This smoked bacon—Roasted Cauliflower Served with cheese sauce, it makes a hearty meal during the holidays. Bake to melty perfection and sprinkle with fresh thyme to take holiday comfort food to the next level.
Why you'll love this cauliflower recipe
This effortless Baked Cauliflower with melted cheese, herb-thyme, and bacon is perfect for the holiday season.
- Be prepared to be friendly. Cook the cauliflower and make the cheese sauce ahead of time to save prep time.
- Versatile. Make it vegetarian, add spices, top it with crispy breadcrumbs, or add juicy ground turkey if you prefer.
- Perfect for the holidays. This recipe is a cauliflower twist on a classic holiday dish.
- Great for leftovers. You can add different types of leftover cheese, roasted cauliflower, or even cauliflower alfredo sauce.
what do you need
Crispy bacon and herby thyme balance the creaminess of the sauce. Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post for exact quantities.
- bacon – Use regular or thick-cut bacon.
- cauliflower – Make sure to remove any large, thick stems from the florets.
- Unsalted butter—— If you use salted butter, reduce the salt in the rest of the recipe.
- flour – You can use cornstarch instead.
- milk – Choose 2% or whole milk, both will do the trick. Avoid plant-based milk as it is water-based.
- white cheddar cheese – I love the Tillamook brand, but please add your favorite.
- Thyme – Feel free to use fresh or dried.
- salt and pepper – Kosher salt and fresh pepper are best.
Can I use frozen cauliflower?
Absolutely! Frozen cauliflower is a great substitute for fresh cauliflower in this recipe. It also saves you prep time since it's already cut into florets. If you're using frozen cauliflower, just make sure it's completely thawed and drained.
How to Make Bacon Cauliflower Roast
The secret to this cauliflower gratin casserole is to toss the sauce well to get rid of any chunks. Scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card.
- Cook the bacon. Preheat oven to 400F. Place skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook 3-4 minutes or until crispy. Remove from the heat and place on a plate lined with paper towels. Discard any bacon grease from the skillet.
- Cook the cauliflower. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook for 4-5 minutes or until tender. Remove from the heat and strain well. Transfer to a 13×9-inch baking pan.
- Make cheese sauce. Place a medium pot over medium-high heat. Melt the cream and add the flour. Stir continuously for 3 minutes. Slowly pour in the milk, stir and bring the mixture to a boil. Bring it to a boil. Let it cook for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add cheese, thyme, salt and pepper and stir until smooth.
- Assemble it. Pour cheese sauce over cauliflower. Gently mix sauce and cauliflower together until completely coated. Sprinkle with bacon, more thyme and cheese.
- Bake it. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and the cheese is melted. Remove from heat. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Tips and variations
This tender cauliflower roast is an easy way to use up leftover roasted cauliflower, alfredo sauce, and cheese.
- Draw a line Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to reduce cleanup. It also helps prevent adhesions.
- Use leftovers. Skip boiling the cauliflower and use leftover cauliflower Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese or Smoked Maple Spice Cauliflower instead. You can also mix Alfredo Cauliflower Sauce Add to cheese sauce to reduce food waste.
- Season it. Toss the cooked cauliflower with 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 2 teaspoons chili powder, and 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper to give the side dish more depth.
- Tear them up. Grab any leftover melted cheese in the fridge and grate it to create your own mixture. You can use mozzarella, gouda, cheddar, muenster, etc.
- Add protein. Mix 2-3 cups of ground turkey or shredded chicken into the casserole to make it heartier.
- Make it vegetarian. Skip the bacon in the recipe or use a vegan “bacon” substitute to make this recipe vegetarian.
- Add garnishes. Sprinkle freshly baked cauliflower with chopped parsley, crispy bread, or fried shallots for extra flavor and texture.
Food recommendations
This Cheesy Cauliflower Cereal is a quick baked side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. i like with my thanksgiving turkey, Maple Smoked Turkeyor Garlic Herb Turkey Breast. If you like steak, come to mine Muscles in vanilla crust or Grilled filet mignon. Side thoughts include mine Air Fryer Green Beans, Cranberry Sausage Stuffingand Cranberry Kale Salad.
How to Store Cauliflower Gratin
Throwing a batch in the freezer will make your kitchen so much easier during the holidays.
- refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Covering the baking sheet tightly with foil also works. If it tastes sour or bitter, discard immediately.
- refrigerator: This method works for cooked or raw (but assembled) casseroles. Cover the baking sheet with plastic wrap. Transfer to freezer bags. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight and reheat/bake as normal.
- To reheat: Microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring between each time until hot. You can also bake in the oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes.
Easier Vegan Side Dishes to Try
describe
This creamy cauliflower roast recipe with crispy bacon, thyme, and homemade cheese sauce is an easy, veggie-packed holiday side dish.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Heat a small skillet to medium-high heat. Add bacon and sauté until crispy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Remove bacon from skillet and place on a paper towel-lined plate to allow fat to drain. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the cauliflower florets to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender.
- Pour the cooked cauliflower into a colander and drain off any liquid. (Make sure all the liquid is gone so you don't end up with a watery casserole)
- Transfer drained cauliflower to a 13×9-inch baking dish.
- Meanwhile, heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Add butter to pan and melt. Then add the flour to the pan. Whisk together the flour and cream and continue whisking for at least 3 minutes.
- Then slowly pour in the milk, stirring throughout. Bring milk mixture to boil. Reduce to a boil. Let the milk mixture cook for about 6-8 minutes to thicken. Stir occasionally.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Add 1 1/4 cups chopped cheese, fresh thyme, salt and pepper.
- Stir until cheese is melted and mixture is smooth.
- Pour cheese sauce over cauliflower.
- Gently mix cheese sauce and cauliflower together with a spoon.
- Sprinkle the top of the cauliflower with the bacon, additional fresh thyme, and 2 tablespoons of the shredded cheese.
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until lightly browned.
- Remove from oven and serve.
