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There is nothing more comforting than a Gluten Free Cauliflower Cheese, whether it’s as a meal on its own or part of a gluten free roast dinner. A good cauliflower cheese recipe is very hard to beat!
There’s something about taking a vegetable and smothering it in the most delicious, cheesey sauce that just takes it to a whole new level.
And that is especially true when it comes to cauliflower.
(In fact, I’m pretty sure covering everything in gluten free cheese sauce makes it infinitely better.)
My gluten free cauliflower cheese recipe is the perfect side dish for a Sunday roast dinner or you could even eat it as the main dish.
Whether your pair it with meat, roast potatoes, gluten free gravy or even eat with a crusty gluten free baguette for scooping up the sauce, it’s pure comfort food.
However you choose to enjoy it, you’re sure to keep coming back to this absolute classic comfort food dish.
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But I don’t even like cauliflower!?
Cauliflower has never been my favourite vegetable (aside from my roasted cauliflower curry) but a cauliflower cheese is always a winner.
In fact, I’m pretty confident my gluten free cauliflower cheese recipe will even please the cauli-haters out there.
This gluten free cauliflower cheese sauce is just SO deliciously cheesy, and if you have time for the extra topping too, you’ll barely know you’re eating a vegetable.
It’s a great way to get kids to eat veggies as the cheese masks the ‘healthiness” too.
I like to season my gluten free cheese sauce simply, but it’s worth it. Trust me.
Just a sprinkle of ground nutmeg, a teaspoon of dijon mustard and plenty of salt and pepper make this simple but oh-so-tasty.
It means the cheese can really be the star of the show, but the more you eat, the more undertones of flavour you get. Lovely.
How to make a gluten free cheese sauce
I love making gluten free cheese sauce, and it’s taken me a while to get it down to a fine art.
At first it can seem daunting but trust me, the basic gluten free white sauce is easy, and then it’s just a case of flavouring it!
The trick is to start by making a gluten free roux – which is basically just equal parts gluten free flour (I use FREEE by Doves Farm plain gluten free flour, but any plain blend will do) and fat.
I always use gluten free flour and unsalted butter for this, but a dairy free option would be to use something like margarine or Stork.
Once the butter is melted, add the flour and continue to stir for around 30 seconds, so the flour begins to cook.
The it’s just a case of adding the milk (dairy free if you prefer) to the roux, a little at a time, and constantly stirring it in using a whisk.
This will ensure you have no lumps – if you add all the milk in one go you’ll be there forever trying to stir out the lumps.
You can use a wooden spoon, but I prefer a whisk like this one with a ball inside it, as it helps to break down any lumps.
And then once you have a smooth sauce, add your flavourings and a whole lotta cheese et voila, the perfect gluten free cheese sauce!
Can I pimp my gluten free cauliflower cheese?
I wanted to start off with the basics, but if you want to jazz things up a little, you can definitely make some alterations to this recipe.
For starters, why not throw in some broccoli, leeks or even Brussels sprouts to make it more of a ‘vegetable medley cheese’?
If you wanted a little extra flavour or texture, you could throw in some crispy cooked pancetta or bacon lardons.
Or if it’s something a little more festive you’re after, why not take inspiration from my festive mac and cheese recipe and add some chopped (cooked) pigs in blankets?
A little crushed garlic added to the butter before you add the gluten free flour gives this a really lovely, subtle lift.
And if you want a kick, add some chilli flakes to the sauce – because chilli flakes go well with everything, right!
My final suggestion would be to throw some gluten free breadcrumbs on top with the extra cheese topping before you bake this.
Of course, the baking stage of this recipe can be bypassed if you’re short on time – but a crispy, breadcrumb-y topping is hard to resist.
How to make my gluten free cauliflower cheese
To make this recipe you’ll need a few simple ingredients, and there’s a full recipe card down below which is printable and has the method!
But for the shopping list, you’ll need to grab these ingredients…
- 500g frozen cauliflower florets (OR 1 x medium cauliflower cut into in florets)
- 50g unsalted butter
- 50g plain gluten free flour
- 500ml milk
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 heaped tsp dijon mustard
- 185g extra mature Cheddar cheese (grated)
- Salt and Pepper
I use frozen cauliflower because I rely heavily on frozen veg – largely to eliminate any food waste as I can be very forgetful!
