Cauliflower cheese is a classic Irish or English side dish which is usually served to accompany a roasted chicken or beef dinner. It's also a perfect side for turkey dinner at Thanksgiving or Christmas.
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What Is Cauliflower Cheese?
This side is simple yet delicious. One of our family favorites, often served for Sunday lunch or dinner, this is an extremely easy side dish to prepare.
I love to pop this cheesy cauliflower dish into the oven once the roast has been cooked and has been taken out of the oven to rest.
Irish people love a roast dinner, and you'll find many vegetable sides to accompany these special dinners in this Irish Side Dishes section of my blog.
Ingredients for Cauliflower Cheese Casserole
Here's a quick list of what you'll need. Check the printable recipe below for exact quantities in either US or Metric equivalents.
- cauliflower broken into florets.
- salted butter
- all-purpose flour
- whole milk
- dijon mustard
- mature cheddar cheese grated (sharp cheddar cheese)
- salt and pepper to season
Ingredient Tips and Substitutions
You can use a full cauliflower and cut it up into florets or you can purchase prepared cauliflower florets.
To cut up a whole cauliflower, first cut it in half through the middle and down through the stalk. Cut each half again to make quarters.
Cut the central hard core of the cauliflower out on the diagonal. Then use your fingers to break the florets off the remaining stems.
I use dijon mustard, but you can substitute English mustard powder instead, if you prefer a bolder mustard flavor.
A little freshly grated nutmeg is also a nice addition to the cheese sauce.
I season this sauce with white pepper rather than black pepper. I prefer the sauce to look creamy rather than having black speckles from the pepper.
Whole milk is used for this sauce. If you like extra creamy cheese sauce then substitute a half cup of whole milk with heavy cream.
Directions for Making Cauliflower Cheese
Before you get started preheat the oven to 375 F. I usually cook this side dish to accompany a roast chicken or beef, so my oven is usually already hot and ready to go.
Wash the cauliflower florets. Discard the large tough stem and leaves of the caulifower, and only use the florets.
Place in a large saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the cauliflower is slightly tender but not fully cooked. Drain the cauliflower and set aside.
I usually steam the cauliflower rather than boiling it.
Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and stir to form a roux. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute stirring constantly so that the roux does not stick.
Remove the pan from the heat, and add a little of the milk, whisking all the time. Gradually add the milk whisking well with each addition to form a smooth sauce.
Return to the heat and bring to a simmer stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes whisking continuously to avoid burning.
Keep the saucepan over low heat. Add the mustard and two-thirds of the cheese. Stir to combine and melt the cheese. Whisk as needed to ensure the mixture is smooth and has no lumps.
Season with salt and pepper to taste. I often find there's no need to add extra salt because of the intensity of the cheddar cheese flavor.
Set the sauce aside.
Butter an oven-proof baking dish and then arrange the half-cooked cauliflower florets in the dish.
Pour the sauce over the steamed cauliflower florets in the casserole dish. Completely cover the cauliflower with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle the top with the remainder of the cheese.
Some people like to top the casserole with seasoned breadcrumbs before baking. However, my family recipe omits this topping layer.
Bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
And there you have it - one of my all time favorite vegetable sides. This is comfort food at its finest, and the tastiest way I know to serve cauliflower.
I recommend using a sharp cheddar cheese for the sauce to give the dish a tangy flavor. Of course, I'm biased being Irish, but I love to use Dubliner Irish cheddar in this dish. I find Irish cheddar to be far sharper than any American variety I have ever found.
Recipe Card for Cauliflower Cheese
Here's a short video summarizing the steps for making this recipe.
Here's the printable recipe card.
Cauliflower Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower broken into florets
- 2 ounces salted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1¾ cups whole milk
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 cup cheddar cheese sharp cheddar cheese grated
- ⅛ teaspoon salt to season
- ⅛ teaspoon pepper to season
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F.
- Wash the cauliflower florets. Place in a large saucepan of salted water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes until the cauliflower is slightly tender but not fully cooked. Drain the cauliflower and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and stir to form a roux. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute stirring constantly so that the roux does not stick.
- Remove the pan from the heat, and add a little of the milk, whisking all the time. Gradually add the milk whisking well with each addition to form a smooth sauce.
- Return to the heat and bring to a simmer stirring constantly. Cook for 2 minutes whisking continuously to avoid burning.
- Add the mustard and two-thirds of the cheese. Stir to combine and melt the cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set the sauce aside.
- Butter an oven-proof baking dish and then arrange the half-cooked cauliflower florets in the dish.
- Completely cover the cauliflower with the cheese sauce. Sprinkle the top with the remainder of the grated cheese.
- Bake for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling.
Nutrition Information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin and freshness of ingredients used.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. It can be reheated in the microwave.
I hope your family enjoys this classic cauliflower side as much as mine does.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Slán agus beannacht,
(Goodbye and blessings)
Mairéad -Irish American Mom
Pronunciation - slawn ah-gus ban-ock-th
Mairéad - rhymes with parade
Here are some other recipes you might enjoy...
Irish Side Dishes
- Sautéed to Perfection: Unlocking the Secrets of Flavorful Onions
- Buttered Baby Carrots
- Healthy Honey Roasted Parsnips Recipe
- Mustard Champ - An Easy and Flavorful Irish Side Dish
Irish Main Dishes
- Delicious And Flavorful Whiskey Pork Chops Recipe
- Guinness Glazed Chicken Tenders
- Easy Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
- Leftover Turkey and Ham Rissoles
Penny Wolf
Right up my alley!
