Name: Cheesy Baked Cauliflower
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 large heads (10 cups) cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets; 1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil; 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, grated; 4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, grated; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/4 cup all-purpose flour; 1 1/2 cups whole milk; 1/2 cup heavy cream; 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon paprika; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper; 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder; 1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1 Set it to convection if you have it.

2 Butter a 2-quart (8-inch square) casserole dish. Toss the cauliflower with oil in a large bowl, then spread it on baking sheet in single layer. Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes, until it is just barely tender and a little bit browned.

3 In a medium mixing bowl, toss together the cheddar cheese, Monterey jack cheese, and cornstarch. Measure out 1/2 cup of the cornstarch-coated cheese and set it aside for topping the casserole.

4 In a large saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook for about 1 minute, whisking constantly, just to combine the butter and flour completely and cook out the raw flour taste a bit—you don’t want the roux to brown or cook all that much yet. In a thin stream, pour in the milk and cream, continuing to whisk constantly to prevent lumps. Let the sauce come up to a simmer, about 3 to 4 minutes, then turn the heat down to medium low, and simmer just until the sauce begins to thicken. Turn off the heat. Whisk in the grated cheese, salt, paprika, garlic powder, pepper, mustard powder, and turmeric, until the cheese is completely melted and the sauce is smooth.

5 When the cauliflower has finished roasting, transfer the florets to a large mixing bowl. While the cauliflower is still piping hot, add the warm cheese sauce and gently fold to combine, until all of the cauliflower is coated with the sauce.

6 Pour the sauced cauliflower into the prepared casserole dish. Sprinkle the reserved 1/2 cup of cheese on top.

7 Bake the casserole for 15 minutes, just until the cheese on top is bubbling and the cauliflower is piping hot all the way through.

8 Let the casserole rest for 10 minutes before spooning onto serving dishes. Serve warm. Did you love the recipe? Give us some stars and leave a comment below!