Best Loaded Cauliflower Bake
by Lindsay Funston
Yield: 8 servingsPrep: Prep: 15 minsCook: Cook: 45 minsTotal: Total: 1 hr
Ingredients
You have 2 of 10
produce
- ○1/4 cupgreen onions(sliced)
- ✓3 clovesgarlic(minced)
- ○2cauliflower(cut into florets)
protein
- ○6 slicesbacon(cooked and crumbled)
dairy
- ○2 cupswhole milk
- ○1 1/2 cupscheddar(shredded, divided)
- ✓2 Tbsp.butter
- ○2 oz.cream cheese(softened)
grain
- ○3 Tbsp.all-purpose flour
pantry staple
- ○kosher salt
- ✓black pepper(freshly ground)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. In a large pot of salted boiling water, blanch cauliflower, 3 minutes. Drain and squeeze cauliflower of water.
- Make cheese sauce: In a large skillet, melt butter. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 minute, then add flour and stir until golden, 2 minutes. Add milk and bring to a low simmer, then add cream cheese, whisking until combined. Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup cheddar until melted, then season with salt and pepper.
- In a 9”-x-13” dish, add drained cauliflower. Pour over cheese sauce and stir until combined. Stir in all but 1 tablespoon each cooked bacon and green onions until combined, then top with remaining cheddar, bacon, and green onions.
- Bake until cauliflower is tender and cheese is melty, 30 minutes.
My notes
You definitely want to cook the cauliflower a little first so that it doesn't take forever in the oven. Blanch it for around 3 minutes before draining it of any excess water.