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The first time my English friend Margaret set cauliflower cheese on the table, it was the main dish, and I laughed. In Britain a whole head of cauliflower baked under a thick cheddar sauce is a proper supper, served with nothing but a slice of bread, and British children ask for it by name. Then I had seconds. Done right, it is creamy, sharp, golden on top and as comforting as macaroni and cheese, with the cauliflower soft and sweet underneath.
Done wrong, it is a puddle. The two problems everybody runs into are a watery dish and a grainy sauce. Water comes from the cauliflower itself, which holds a lot of it after boiling and lets it out in the oven. Graininess comes from cheese melted into a sauce that is too hot, so the cheese splits. The fixes are simple: undercook the cauliflower slightly, drain it and let it steam dry, and melt the cheese into the sauce off the heat. Here is how to keep the sauce from going watery or grainy, every time.
Why this cauliflower cheese works
- Cauliflower cooked just tender. It finishes in the oven, so it comes out of the pot slightly firm and never turns to mush.
- Steam-dried florets. A few minutes in the colander lets the water steam away before it can thin the sauce.
- A properly thick white sauce. Butter, flour and warm milk cooked until it coats a spoon thickly, so it can hold the cheese and stand up in the oven.
- Cheese off the heat. Cheddar stirred in after the pan leaves the burner melts smoothly instead of splitting into grains.
- Sharp cheddar and a little mustard. Strong cheese means you need less of it, and mustard makes the cheese taste cheesier.
Ingredients
Serves 4 as a supper or 6 as a side, in a 2 quart baking dish. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the cauliflower
- 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds / 900g), cut into large florets
- 1 tablespoon fine salt, for the cooking water
For the cheese sauce
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (55g)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (40g)
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed (600ml)
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar (200g), divided
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder or 2 teaspoons prepared mild mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- A pinch of ground nutmeg
Grate the cheddar from a block. Pre-shredded cheese carries a coating that keeps it from melting smoothly and is a common cause of a grainy sauce. Warm milk thickens faster and more smoothly than cold.
How to make cauliflower cheese
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees (200°C) and butter a 2 quart baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the salt. Add the florets and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until a knife goes in with a little resistance.
- Drain the cauliflower in a colander and leave it there for 5 minutes so the steam carries the water away. Turn the florets once.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring, without letting it brown.
- Pour in the warm milk a little at a time, whisking constantly, until smooth. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes, still whisking, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon heavily.
- Take the pan off the heat. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar, the mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg until melted and smooth.
- Arrange the cauliflower in the baking dish in one snug layer, flower side up. Pour the sauce over, making sure every floret is covered.
- Scatter the remaining cheddar over the top.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the top is golden with darker brown patches. For more color, slide it under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
- Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce settles.
Tips that make the difference
- If the sauce looks too thin before the cheese goes in, simmer it a minute or two longer. It should be thicker than you think.
- Never let the sauce boil once the cheese is in. Heat is what makes cheese grainy.
- Pat any florets that still look wet with a clean towel before they go in the dish.
- A strong, aged cheddar gives the classic British flavor. Mild cheese makes a bland dish.
Variations
- Cauliflower and broccoli cheese. Swap half the cauliflower for broccoli florets, cooked 1 minute less.
- Crunchy top. Mix 1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs with the last of the cheese and a little melted butter for the top.
- Cauliflower cheese with potatoes. Add a layer of sliced boiled potatoes under the cauliflower for a heartier supper.
- Supper the British way. Serve a big bowl with a slice of buttered bread and nothing else.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat in a 350 degree oven, covered with foil, for 15 to 20 minutes, uncovering for the last few minutes.
You can assemble the dish up to a day ahead. Cool the sauce slightly before pouring it over, cover and refrigerate, then add 10 minutes to the baking time.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my cauliflower cheese watery?
The cauliflower was overcooked or not drained well. Cook it just tender and let it steam dry in the colander for a few minutes before saucing.
Why did my cheese sauce go grainy?
The cheese was added while the sauce was too hot, or pre-shredded cheese was used. Take the pan off the heat and use cheese grated from a block.
Is cauliflower cheese a side dish or a main?
Both. In Britain it is often a supper on its own, and it is a classic side with a roast.
Can I use frozen cauliflower?
Yes. Thaw it, then dry it very well on a towel, because frozen cauliflower holds even more water.
Serve it as the main dish once, the way Margaret did, and see whether anybody laughs at the second helping.
British Cauliflower Cheese (Thick Cheddar Sauce That Never Goes Watery)
Classic British cauliflower cheese: tender cauliflower florets baked under a thick, smooth sharp cheddar sauce until bubbling and browned on top. A proper supper in Britain, and a sauce that never goes watery or grainy.
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower (about 2 pounds / 900g), cut into large florets
- 1 tablespoon fine salt, for the cooking water
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 cups whole milk, warmed
- 2 cups grated sharp cheddar (200g), divided
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder or 2 teaspoons prepared mild mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- A pinch of ground nutmeg
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees (200°C) and butter a 2 quart baking dish.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil with the salt. Add the florets and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until a knife goes in with a little resistance.
- Drain the cauliflower in a colander and leave it there for 5 minutes so the steam carries the water away. Turn the florets once.
- Meanwhile, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring, without letting it brown.
- Pour in the warm milk a little at a time, whisking constantly, until smooth. Simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes, still whisking, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon heavily.
- Take the pan off the heat. Stir in 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar, the mustard, salt, pepper and nutmeg until melted and smooth.
- Arrange the cauliflower in the baking dish in one snug layer, flower side up. Pour the sauce over, making sure every floret is covered.
- Scatter the remaining cheddar over the top.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the sauce bubbles at the edges and the top is golden with darker brown patches. For more color, slide it under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, watching closely.
- Let it stand for 5 minutes before serving so the sauce settles.
