This is a super easy recipe that also happens to be incredibly decadent and delicious. Nothing goes better together than cauliflower and cheese and both of those ingredients are really celebrated in this rustic gratin.
Topped with garlicky parmesan breadcrumbs and sauteed with leeks to add an extra dimension of flavour, this makes for the perfect side dish for a special occasion meal – whatever the celebration may be. It’s equally welcome alongside a Thanksgiving turkey as it is on the table during your Easter feast or a birthday bash!
The biggest tip is to use block cheddar here – don’t mess around with pre-grated cheese, which never melts properly.
How to Make Cauliflower Gratin with Leeks
To begin, you need to precook your cauliflower – which I prefer to do by steaming to avoid the gratin getting waterlogged in the end.
It’s necessary to cook the cauliflower a little bit before baking the gratin as the finished dish doesn’t spend enough time in the oven to properly cook the cauliflower.
So all you need to do is add your cauliflower florets to a steamer basket and set it over vigorously simmering water.
Cover and steam the cauliflower until it’s just tender but still offers resistance when pricked with a fork. Set the cauliflower aside until needed.
While you’re steaming the cauliflower, go ahead and get your breadcrumb topping together! This is similar to the topping on my macaroni & cheese – and it’s super delicious and really amplifies the gratin.
All you need to do is add some butter to a large skillet and set it over medium heat. Melt the butter and once foamy, add a clove of garlic. Cook this for about 30 seconds before adding in some panko breadcrumbs.
Cook the breadcrumbs, stirring occasionally, until they’re toasted and golden – a few minutes. Off heat, stir in a bit of finely grated parmesan cheese and set aside.
Now it’s time to make the cheesy leek sauce that coats the cauliflower! This is simply a jazzed up mornay (a bechamel sauce with cheese) and it starts with sauteeing your leeks.
Add some butter to a saucepan and set it over medium heat. Once the butter is melted and foamy, add your sliced leeks and a generous pinch of salt.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are very softened, have reduced in size and are beginning to brown around the edges – this will take about 5 to 7 minutes.
At this point, add some more garlic and cook until fragrant. This is also a good time to grate in some fresh nutmeg and grind in a generous amount of black pepper. Then, sprinkle over a bit of flour and cook for a few minutes.
Stirring constantly, stream in a bit of milk. Once all of the milk is added, bring it up to a simmer – you will notice it thicken considerably.
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in some grated cheddar cheese – please grate your own and don’t use pre-grated! Pre-grated cheese is treated with anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting properly. It takes about 30 seconds to grate the cheese yourself on a box grater.
Scrape the mixture into an appropriately sized baking dish and then top it generously with your garlic parmesan breadcrumbs.
Also stir in the rest of your parmesan cheese. Once all of the cheese is melted, stir in your cauliflower florets.
Set the dish on top of a baking sheet (to catch any drips!) and then move it to a 190°C/375°F oven for about 20-30 minutes. You want the top to be deeply golden brown and the interior to be bubbling and gooey.
Let the gratin cool for 5-10 minutes before digging in – it’s worth the wait, but it is tough because it just looks so delicious!
Cauliflower Leek Gratin
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 lb) cauliflower florets from one large head of cauliflower
- 50 g (4 tbsp) butter divided
- 4 cloves garlic minced, divided
- 100 g (1½ cups) panko breadcrumbs
- 50 g (½ cup) parmesan cheese finely grated
- 2 leeks thinly sliced
- ¼ tsp nutmeg freshly grated
- 30 g (¼ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
- 500 ml (2 cups) milk
- 200 g (1¾ cups) cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 190°C/375°F. Add the cauliflower florets to a steamer basket set over vigorously simmering water, ensuring the basket is not touching the water itself. Cover and steam for 8-10 minutes – until lightly tender but the florets still offer some resistance when pricked. Set aside. (See notes)
- Add 25g (2 tbsp) of butter to a large skillet and set over medium heat. Once melted and beginning to foam, add one clove of the minced garlic and cook until very fragrant – about 30 seconds.
- Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring constantly, until golden and toasted – about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in 25g (¼ cup) of the parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper.
- Add the remaining butter and 2 tbsp of olive oil to a large saucepan set over medium heat. Once shimmering and the butter is melted, add the leeks along with ¼ tsp of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until the leeks are tender and beginning to brown around the edges – about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the remaining garlic, nutmeg and a generous grind of black pepper and cook until very fragrant – about 30 seconds. Sprinkle over the flour and cook for a further 2 mintues.
- Stirring constantly, slowly stream the milk into the leek mixture. Allow to come to a gentle simmer before removing from the heat. Off heat, stir in the cheddar cheese and parmesan cheese. Once the cheese is melted, gently fold in the cauliflower florets.
- Scrape the mixture into an appropriately sized baking dish. Top with the toasted panko breadcrumbs. Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden and bubbling – about 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is automatically generated and provided as guidance only. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
And that’s all there is to making this gooey, creamy and cheesy leek and cauliflower gratin! Packed with cheddar and parmesan cheese and topped with crispy breadcrumbs, this may just be the highlight of a holiday meal.
Are you after a great cauliflower side? Have any questions about this recipe? Let me know in the comments!