I like thinking that Thanksgiving is Everyday, but Happy Thanksgiving on the biggest one of the year.
Irish American Mom
Hi Penny - I hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving and enjoyed your turkey and all the fixin's. This cauliflower casserole is delicious with turkey or roast chicken.
Best wishes,
Mairéad
Lorna Sixsmith
I haven't eaten this in years and just reading it is making my mouth water. I'm not a huge fan of cauli on its own but it really is delicious in a cheese sauce. Thanks Mairead, cauli is going on my shopping list for tomorrow!
Cheers, Lorna
Irish American Mom
Hi Lorna - This recipe is definitely an oldie but a goodie. It reminds me of Sunday roast dinners all through my childhood. This kind of comfort food is my favorite during the winter months.
All the best,
Mairéad
irishnannie
As always, great presentation, Mairead*!
mmm...cheese sauce...makes everything dee-lish!
God bless you!
Irish American Mom
Hi Irishannie - I too love the ooey gooey goodness of cheese sauce too. It definitely takes recipes to a new level of excellence.
All the best,
Mairéad
Debbie Marshall Hutchinson
So happy to have found your wonderful blog!
My name is Debbie and about a month ago, thanks to one of my brother's having done a secret Ancestry DNA test, my siblings and I found out we were 46 percent Irish and 23 percent Great Britain along with about 13 % Scandinavian! This might not seem strange to most but to me and my siblings it was the shock of our lives! You see, we were raised to believe that we had strong native American heritage and had always been told our Great Grandmother was full-blooded Cherokee Indian. Not only that but we look the part, dark hair, eyes and skin. To say we were shocked is an understatement and since our parents, aunts and uncles are all passed there is no one to ask. We would have questioned these findings but a cousin did the same test and was matched to us as a close relative and she received pretty much the same result, no native American heritage. It was a little sad realizing the truth of the situation but then I realized why I had always loved Ireland and had such strong desires to visit.
I even have a Pinterest board dedicated to Ireland and one dedicated to plaid of all things and my favorite John Wayne movie is "The Quite Man!" It's just amazing that even though I am 57 years old and have just found out about my strong Irish blood line that my longing for Ireland is in my DNA as is the case with many of my family members.
So, while looking online to look for Irish blessings to send to family and friends on FB for the New Year I came across your sweet blog and I intend to come back many times. Oh, I have traded in my Indian feathers for a Shamrock! hehehehe
Blessings!
Debbie
Irish American Mom
Hi Debbie - Welcome to my little Irish corner of the world wide web. I'm so glad you found my blog on your search for Irish blessings today. And thank you for sharing the story of your ancestral research and DNA testing. Science is simply amazing. It seems you are genetically predisposed to liking all things Irish. I have read that in parts of the mid-west the Irish often settled close to the Cherokee people. They found they had a lot in common with native Americans, even more than they had in common with settlers from other countries. Both the Cherokee and the Irish believed in the Little People or fairies, and they had a deep seated respect for nature. This is a topic I would love to research more someday.
Anyway, thank you for stopping by and checking out my recipes and ramblings. Please stop by whenever you feel like connecting with your Irish side.
A very happy and prosperous New Year to you and yours.
Mairéad
Debbie Marshall Hutchinson
Thank you so much for the info about the Irish and the Cherokee friendship. It's so very interesting and I would love to know more about the subject!
It's a cold day here in Southern Indiana and we actually have some snow on the ground so I'm sitting comfortably on my sofa with a throw over me watching TV and enjoying your wonderful blog hoping to gain more insight into my heritage. The pictures are absolutely beautiful and I feel so connected to this beautiful country and now I know why!
I forgot to say in my earlier comment that my husband and I bought our home that we still live in in 1980. I was attracted to it from the minute I saw it because it's made entirely of stone and I call it our little cottage. We have a climbing rose bush that grows up the front of our home and by our stone walkway. I guess you can take the girl out of Ireland but you can't take Ireland out of the girl!
Keep the wonderful posts coming!
Irish American Mom
Hi Debbie - Your affinity for stone is definitely an Irish thing. It's in our DNA. I have so many blog posts spinning around in my head that I need to sit down and write. One is all about the stone walls of Ireland, and another is about the stones walls found around the Lexington area in Kentucky. Apparently they were built by Irish immigrants. I also need to write about Ireland's "thin places" which are usually ancient stone monuments where visitors feel a deep connection to the past. So many topics - I better get writing.
Thanks so much for reading along and for your lovely words of support. Looking forward to our Irish American journey in the coming year.
All the best,
Mairéad
Lynette
Hi there what do you mean by mature cheese cheese, is it sharp cheese
Irish American Mom
Hi Lynette - A sharp cheddar cheese is what you need. In Ireland we tend to call it mature cheddar rather than sharp. I like to use the sharpest, tangiest cheddar I can find for this recipe. Thanks for stopping by to check out this recipe.
All the best,
Mairéad
Lynette
Thank you for the information I am making it tonight
Will let you know how it turned out
Ruth
Hi Irish American Mom,
It's just me in the house so it would make much too much. Have you ever frozen portions of it to thaw and bake later?
Irish American Mom
Hi Ruth - I've never tried freezing this recipe. I'm not sure if the cheese sauce would fare well in the freezer - it might separate a little.
Thanks so much for checking out my recipe.
All the best,
Mairéad
Sheila
Cauliflower cheese is one of my favorite sides for roast chicken. Thanks for a lovely recipe.
Irish American Mom
Hi Sheila - When I was growing up in Ireland, cauliflower cheese usually featured on our Sunday dinner menu. I still love this Irish veggie side.
All the best,
Mairéad