However if you’d rather use a fresh cauliflower that’s fine, you’ll just need to cook it initially for slightly less time.
If you want to add my optional cheesy top, you’ll also need to include some extra Cheddar cheese as well as around 10g of grated parmesan cheese.
Most of these you’ll hopefully have already in the house but if not they should be readily available in the supermarkets.
My gluten free cauliflower cheese recipe
Gluten free cauliflower cheese is definitely the perfect recipe for a Sunday roast. It’s a delicious side dish the whole family will love.
I’d say this would serve 4-6 people as part of a roast dinner spread, or 2-3 people if you’re having it as a main dish.
If you make this recipe and love it, please do let me know by tagging me on my Instagram or using #theglutenfreeblogger. I love seeing your bakes!
And if you loved it, please do leave a review to let others know you loved it too! It would mean the world to me.
Gluten Free Cauliflower Cheese
This gluten free cauliflower cheese recipe is the perfect side dish for a roast dinner. A gluten free cheese sauce with nutmeg and dijon mustard smothers steamed cauliflower - bake in the oven for an optional, extra cheesy topping. Serves 4-6 people.
Ingredients
- 500g frozen cauliflower florets (OR 1 x medium cauliflower cut into in florets)
- 50g unsalted butter
- 50g plain gluten free flour
- 500ml milk
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 heaped tsp dijon mustard
- 185g extra mature Cheddar cheese (grated)
- Salt and Pepper
For the topping (optional)
- 15g extra mature Cheddar cheese (grated)
- 10g parmesan cheese (grated)
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Cook the cauliflower florets until the stalks are just tender when you stab them with a knife or fork. For frozen cauliflower I steam for 10 minutes, or boil for 5-6 minutes. This will be slightly less for fresh cauliflower and will depend on the size of the florets - you don't want them to turn to mush so keep an eye on them!
- Remove the cauliflower from the water (if boiling) and set to one side while you make the sauce.
- Place a large saucepan on a low heat and melt the butter. Once melted, add the flour and use a whisk to mix together into a thick paste. Continue to cook for around 30 seconds to one minute, stirring constantly so it doesn't stick.
- Pour in approx 100ml of the milk and continue stirring until it forms a smooth, thick paste with no lumps. Continue to add the milk, around 100ml at a time, stirring constantly. Each time, only add the next lot of milk when all the lumps are gone.
- Once all the milk has been added, you should have a smooth, thick white sauce. Continue to stir until it starts to bubble, then turn off the heat. Add the nutmeg, dijon mustard and a generous pinch of salt and pepper and stir in. Next add the cheese and stir carefully until it has all melted and you have a thick sauce.
- Add the cauliflower to the sauce and use a large slotted spoon to gently stir it together - be careful not to break the cauliflower up here. You just want to gently make sure it's all coated.
- Pour into a heatproof serving dish. Either serve straight away with an extra helping of black pepper OR sprinkle with the extra cheese and parmesan and place in a hot oven (around 180'C / Gas Mark 4) for around 10 minutes until the cheese topping has melted and starts to brown. Serve hot.
Notes
- With a roast dinner, I like to time making this so that once the meat has come out of the oven and is resting, the cauliflower cheese can go straight in and the topping can cook.
- This can be kept in the fridge for around 3 days or frozen. It can be reheated but you may find the cauliflower breaks up a little.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 297Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 378mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 14g
Need some more gluten free meal inspiration?
If you want to have a go at some of the other gluten free roast dinner recipes on the blog, why not give some of these a try?
- Gluten Free Yorkshire Puddings
- Gluten Free Roast Potatoes
- Gluten and Dairy Free Gravy
- Gluten Free Stuffing Balls
Giving this recipe a go? Let me know! I’d love to see your photos using #theglutenfreeblogger, share them in my Facebook group or tag me on Instagram.
And if you have any recipe suggestions, please let me know in the comments what you’d like to see next!
Like this Gluten Free Cauliflower Cheese recipe?
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About the author
Sarah Howells is a UK gluten free blogger and author. She has been living with coeliac disease since 2002. Her debut recipe book, Delicious Gluten Free Meals, is out now in the UK and to pre-order in the US.
