Cheesy Loaded Cauliflower Casserole Recipes

LOADED CHEESY CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower; cover, and steam until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and let cool 10 minutes.
• Combine mozzarella cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, 1/2 the bacon bits, and chives in a large bowl. Add cauliflower; mix well. Pour mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle remaining bacon bits and Cheddar cheese on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes.

CHEESY LOADED CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat until brown and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon from the grease in the pan and let it drain on a paper towel lined plate while you prepare the rest of the dish.
• Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Remove the leaves and stem from the cauliflower, then cut it into small florets. Add the cauliflower florets to a pot and cover with water. Place a lid on the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Let the cauliflower boil for about 5 minutes, or until it is fork tender. Drain the cauliflower well in a colander.
• While the cauliflower is draining, prepare the cheese sauce. Add the butter and flour to a sauce pot. Melt the butter over medium heat, then continue to cook and stir the flour and butter for about two minutes more.
• Whisk the milk into the flour and butter until it is fully dissolved, and no lumps remain. Continue to heat and stir over medium until the milk reaches a gentle simmer, at which point it will thicken to the consistency of heavy cream.
• Season the white sauce with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Remove the sauce from the heat, then begin adding the shredded vintage cheddar, one handful at a time, making sure it has fully melted in before adding the next handful. If the sauce becomes too cold to melt the cheese, place it over low heat only until all the cheese has melted into the sauce.
• Place the boiled and drained cauliflower in a 2-quart casserole dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower, making sure it is fully covered. Top with the remaining 2 oz. shredded mild cheddar and the French Fried onions.
• Bake the cauliflower for only ten minutes, then switch the oven from bake to broil and broil for 3-5 minutes, or just until the top is slightly browned (broiling is optional). Do not over bake the casserole, or the cheese sauce will split.
• Remove the casserole from the oven and top with the cooked bacon and sliced green onions. Serve hot.

LOADED CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Cook the bacon in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown and crispy, 6 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bacon drippings.
• Put the cauliflower florets in a 3-quart casserole dish. Toss with the reserved 2 tablespoons bacon drippings, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast until the florets are soft and begin to brown, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix together the cream cheese and 1 cup of the Cheddar in a medium bowl until well combined. Dollop over the cauliflower, then sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup Cheddar and bake until the cauliflower is tender when poked with a knife and the Cheddar is melted and bubbly, 5 to 7 minutes more.
• Dollop the sour cream evenly over the casserole and sprinkle with the scallions and reserved bacon pieces.

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.