
Prep Ina Garten's recipe for Cauliflower Gratin from Barefoot Contessa on Food Network ahead as a creamy, cheesy vegetable side for a no-stress dinner party.
Provided by Ina Garten
Categories side-dish
Time 50m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cook the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 6 minutes, until tender but still firm. Drain.
- Meanwhile, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture and stir until it comes to a boil. Boil, whisking constantly, for 1 minute, or until thickened. Off the heat, add 1 teaspoon of salt, the pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup of the Gruyere, and the Parmesan.
- Pour 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of an 8 by 11 by 2-inch baking dish. Place the drained cauliflower on top and then spread the rest of the sauce evenly on top. Combine the bread crumbs with the remaining 1/4 cup of Gruyere and sprinkle on top. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over the gratin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is browned. Serve hot or at room temperature.
CAULIFLOWER GRATIN WITH LEEKS AND WHITE CHEDDAR
A sort of cheater's gratin, this cauliflower cooked with leeks and cream doesn't require blanching or a béchamel, making it a low maintenance, deeply comforting side dish. To skirt the blanching, the cauliflower and cream is covered in foil to give the vegetables a chance to get tender without drying out. The foil then comes off so the top can brown and the cream can reduce, creating a thick, velvety sauce. If your heart desires a crunchier texture, add a scattering of bread crumbs tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper when the aluminum foil comes off.
Provided by Alison Roman
Categories vegetables, side dish
Time 1h
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice cauliflower head lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices, including the core and leaves. (Some smaller bits will fall away: That's fine. You'll use them as well.)
- Drizzle some olive oil onto the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. (An oval, square or rectangular dish will all work.) Layer about a third of the cauliflower along the bottom, and about a third of the leeks. Season with salt and pepper, and repeat until all of the cauliflower and leeks are used. (Don't worry about perfectly layering them.) Season with salt and pepper and drizzle cream over. Scatter cheese on top, and season again with salt and pepper. Lightly cover with foil and place in the oven.
- Bake until cauliflower is nearly tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cream has thickened and reduced nearly completely and the top is golden brown and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before eating.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 264, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 11 grams, Fat 21 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 11 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 514 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams
CAULIFLOWER TRIPLE CHEESE GRATIN
The three cheeses will give this recipe a wonderful taste your cheese lovers, and those who are not, will love it too.
Provided by Regina's Kitchen
Categories Side Dish Vegetables Cauliflower
Time 30m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
- Combine cream, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, Asiago cheese, salt, and pepper together in a bowl. Scoop 1 cup of cheese mixture in bottom of a baking dish. Layer cauliflower into baking dish; cover with remaining cheese mixture.
- Bake in preheated oven until cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork, 20 to 30 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 572.6 calories, Carbohydrate 9.4 g, Cholesterol 172.3 mg, Fat 48.2 g, Fiber 2.4 g, Protein 27.4 g, SaturatedFat 29.9 g, Sodium 944.2 mg, Sugar 3.1 g
CRUSTY BAKED SHELLS & CAULIFLOWER
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Fill a large pot with water, add 2 tablespoons salt, and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook al dente, according to the instructions on the package. Since it will be baked later, don't overcook it! Drain and pour into a very large bowl.
- Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium-high heat, add half the cauliflower in one layer, and saute for 5 to 6 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the florets are lightly browned and tender. Pour the cauliflower, including the small bits, into the bowl with the pasta. Add 3 more tablespoons of oil to the saute pan, add the remaining cauliflower, cook until browned and tender, and add to the bowl.
- Add the sage, capers, garlic, lemon zest, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon black pepper to the bowl and stir carefully. Stir in the Fontina. Transfer half of the mixture to a 10 x 13 x 2-inch rectangular baking dish. Spoon rounded tablespoons of ricotta on the pasta and spoon the remaining pasta mixture on top. Combine the panko, Pecorino, parsley, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a small bowl and sprinkle it evenly on top. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until browned and crusty on top. Serve hot.
CAULIFLOWER, PASTA AND CHEESE GRATIN
This is my favorite time of the year, because I can enjoy the warmth of the kitchen. While I'm enjoying all the warmth, I can make all of my cold-weather recipes. This is definitely one of them! Feel free to use full fat cheeses and whole milk if you like, but it's really delicious without.
Provided by FLUFFSTER
Categories Pasta Shells
Time 1h20m
Yield 6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan; add cauliflower and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boiling water, and cook 4 minutes or until tender. Remove cauliflower with a slotted spoon, reserving cooking liquid; set cauliflower aside. Bring cooking liquid to a rolling boil. Add pasta, and cook 7 minutes or until al dente; drain and set aside.
- Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup, and level with a knife. Combine flour and milk in a saucepan, stirring well with a whisk. Stir in thyme and garlic; cook over medium heat until thick (about 8 minutes), stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt, cheeses, onions, mustard, and pepper.
- Combine cauliflower, pasta, and cheese sauce in a large bowl. Spoon the cauliflower mixture into a 13x9-inch baking dish. Place bread in food processor; pulse 10 times or until coarse crumbs form to measure 1 cup. Combine breadcrumbs with butter; sprinkle evenly over cauliflower mixture. Bake 400°F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 345.9, Fat 7.2, SaturatedFat 4, Cholesterol 20.8, Sodium 712.1, Carbohydrate 50.3, Fiber 4.5, Sugar 10.3, Protein 20.4
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER GRATIN WITH TOMATOES AND GOAT CHEESE
Roasting is one of my favorite ways to prepare cauliflower, and I have always loved preparations that pair the vegetable with coriander seeds. I use coriander seeds and cinnamon to season the tomato sauce that I toss with the roasted cauliflower and sautéed red onions, then add a couple of eggs beaten with goat cheese.
