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  • Prep-time: / Ready In:
  • Makes 8 cups

This striking baked cauliflower side dish will be a hit for any holiday spread, potluck, or Sunday night supper. With its cheesy sauce, fork-tender veggies, and crispy toppings, this dish is a satisfying blend of textures and flavors. If you like, you can substitute broccoli for some or all of the cauliflower.

Ingredients

  • 8 cups cauliflower florets (2 lb.)
  • 1 small onion, chopped (¾ cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1¼ cups unsweetened, unflavored plant milk, such as almond, soy, cashew, or rice
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2½ tablespoons lemon juice
  • 4 teaspoons white whole wheat flour
  • 4 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • Ground white pepper, to taste
  • ½ cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs
  • ¼ cup sliced almonds

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Place cauliflower and onion in a steamer basket in a Dutch oven. Add water to Dutch oven to just below basket. Bring to boiling. Steam, covered, about 8 minutes or just until tender. Transfer to a 2-qt. baking dish.
  2. For sauce, in a small saucepan cook garlic in 2 Tbsp. water over medium about 3 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. In a blender combine cooked garlic and the next five ingredients (through mustard); cover and blend until smooth. Return to saucepan. Cook and stir about 8 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Stir in parsley. Season with white pepper. Pour sauce over cauliflower in baking dish.
  3. Sprinkle panko and almonds over cauliflower. Bake, uncovered, about 20 minutes or until heated through. To transport, cover dish and place in an insulated carrier with a hot pack.

Comments (28)

(3.87 from 15 votes)
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Mia P2 months ago
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This is a new staple dish for me! It does have a very strong mustard flavor, which I love (I actually add a bit of extra mustard and often use spicy brown instead of dijon) and I have added kale as well. This is an easy, tasty weeknight meal!

Mac6 months ago
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Can you steam it on stovetop instead of the oven ?

Les6 months ago
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Does it have to be steamed in the oven ? Can’t it be done on stovetop as well ?

Natalie7 months ago
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Followed this recipe as written. It really lacks flavor, and the flavor it DOES have is too mustardy. Glad I did a test run before bringing this to Thanksgiving.
The positives: good crunch from the sliced almonds and panko

Kathy1 year ago
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This was easy to make and pretty tasty. The cauliflower was tender but not mushy. I thought the Dijon overpowered the other flavors, so next time I will start with one teaspoon and add more as needed. I think a couple of teaspoons of miso would be a nice addition.

sarah1 year ago
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I made this and followed the recipe exactly. I was not a fan. Will not make again.

Corissa1 year ago
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One of my favorites, brought it for Thanksgiving.

Rebecca1 year ago
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This was great! It will go into our regular rotation. The only thing I would change is I would double the sauce! Don’t get me wrong… as written – with the size of the cauliflower I used (a whole head)- it was enough to cover for sure. It was just so tasty I wanted it more saucy.

Brett2 years ago
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Where is the onion in the recipe instructions? Should it be with the garlic?

Brett2 years ago
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Never mind, I was reading too quickly haha, happy thanksgiving everyone!

Laurel2 years ago
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I have made this recipe several times, exactly as written. I like it very much!

Mattie Nickelatti2 years ago
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FOK, you’ve chosen SO much better. This was terrible. Since going Vegan over a year ago, I’ve enjoyed most of your meals. None so bad that I had to review…until this one! Don’t waste your time with things like this.

Jane1 year ago
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what was terrible about it?

Jama Beasley2 years ago
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Added more nutritional yeast & spices. Just a little bland but then added 4 tablespoons Dijon rather than teaspoons, and OH what a difference to my personal taste.

amy mitchell2 years ago
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Looks great!!

Wendy2 years ago
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I am looking for make ahead meals… could I make the the day before and assemble to step two… then refrigerate. Next day remove from fridge until room temp, add panko, bake and serve?

Mary2 years ago
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This looks like a delicious recipe, but it contains wheat. Does anyone know if the flour and panko can be substituted with a gluten free alternative?

EB1 year ago
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I did gluten free panko and flour and it wa fine.

Meghna Antani2 years ago
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I saw recipe for chickpea “breadcrumbs” on YouTube. Maybe give it a shot?

Renee2 years ago
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I often use tapioca or arrowroot flour as a thickener instead of wheat flour. It works the exact same way.

Elizabeth2 years ago
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I wonder about cooking times for the steam.

Does the cauliflower get really mushy having been steamed for 8 min, them baked for another 20 min? Seems like ingredients are already hot when placed in the oven for the bake so why bake so long?

Caroline Cornish2 years ago
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Very easy to make. I thawed out frozen edamame and added it to this dish for added protein. Very tasty!

Carol Oneal2 years ago
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Has anyone tried this with a gluten free flour?

Abigail Harman2 years ago
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Fantastic recipe – love it. Thank you F&K for sharing this x

Jill2 years ago
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This one is definitely a keeper! The sauce is so delicious I may try it on some pizza as well.

Lise Zette2 years ago
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@ Carol Oneal,
As to your question about a Gluten Free option.
Instead of the flour, I would suggest you to use cornstarch (can also do the same with arrowroot powder).

On the step after the blend of the liquid, I would poure the blender mix back into the pot.
Then I would mix 1 / 2 tbsp cornstarch with COLD water in another little bowl and mix until no lumps.
Add the cornstarch mix GRADUALLY into the gravy mixture over the heat and stir until thickening.
You may need only some of the Cornstarch mix or perhaps even more to get the consistency you like, but try until you are satisfied with the gravy.
This is just a method more than a recipe.

I always substitute flours to any gravy recipes like this.

The great part is that you don’t ever need oil (or butter and flour bak); You can always just add this to any liquid base and turn it into gravy or a thicker soup. So a great method to know for any Gluten-free eater.

I actually think this always improves any receipt, as it becomes a much more light and silky smooth texture of the gravy.

Hope this helps. Not just for this.

Jessica2 years ago
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This was a slamdunk for me. I loved the creaminess of the sauce and really appreciated how low key the prep was. I customised it a bit: instead of the almonds and parsley, I used leftover croutons and green onions tossed in olive oil. Same crunch and greenery and I had those things in my cupboard. Thank you very much for the recipe.

Connie2 years ago
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Yum !!

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Shelli McConnell graduated with a bachelor of science in consumer food science and a minor in journalism from Iowa State University. She began her career as a home economist in the Better Homes & Gardens test kitchen before moving into an editorial position within DotDash Meredith. She has since freelanced for 25 years and has served as an editorial project manager for many books and magazines, including three editions of the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book. She has also developed thousands of recipes for publications including Forks Over Knives magazine; Eat This, Not That!; Diabetic Living; Better Homes & Gardens; The Magnolia Journal; and more. McConnell loves to entertain and inspire, so when she’s not in her office, she’s usually in her kitchen. Find her on LinkedIn.

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