Best 6 Cauliflower Gratin With Leeks And White Cheddar Recipes

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Cauliflower gratin with leeks and white cheddar is a delicious and comforting side dish that is perfect for any occasion. This classic French dish is made with fresh cauliflower, leeks, and white cheddar cheese, and is baked until golden brown and bubbly. With its creamy, cheesy, and flavorful interior, this gratin is sure to be a hit at your next dinner party or family gathering. Additionally, it is a great way to get your daily dose of vegetables, as cauliflower and leeks are both packed with nutrients. Let's dive into the recipe and explore the steps involved in creating this delectable dish!

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

CAULIFLOWER GRATIN WITH LEEKS AND WHITE CHEDDAR



Cauliflower Gratin With Leeks and White Cheddar image

A sort of cheater's gratin, this cauliflower cooked with leeks and cream doesn't require blanching or a béchamel, making it a low maintenance, deeply comforting side dish. To skirt the blanching, the cauliflower and cream is covered in foil to give the vegetables a chance to get tender without drying out. The foil then comes off so the top can brown and the cream can reduce, creating a thick, velvety sauce. If your heart desires a crunchier texture, add a scattering of bread crumbs tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper when the aluminum foil comes off.

Provided by Alison Roman

Categories     vegetables, side dish

Time 1h

Yield 4 to 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 6

1 small-ish head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), green leaves removed
Olive oil, for drizzling
1 small leek, white and light green part only, very thinly sliced
Kosher salt and black pepper
¾ cup heavy cream
6 ounces sharp white Cheddar, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)

Steps:

  • Heat oven to 425 degrees. Slice cauliflower head lengthwise into 1/2-inch thick slices, including the core and leaves. (Some smaller bits will fall away: That's fine. You'll use them as well.)
  • Drizzle some olive oil onto the bottom of a 2-quart baking dish. (An oval, square or rectangular dish will all work.) Layer about a third of the cauliflower along the bottom, and about a third of the leeks. Season with salt and pepper, and repeat until all of the cauliflower and leeks are used. (Don't worry about perfectly layering them.) Season with salt and pepper and drizzle cream over. Scatter cheese on top, and season again with salt and pepper. Lightly cover with foil and place in the oven.
  • Bake until cauliflower is nearly tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake until cream has thickened and reduced nearly completely and the top is golden brown and crisp, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before eating.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 264, UnsaturatedFat 7 grams, Carbohydrate 11 grams, Fat 21 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 11 grams, SaturatedFat 13 grams, Sodium 514 milligrams, Sugar 4 grams, TransFat 0 grams

CAULIFLOWER AU GRATIN



Cauliflower Au Gratin image

Cheesy cauliflower.

Provided by Amy Woessner

Categories     Side Dish     Vegetables     Cauliflower

Time 50m

Yield 6

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup milk
6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese, divided
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 pinch ground nutmeg, or to taste

Steps:

  • Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower, cover, and steam until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a 9x9-inch baking dish.
  • Heat butter in a small saucepan over low heat; cook and stir onion in the melted butter until softened, about 5 minutes. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, until mixture just starts to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Gradually pour milk into mixture, whisking into a smooth sauce. Cook until just simmering.
  • Remove sauce from heat and stir in half the Cheddar cheese until melted; sprinkle with pepper and nutmeg.
  • Place steamed cauliflower in the prepared baking dish; pour cheese sauce over cauliflower. Sprinkle with remaining Cheddar cheese.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and browned, about 25 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 207.9 calories, Carbohydrate 10.6 g, Cholesterol 43.2 mg, Fat 14.2 g, Fiber 2.7 g, Protein 10.8 g, SaturatedFat 9 g, Sodium 249.4 mg, Sugar 4.9 g

CAULIFLOWER, LEEK AND BACON GRATIN RECIPE - (4/5)



Cauliflower, Leek and Bacon Gratin Recipe - (4/5) image

Provided by bakeaholic

Number Of Ingredients 13

Topping:
1 head of cauliflower cut into bite-size florets
6 slices bacon, cut into thin strips
3 leeks, chopped into half moons
3 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1/2 cup grated Gruyere
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs
1/4 cup grated Gruyere
2 tbsp. melted butter

Steps:

  • 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an 8 inch square or oval dish. 2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook cauliflower for 5 minutes. Drain. Set aside in a bowl. 3. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes or until crispy. Set aside on paper towels. Discard all but 2 tsp. of fat. Add leeks to the skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes or until very soft and just starting to turn golden. Transfer to the bowl with the cauliflower. Add bacon. 4. Wipe skillet clean. Melt butter in the skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle with flour; cook, whisking, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in milk. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Whisk for 3 to 5 minutes or until smooth and thickened. Whisk in the Gruyere, Parmesan and salt until cheese is melted. 5. Pour over cauliflower mixture, stirring until well coated. 6. Transfer to buttered dish. Topping: In a bowl, stir together the breadcrumbs, cheese and butter. Sprinkle over the dish. Bake for about 30 minutes or until golden on top and heated throughout. Variation: Use broccoli and cheddar in place of cauliflower and Gruyere and Parmesan.

