Cauliflower au Gratin
Tender cauliflower baked in a garlicky Gruyère cream sauce under a bubbling, golden cheese crust — a holiday-worthy swap for potatoes au gratin.
Nutrition per serving
⅔ cup- Net carbs
- 4.6g
- Calories
- 260kcal
- Protein
- 9.3g
- Fat
- 23g
- Total carbs
- 6.7 g
- Fiber
- 2.1 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Broccoli & cauliflower: Half broccoli, half cauliflower for a greener, more colorful gratin — the classic holiday casserole pairing.
- Parcook the cauliflower as written, but give the broccoli only 2 minutes — it softens faster. Drain and dry both well before arranging them in the dish.
Ham & cheese: Diced ham tucked between the florets makes it a hearty one-dish dinner, and a good home for leftover holiday ham.
- Scatter the ham between the florets in the baking dish before pouring over the sauce. Taste the sauce before salting it — the ham adds plenty.
Turnip "scalloped potatoes": Thin turnip slices layered in the Gruyère cream bake up tender like real scalloped potatoes, for about 1½ g more net carbs per serving.
- Slice the turnips on a mandoline and simmer them in salted water for 4–5 minutes, until just pliable. Drain and pat dry.
- Layer the slices in overlapping rows, spooning a little sauce between the layers, then top with the cheeses. Cover with foil and bake 20 minutes, then uncover and bake 20–25 minutes more, until a knife slides through with no resistance and the top is golden.
- Cauliflower
- Gruyère cream sauce
- Topping
- Cauliflower
- Gruyère cream sauce
- Topping
- Also add
- Cauliflower
- Gruyère cream sauce
- Topping
- Also add
- Cauliflower
- Gruyère cream sauce
- Topping
Estimated cost $10.58 for 6 servings ($1.76 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
-
Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and butter an 8 × 8-inch (20 × 20 cm) baking dish.
-
Boil or steam the florets for 4–5 minutes, until a knife meets just a little resistance at the stem — they finish cooking in the oven. Drain very well and let them steam-dry on a towel for 5 minutes.
-
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook the garlic for 1 minute. Add the cream, cream cheese, thyme, nutmeg, salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Simmer gently for 4–5 minutes, until slightly reduced and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
-
Take the pan off the heat and stir in three-quarters of the Gruyère until melted.
-
Arrange the cauliflower in the dish, pour the sauce evenly over it and top with the remaining Gruyère and the parmesan.
-
Bake 20–25 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and golden brown on top (broil for 1–2 minutes for extra color). Rest 10 minutes before serving — the sauce thickens as it cools.
Tips for success
-
Parcook and dry the florets well. Raw cauliflower releases water in the oven and thins the sauce, while overcooked florets turn to mush. - With no flour, this sauce thickens through reduction, a little cream cheese and resting time — so don't skip the 10-minute rest.
- Shred your cheese from a block; the anti-caking starch on pre-shredded cheese makes sauces grainy. No Gruyère? Swiss, white cheddar or a mix work well. For a crunchy top, scatter pork rind "panko" over before baking.
Storage & meal prepMeal-prep friendly
- Keeps 4 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) for about 15 minutes, or microwave single portions for 1–2 minutes.
Prep tip: Assemble it a day ahead, cover and refrigerate unbaked; add about 10 minutes to the baking time.
Refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) for about 15 minutes, or in the microwave. Freezing isn't recommended — the cream sauce can separate.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosBroccoli & cauliflower
VeggiesHalf broccoli, half cauliflower for a greener, more colorful gratin — the classic holiday casserole pairing.
- cauliflower → cauliflower florets
- + 3 cups broccoli florets
5.1 g net · 264 kcal · 9.7 g protein · 23 g fat · ≈$1.92 per serving (+0.5 g net carbs vs the original)
Ham & cheese
ProteinDiced ham tucked between the florets makes it a hearty one-dish dinner, and a good home for leftover holiday ham.
- + 6 oz cooked ham
5.3 g net · 306 kcal · 14 g protein · 25 g fat · ≈$2.10 per serving (+0.7 g net carbs vs the original)
Turnip "scalloped potatoes"
SwapThin turnip slices layered in the Gruyère cream bake up tender like real scalloped potatoes, for about 1½ g more net carbs per serving.
- cauliflower → turnips
6.2 g net · 263 kcal · 8.3 g protein · 22 g fat · ≈$1.54 per serving (+1.6 g net carbs vs the original)
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