And that’s how I like mine, especially all baked-up in a casserole with veggie compadres in creamy goodness. It may have been Fat Tuesday, but this dish kept it healthy (though it’s no slacker on flavor). Cauliflower is something I will now eat cooked, but I have not always been so fond of it. As a kid, I guess it struck me to look like brains or weird albino trees, but the truth is cauliflower is a mild & delicious member of the cruciferous vegetable family. Despite its pale facade, cauliflower is packed with antioxidants like Vitamin C & Manganese. (1 cup raw has 86% DV of Vit C in fact).

I decided to additionally pack-in yellow squash and carrot shreds into this cheesy cauliflower casserole. It is meat free, but not missing it one bit! We top off the bake with a nice contrast of freshly toasted & seasoned bread crumbs for texture. It is honestly a must try! I could eat the pan (and almost did!). This one pairs really nicely with a fresh spinach salad on the side. Super easy, comforting, healthy aaaand done! So, what are you waiting for?!

Here’s the low down:

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5 from 1 reviews

Cauliflower & Cheese Casserole

Prep time:  20 mins

Cook time:  30 mins

Total time:  50 mins

What to get:

• 1 head cauliflower (cut into florets)
• 1 large carrot (peeled into thin shreds)
• 1 large yellow squash (sliced thinly)
• ½ of a sweet yellow onion (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (chopped finely)
• 1 can cream of celery soup (low fat & low sodium)
• ½ cup mozarella cheese (shredded)
• 1 cup + 4 T cheddar cheese blend or Sharp cheddar (shredded)
• 5 Tbs parmesan cheese blend (shredded)
• 1 cup bread crumbs, toasted (I use sourdough and make crumbs in food processor ahead)
• 4 Tbs white wine
• 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) for sautéing

Seasonings:

• 1 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
• 2 tsp black pepper (coarsely ground)
• ¼ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp dried thyme
• ½ tsp dried or freshly chopped parsley

What to do:

1. Pre-steam cauliflower in a pot on stove, until just tender, and set aside (be careful not to over steam!).
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Chop onion and garlic, and slice squash.
4. Peel outer skin off carrot & then peel into long, thin slices, and cut into ~1 inch thins.
5. In pan on stove, sauté onion & garlic in EVOO for ~4 mins (add pinch S&P and 2 Tbs of the wine).
6. Add squash, carrot & remaining 2 Tbs wine to pan, sauté until tender, then remove from heat & cool.
7. In a bowl combine all ingredients (except breadcrumbs, 4T shredded cheddar & 2T parmesan).
8. In baking dish sprayed with oil, place casserole mix into oven & bake for 20 minutes (un-topped).
9. After 20 minutes, add additional 4 Tbs cheese on top (thin layer), then top with layer of pre toasted breadcrumbs and remaining 2 Tbs Parmesan.
10. Bake topped casserole for ~10 more minutes.
11. Remove from oven & let cool for several minutes, serving warm.

Notes:

the leftovers store well in the refrigerator and can be reheated in the oven.

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