CAULIFLOWER WITH WHITE CHEDDAR SAUCE



Cauliflower with White Cheddar Sauce image

My mother served this cheesy cauliflower on Thanksgiving and Christmas for as long as I can remember. I've embellished the recipe over the years, but I've kept the family tradition around for 47+ years of marriage. When I visit my children and their families, this dish is a must for them as well! You can easily double the recipe for larger groups. -Charlene Chambers, Ormond Beach, Florida

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Side Dishes

Time 25m

Yield 8 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 6 cups)
5 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
1-1/4 cups 2% milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup shredded extra sharp white cheddar cheese
Paprika, optional

Steps:

  • In a large saucepan, place steamer basket over 1 in. of water. Place cauliflower in basket. Bring water to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; steam, covered, just until tender, 10-12 minutes., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, mix cornstarch, salt and white pepper. Stir in milk and butter until smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly; cook and stir until thickened, 2-4 minutes., Stir in cheese until melted. Drain cauliflower. Transfer to a serving bowl; top with sauce. If desired, sprinkle with paprika.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 144 calories, Fat 9g fat (6g saturated fat), Cholesterol 27mg cholesterol, Sodium 328mg sodium, Carbohydrate 9g carbohydrate (4g sugars, Fiber 2g fiber), Protein 7g protein.

CAULIFLOWER CHEESE WITH LEEK BAKE



Cauliflower Cheese With Leek Bake image

Make and share this Cauliflower Cheese With Leek Bake recipe from Food.com.

Provided by PanNan

Categories     Welsh

Time 1h

Yield 6 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 medium cauliflower (approx 1 lb)
2 tablespoons butter
2 large leeks, cleaned washed and finely sliced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 ounces strong cheddar cheese, grated plus extra for sprinkling on top
fresh ground pepper
1 large pinch salt

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400°F.
  • Remove the green outer leaves from the cauliflower as well as the thick white stalk, taking care not to break off the florets. Cut a deep cross in the bottom of the stem and steam it whole over a pan of boiling water until slightly tender but not cooked through. The cauliflower florets should still be firm. Remove the cauliflower from the heat and leave to cool.
  • Place the butter in a large saucepan and melt over medium heat. Lower the heat and add the finely chopped leeks. Cook until the leeks are softening slightly but not cooked thoroughly. Remove 1 tablespoon of the leeks and keep to one side. Add the flour to the remaining leeks in the pan and stir. The flour will become lumpy, but continue to stir for 2 - 3 minutes. This will cook the flour and soften it to make a better sauce. Add the large pinch of salt and the mustard powder and stir again. Turn up the heat to medium and add the milk all at once. Stir briskly until a smooth sauce forms. Continue stirring until the sauce is thick and glossy - about 4 - 5 minutes. If the sauce thickens too much, add a little more milk. It should be thick, but still a bit runny. At this point, add the grated cheese and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
  • Break or cut the cauliflower florets away from the thick, central stalk, taking care not to break it into tiny pieces. Place these florets in a greased baking dish large enough to hold all the florets in just one layer. Pour the cheese and leek sauce over the cauliflower making sure to cover all the florets. Sprinkle the extra grated cheese evenly over the top and scatter the reserved softened leeks over the top as well. Finally, grate some fresh pepper over the top.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until the sauce is bubbling and golden brown on the top, approximately 20 minutes. Test the cauliflower to make sure it's cooked through by piercing with a sharp pointed knife, cook a little longer if necessary. Serve warm.

CASHEW CAULIFLOWER AND LEEK GRATIN



Cashew Cauliflower and Leek Gratin image

My family loves this cauliflower gratin. It's different than scalloped potatoes and healthier with the added vegetables, and the cashew milk and cashew nuts add richness. Eliminate the white wine, if desired. -Nancy Heishman, Las Vegas, Nevada

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Side Dishes

Time 45m

Yield 6 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 12

1 large head cauliflower, cut into small florets
1 large leek (white portion only), halved lengthwise, washed and sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1-1/4 cups cashew milk
2 tablespoons white wine or chicken broth
1/3 cup cashew butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup chopped cashews, toasted
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 425°. Place cauliflower florets and leek slices in a parchment-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper; toss to mix. Roast 20 minutes, stirring halfway through., Meanwhile, process cashew milk, white wine, cashew butter and garlic in a blender until smooth. Pour into a small saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Reduce heat; simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes., Transfer roasted cauliflower and leeks to a greased 11x7-in. baking dish; stir in cashew sauce. Return to oven; bake until heated through, 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle with cashews and chives.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 234 calories, Fat 17g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 0 cholesterol, Sodium 373mg sodium, Carbohydrate 19g carbohydrate (7g sugars, Fiber 4g fiber), Protein 6g protein.

Tips for Making Cauliflower Gratin with Leeks and White Cheddar:

  • Choose fresh, firm cauliflower heads with tightly closed florets. Look for leeks that are bright green and have no signs of wilting or yellowing.
  • Cut the cauliflower into florets of uniform size to ensure even cooking. Slice the leeks thinly to achieve a delicate texture.
  • Sauté the leeks in butter until softened, taking care not to brown them. This step enhances their flavor and sweetness.
  • Use a combination of all-purpose flour and cornstarch to create a smooth and creamy sauce. The cornstarch helps prevent the sauce from curdling.
  • Gradually whisk the milk into the flour mixture to avoid lumps. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly.
  • Season the sauce with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. Grated Parmesan cheese adds an extra layer of flavor and richness.
  • Arrange the cauliflower florets and leeks in a single layer in a baking dish. Pour the sauce over the vegetables, ensuring they are evenly coated.
  • Top with shredded white cheddar cheese and bake in a preheated oven until the cauliflower is tender and the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Conclusion:

Cauliflower gratin with leeks and white cheddar is a delicious and versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a main course or a side dish. It is a great way to incorporate more vegetables into your diet and can be easily customized to suit your tastes and preferences.

Whether you are a seasoned home cook or a beginner in the kitchen, this cauliflower gratin recipe is sure to impress. Its creamy sauce, tender vegetables, and gooey cheese topping make it a comforting and satisfying meal that is perfect for any occasion.

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