Vegan Cauliflower Gratin

A spoon rests in a casserole dish full of cauliflower gratin. A blue towel is behind it.

Vegan Cauliflower Gratin

This vegan cauliflower gratin is the perfect creamy, vegan side dish. You'll love how simple it is to make and just how delicious it is too!

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings

Calories 207kcal

Author Marly McMillen

Equipment

9x9 inch Baking Pan

Ingredients

Crouton Topping

2 tablespoons vegan butter
2 slices bread (preferrably whole wheat)
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon vegan parmesan
¼ teaspoon salt

Cauliflower Gratin

3 tablespoons vegan butter
½ cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic , peeled and minced
3 tablespoon all-purpose flour
2 cups water
2 teaspoons Better than Bouillon No Chicken Base**
½ cup vegan mozzarella shreds
7 cups cauliflower florets (see notes)

Cups - Metric

Instructions

For the Crouton Topping

Chop the bread slices into small cubes and crumbs. Add the bread cubes and any crumbs to a bowl. Melt 2 tablespoons of vegan butter and drizzle over the bread. Use a spatula to toss the bread to distribute the melted butter throughout. Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and vegan parmesan. Toss to combine. Set aside.

For the Cauliflower Gratin

Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C.
Place a skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons of vegan butter. Once that melts, add chopped onion and cook until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic. Stir and cook for one minute. Then whisk in the flour. Stir and cook for another minute.
In a bowl, stir together the water and bouillon. Pour this in with the flour mixture in the skillet, stirring constantly. Add vegan mozzarella and stir to combine. Add cauliflower florets. Stir to coat the cauliflower. Then bring this to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cauliflower is beginning to get tender and the sauce has thickened.
Transfer the creamy cauliflower mixture to a casserole dish. Sprinkle with the seasoned bread crumbs, distributing it equally across the top of the cauliflower. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly around the edges.
When done, remove from the oven and allow it to cool a little before serving. Serve warm.

Notes

On Cauliflower: You can use frozen cauliflower florets. For this recipe it would take 2 12-ounce bags of frozen cauliflower. Add frozen cauliflower directly to the sauce and cook for 10 minutes. Then use a spatula to break the larger cauliflower florets into smaller pieces. However, fresh cauliflower florets works for this recipe too.

Make it Gluten-Free: Make this casserole gluten free by using gluten free bread for the topping and by using a 1:1 gluten free flour in the sauce.

Nutrition