Cauliflower cheese
Tender cauliflower baked in a mustardy cheddar sauce with a golden, bubbling top – a roast dinner essential.
- Prep
- 15 mins
- Cook
- 35 mins
- Total
- 50 mins
- Serves
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost
- Budget
Recipe: Cauliflower cheese
Cauliflower cheese
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower, about 1kg, cut into florets
- 40g butter
- 40g plain flour
- 500ml milk
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 150g mature cheddar, grated
- nutmeg, a grating
- salt and black pepper, to taste
Kitchen kit
- Ovenproof dish, about 20 x 25cm Search Amazon for ovenproof baking dish
- Saucepan Search Amazon for saucepan
- Balloon whisk Search Amazon for balloon whisk
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon links go to search results for the kit, never food.
Method
-
Step 1: Cook the cauliflower
Heat the oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / gas 6. Boil or steam the cauliflower for 5–6 minutes until just tender. Drain very well and leave to steam-dry, then arrange in the dish.
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Step 2: Make the sauce
Melt the butter in a pan, stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and keep stirring until thick and bubbling. Simmer for 2 minutes, then take off the heat and stir in the mustard, nutmeg and two-thirds of the cheese. Season.
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Step 3: Bake
Pour the sauce over the cauliflower and scatter over the remaining cheese. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden and bubbling.
Tips
- Drain the cauliflower thoroughly – any water left will thin the sauce.
- For a vegetarian version, check the cheese is made with vegetarian rennet.
Storing & reheating
Cool, cover and refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking; eat within 2 days and reheat only once, until steaming hot all the way through.
Freezing
Freeze for up to 1 month (the texture softens a little). Defrost in the fridge and bake until piping hot.
Variations
- Add broccoli florets for cauliflower and broccoli cheese.
- Top with breadcrumbs for extra crunch.
Allergies: Always check the labels of the ingredients you buy for allergens — our dietary tags are a guide, not a guarantee.
From feeed.co.uk/recipes/cauliflower-cheese/ · Checked 17 October 2026
Questions people ask
Can I make it ahead?
Yes – assemble, cool, cover and chill for up to a day, then bake for 30–35 minutes until hot through.
Can I use the leaves?
Yes – the tender inner leaves are delicious cooked with the florets, which cuts waste.
Sources & inspiration
Checked 17 October 2026. Written in our own words; we checked proportions, technique and food safety against:
See other recipes that use the same kit on our kitchen kit pages.
