This creamy, cheesy cauliflower casserole has it all! Cauliflower florets, bacon, and green onions are folded into a garlicky cheese sauce for a veggie casserole that’s sure to please.
Cauliflower is one of those love-it-or-hate-it types of vegetables, but I think this cheesy cauliflower casserole recipe will convince even its harshest critics. Bring this to a potluck and I guarantee you’ll be leaving with an empty casserole dish! Of course, this recipe is also fabulous as a weeknight dinner, perhaps as a side dish for air fryer chicken breasts or crispy baked chicken thighs.
Easy Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole Recipe
Anytime you see the words “easy” and “cheesy” in a recipe name, you know it’s going to be good, right? And you wouldn’t be wrong here! This cauliflower casserole comes together quickly, and the rich, garlicky cheese sauce is so good, you’re going to want to put it on everything!
With the cheddar, bacon, and green onions, this recipe for cauliflower casserole is almost reminiscent of a loaded baked potato—but much lower in carbs!
Ingredients
- Cauliflower
- Butter
- Garlic
- All-purpose flour
- Whole milk
- Cream cheese – The cream cheese needs to be softened, so take it out a little bit before you plan on starting the recipe
- Shredded cheddar
- Salt + black pepper
- Bacon
- Green onions
Substitutions
- Cheese – You can use a different cheese if you like. Pepper jack can give this casserole a bit of a kick, while a smoked cheddar plays up the flavor of the bacon.
- Cauliflower – Swap fresh cauliflower for frozen cauliflower florets; you can skip the blanching if you do this.
How To Make Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
1. Prepare
Preheat your oven to 350ºF and butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Blanch the Cauliflower
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then blanch the cauliflower for 3 minutes.
3. Make the Cheese Sauce
Melt the butter in a large skillet, then add the garlic and cook for about a minute, or until fragrant. Whisk in the flour and continue to whisk until it turns a golden brown. Whisk in the milk, bring the mixture to a simmer, then remove from heat and whisk in the cream cheese, followed by a cup of cheddar. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Assemble the Cauliflower Casserole
Fold the cauliflower into the cheese sauce, then stir in all but 1 tablespoon each of the cooked bacon and green onions. Pour the cauliflower casserole mixture into the prepared baking dish, then top with the remaining cheese, bacon, and green onions.
5. Bake the Casserole
Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and the cheese is melted.
Hint: If you want the cheese on top of the casserole to get nicely browned, you can wait to add the bacon and green onions until after the casserole is done baking and then in the last 5 minutes of cooking time, turn on the broiler.
Variations
- Vegetarian – Omit the bacon or swap in your favorite plant-based variety to make this cauliflower casserole vegetarian.
- Crispy Topping – You can make a panko breadcrumb or cracker topping to add a bit of crunch to the top of your casserole.
FAQ
Can you freeze cauliflower casserole?
Yes, you can freeze cauliflower casserole. Wrap it tightly and freeze it for up to 3 months. If you have casserole dishes that can safely go from freezer to oven, you can cook it from frozen or let it thaw and then warm it up in the oven at 350ºF.
Is cauliflower casserole healthy?
Cauliflower casserole is lower in carbs than a similar casserole made with potatoes, but it’s definitely not low calorie!
What goes with cauliflower casserole?
Pair cauliflower casserole with grilled chicken, baked ham, air fryer popcorn chicken, or any other protein.
Top Tip
Let the florets drain well. If they’re still holding onto a lot of water when you add them to the cheese mixture, the sauce will thin out.
If you’re looking for more….try these recipes next!
Cauliflower Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 small heads cauliflower cut into florets
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups whole milk
- 2 oz cream cheese softened
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar divided
- salt + black pepper
- 6 slices bacon cooked and crumbled
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a large pot of salted boiling water, blanch cauliflower, 3 minutes. Drain well.
- In a large skillet, melt butter. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute, then add flour and stir until golden.
- Whisk in milk and bring to simmer.
- Remove from heat and whisk in cream cheese. Once melted, stir in 1 cup cheddar cheese until melted. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Add drained cauliflower to cheese mixture and stir.
- Add in all but 1 tablespoon each cooked bacon and green onions until combined.
- Add to a buttered 9×13 baking dish then top with remaining cheddar, bacon, and green onions.
- Bake 30 minutes or until cauliflower is tender and cheese is melted.
