Vegan Cauliflower Gratin – The Almond Eater

November 10, 2022

1

This tacky, but dairy free Vegan Cauliflower Gratin is the right facet dish for holidays or household dinners. Loaded with veggies and prepared in half-hour!

The good information about this Vegan Cauliflower Gratin is that it’s proof you don’t want a great deal of dairy to make a creamy and indulgent au gratin facet dish. You’ll discover layers of tender cauliflower, spinach, mushrooms, and a tacky, dairy free cream sauce in each chunk. Take pleasure in it as a vacation facet dish together with this vegan inexperienced bean casserole or reserve it for weeknight dinners.

The entire layers take minutes to organize on the range: cooked cauliflower, a vegan cream sauce, and sauteed greens. Stir all of them collectively, bake, then get pleasure from! It’s a fast 30-minute facet that everybody will need extra of.

Recipe options

The veggie layers and creamy sauce come collectively simply on the range earlier than they’re all baked collectively in a casserole dish.
Take pleasure in it as a wholesome vacation facet dish or for a fast 30-minute facet dish on weeknights.
Simply as indulgent as my Tacky Cauliflower Bake, however will depart you feeling mild due to the entire veggies!
Naturally vegan, nut free, and simple to make gluten free.

What’s cauliflower au gratin?

Conventional cauliflower au gratin recipes are made with steamed cauliflower florets which are smothered in a béchamel or cream sauce with Gruyere cheese. The tacky facet dish is completed with a buttered breadcrumb topping, then baked till bubbly.

My vegan model is barely totally different. As a substitute of a real béchamel, a sauce made with a dairy free milk base and thickened with cornstarch surrounds the greens whereas replicating that creamy texture. It’s good and tacky, identical to the basic, due to a mixture of dietary yeast, vegan parmesan, and tender cauliflower.

casserole dish with cauliflower and breadcrumbs

Substances

This can be a snapshot of the important thing elements wanted for a vegan cauliflower bake. For the complete listing, scroll all the way down to the recipe card beneath.

Cauliflower – Both chop a head of cauliflower into florets your self or purchase pre-chopped cauliflower to avoid wasting time.
Mushrooms and spinach – These are sautéed and added to the cauliflower casserole.
Dairy-free milk – Any dairy free milk will work right here. In the event you don’t want the dish to be vegan, go forward and use common milk as an alternative.
Cornstarch – This can assist thicken the creamy sauce so your casserole doesn’t prove watery.
Breadcrumbs – Panko breadcrumbs will add a pleasant crunch on prime of the casserole. For a gluten free cauliflower gratin, use your favourite gluten free breadcrumbs as an alternative.
Vegan parmesan – You should utilize store-bought vegan parmesan cheese or make it your self utilizing this recipe from Minimalist Baker.

Step-by-step directions

Step 1: Cook dinner the cauliflower. To start, prepare dinner the cauliflower in boiling water till it’s fork tender. Drain, then put aside.

Step 2: Cook dinner the greens. Soften the butter in a skillet over medium warmth when you await the cauliflower. Add the onion and mushrooms, and sauté till mushy. Subsequent, add the garlic and spinach to the pan.

cooked mushrooms and spinach in a skillet on the left and with cooked cauliflower on the right

Step 3: Make the creamy sauce. Whisk the milk, vegetable broth, dietary yeast, and cornstarch collectively in a bowl, then pour it into the skillet. Let the sauce simmer till it thickens barely, then take it off the warmth and stir within the cauliflower.

Step 4: Bake the casserole. Switch the cauliflower combination to a casserole dish and add the breadcrumbs and vegan parmesan on prime. Bake till the sauce is bubbly, then broil for a couple of minutes to assist the breadcrumbs brown. Serve with recent parsley on prime and luxuriate in!

Suggestions and FAQs

Steam the cauliflower florets when you don’t need to boil them.
To make this an nearly one pan recipe, put together the vegetable and creamy cauliflower filling and bake the casserole in an oven-safe or cast-iron pan as an alternative.
Stir crumbled tempeh bacon in with the cauliflower and cream sauce for scrumptious smoky bites.
Or stir shredded vegan cheese into the casserole for stretchy, tacky pulls with every scoop.
This gratin recipe is frivolously seasoned to maintain the flavour delicate. In the event you’re craving a little bit extra heat and herbaceousness, combine dried oregano, basil, sage, thyme, or paprika in with the sauteed greens or breadcrumb topping.

Can I take advantage of frozen cauliflower?

Sure, you should use frozen cauliflower as an alternative of recent right here. Make certain the frozen florets are thawed and drained of extra moisture earlier than stirring them into the skillet with the sauce and greens.

What do you serve with vegan cauliflower gratin?

Normally, this dairy-full facet dish is implausible on the facet of a complete roasted rooster, the Thanksgiving turkey, meatloaf, or glazed ham. However as a result of this can be a vegan recipe in any case, I like to recommend retaining the mains a little bit lighter and veggie-forward. Strive it on the facet of roasted artichokes, stuffed peppers, or lentil lasagna.

cooked cauliflower, mushrooms and spinach on a small plate with a fork

Storage

Fridge: Let the leftover vegan gratin cool utterly earlier than transferring it to an hermetic container. Retailer within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
Reheating: Reheat particular person parts for 1 to 2 minutes within the microwave or pop the entire casserole right into a 350ºF oven to assist the breadcrumbs crisp once more.

Less difficult cauliflower recipes

In the event you made this recipe, be sure you depart a remark and star ranking beneath. Thanks!