Provided by Martha Rose Shulman
Categories dinner, lunch, main course, side dish
Time 1h20m
Yield Serves 4 to 6
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment or foil. Cut away the bottom of the cauliflower stem and trim off leaves. Cut cauliflower into 1/3 inch thick slices, letting the florets on the edges fall off. Toss all of it, including the bits that have fallen away, with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place on baking sheet in an even layer.
- Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring and flipping over the big slices after 8 minutes, until the slices are tender when pierced with a paring knife and the small florets are nicely browned. Remove from oven and cut large slices into smaller pieces. You should have about 2 cups. Transfer to a large bowl. Turn oven down to 375 degrees.
- Oil a 1-1/2 to 2-quart baking dish or gratin. Heat remaining oil over medium heat in a medium-size skillet or a wide saucepan and add onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and the garlic and thyme and continue to cook, stirring, until garlic is fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add tomatoes, cinnamon, ground coriander seeds, and salt and pepper to taste and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the sauce is fragrant. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add to bowl with the cauliflower and stir everything together. Scrape into prepared baking dish.
- Set aside 2 tablespoons of the goat cheese. Beat eggs, then add the remaining cheese and beat together until smooth. Pour over cauliflower mixture, making sure to scrape out every last bit with a rubber spatula. Dot top with small pieces of the remaining goat cheese and sprinkle on chives.
- Bake 30 minutes, until top is beginning to brown in spots. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 179, UnsaturatedFat 8 grams, Carbohydrate 11 grams, Fat 13 grams, Fiber 4 grams, Protein 8 grams, SaturatedFat 4 grams, Sodium 547 milligrams, Sugar 5 grams, TransFat 0 grams
FOUR-CHEESE CAULIFLOWER GRATIN
Combine four cheeses - mozzarella, cheddar or gruyère, cream cheese and parmesan - to make this decadent Sunday lunch side. Add truffle oil for luxury
Provided by Tom Kerridge
Categories Side dish
Time 2h10m
Yield Serves 8-10
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- For the sauce, melt the butter in a shallow saucepan. When it's just starting to sizzle, stir in the flour to make a paste. Cook for a minute, then gradually whisk in the milk until you have a smooth, thick sauce. Stir through the mustard, cream cheese, truffle oil (if using) and parmesan, and cook over a low heat until thickened. Season with lots of black pepper.
- Heat oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1. Trim the leaves off the cauliflowers and slice into rough steaks about 1cm thick. Don't worry about the outside bits not being slices - it will all be used. Assemble the dish a bit like a lasagne. Spoon a quarter of the cheese sauce into a large baking dish and spread it out, then add half of the cauliflower. Repeat the process, finishing with a thick layer of sauce. Scatter over the mozzarella, and the gruyère or cheddar and crispy onions.
- Bake for 1 hr 30-1 hr 45 mins until the cheese is golden and the cauliflower is soft but not mushy. If you want a golden finish, you can grill it (keep an eye on it) or leave it in when you turn the oven up for the crackling, if making the salt & vinegar roast pork as well. Once baked, leave to stand for 10 mins before serving in the middle of the table.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 279 calories, Fat 19 grams fat, SaturatedFat 11 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 10 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 6 grams sugar, Fiber 2 grams fiber, Protein 16 grams protein, Sodium 1 milligram of sodium
TRUFFLED CAULIFLOWER GRATIN
In this otherwise humble gratin, we're going to use another, much more delicious delivery system of truffles: truffle pecorino cheese. For less than $10 worth of cheese, I think you can get a nicer, truer truffle flavor. By the way, if you know they actually make this cheese with synthetic truffle oil, please keep it to yourself, and don't spoil it for me.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Side Dish Vegetables Cauliflower
Time 1h
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Butter a 9x13-inch baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk flour into butter; cook and stir until raw flour taste cooks off, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Gradually whisk milk into flour mixture. Increase heat to medium-high; cook and stir until mixture thickens and comes to a simmer, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir truffled pecorino cheese, salt, cayenne pepper, and nutmeg into milk mixture until cheese sauce is thick.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil; add cauliflower and cook until slightly tender, about 6 minutes. Drain and transfer cauliflower to prepared baking dish. Spread cheese sauce evenly over cauliflower. Dust with bread crumbs, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese; drizzle olive oil over the top and sprinkle with a pinch of cayenne pepper.
- Bake in the preheated oven until browned and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh chives.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 240.6 calories, Carbohydrate 17.2 g, Cholesterol 35.1 mg, Fat 21.9 g, Fiber 3 g, Protein 12.4 g, SaturatedFat 8.1 g, Sodium 462.8 mg, Sugar 7 g
Tips:
- To save time, use pre-riced cauliflower. Look for it in the freezer section of your grocery store.
- If you don't have a food processor, you can grate the cauliflower by hand using a box grater.
- Be sure to squeeze as much water out of the cauliflower as possible before cooking it. This will help prevent the pasta from being watery.
- Don't overcook the cauliflower. It should be tender but still slightly firm.
- Use a good quality cheese for the sauce. This will make a big difference in the flavor of the dish.
- Season the sauce to taste. You may need to add more salt, pepper, or garlic powder.
- Serve the pasta immediately, or it will start to get soggy.
Conclusion:
Cauliflower pasta and cheese gratin is a delicious and healthy twist on a classic comfort food. It's easy to make and can be tailored to your own taste preferences. Whether you like your pasta cheesy, saucy, or crispy, this recipe has you covered. So next time you're looking for a satisfying and nutritious meal, give cauliflower pasta and cheese gratin a try.
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