Pepped Up Cauliflower Casserole Recipes

CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Lightly coat a wide 3-quart (9x13) casserole dish, with nonstick spray, and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
• Transfer the cauliflower to the prepared casserole dish and spread it into an even layer. Keep the bowl handy. Roast cauliflower on the lower rack for 30 minutes, until the florets are tender and begin to brown.
• Meanwhile, arrange the bacon strips in a single layer on the prepared foil-lined baking sheet. Bake on the upper rack until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Remove the bacon and cauliflower from the oven. Stir the cauliflower, spread it back into an even layer, and place it on the upper rack to continue cooking until the end of its baking time.
• Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and lightly pat dry. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop or crumble the bacon into small pieces.
• In the same bowl that you used to toss the cauliflower, beat together the cream cheese and Greek yogurt until combined. Stir in 1/3 cup Gruyere cheese, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, and half of the chopped bacon.
• Remove the roasted cauliflower from the oven and dollop the cream cheese mixture over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/3 cup of Gruyere and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan.
• Return the pan to the upper third of the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and gooey, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the oven to broil. Broil the casserole until golden on top, 1 to 3 minutes. Do not walk away, and watch carefully to make sure the cheese does not burn.
• Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh chives and remaining bacon. Serve hot.

EASY CHEESY LOADED CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).
• In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with butter. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
• Transfer the cauliflower to a small 1.5 quart (1.4 L) casserole dish in a single layer. (Line the pan unless it's glass or stoneware. If there's too much cauliflower to fit in a single layer, roast on a larger baking sheet instead.) Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until crisp-tender.
• Meanwhile, in the same bowl, whisk together the sour cream and heavy cream, until smooth. Stir in the minced garlic, half of the cheddar cheese, half of the bacon bits, and half of the green onions. If desired, season sauce with sea salt and black pepper. (Don't oversalt - it will get more salty as the cheese melts later.)
• When the cauliflower is done roasting, take it out and leave the oven on. Add the cauliflower to the bowl and mix with the sauce.
• Return the cauliflower mixture to the casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and bacon bits.
• Bake for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese melts. Top with remaining green onions.

PEPPED UP CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease or spray a 2-qt casserole dish.
• In a saucepan combine cauliflower with peppers and onion; cover with water and salt. Bring to a boil; cover and cook for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until tender. Drain and place into a casserole dish.
• In a separate saucepan; melt butter over medium-low heat. Stir in flour and stir until smooth and bubbly. Gradually add milk, salt, pepper and paprika, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring until thickened. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheese.
• Pour this sauce over cauliflower in the casserole dish.
• Top with remaining cheese, then buttered breadcrumbs.
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

THREE-CHEESE CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400 degrees and butter a 2-quart glass baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the cauliflower until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain and cool.
• In a small saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour until it forms a pale-golden paste, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and bring the mixture to a low simmer, stirring frequently, until it thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in half the Gruyère and fontina.
• Pat the cauliflower dry then transfer it to a large bowl. Pour the creamy sauce over the cauliflower and stir to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper.
• Transfer the cauliflower mixture to the buttered baking dish, spreading it in an even layer. Top with the remaining Gruyère and fontina. Bake until the mixture begins to bubble and the cauliflower starts to turn golden, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the panko, pecorino, thyme and oil.
• Spoon the panko mixture on top of the cauliflower and bake until the topping is crisp, about 10 minutes. Allow the casserole to cool for about 5 minutes or so, then serve. Season with flaky salt, if desired.