Grandma's Cauliflower Cheese Recipe (2024)

4.69 from 16 votes

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November 10, 2010

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It finally snowed here! I have mixed feelings about it…..I like the snow but I hate the cold and driving is always awful. However, all this cold weather means the HOLIDAYS are coming! I am so excited! We have lots to celebrate in the next two months: our wedding anniversary, Thanksgiving, Christmas, my birthday and New Years! We even get to fly home to Ottawa to be there for two weeks over Christmas!

On a total random tangent, I am SO not looking forward to flying back east with my almost 2 year old. Our big flight is almost 5 hours! What is she going to do on my lap for that long? The people on the flights are going to hate me! Good thing she’s cute. That should make up for something, right? But, my friend told me a great idea that I think I’m going to do: buy small boxes of chocolates and ear plugs and hand them out to the people around you. That way they really can’t get too mad! Genius! I’ll let you know about all our travels next month. Why I just took 4 minutes to type all that our for you, I’ll never know.

BUT, I write about all these holidays because this recipe goes right along with the holidays in my house! I grew up eating this delicious and fabulous side dish, typically only at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Whenever my Grandma makes this cauliflower, it is always one of the first things to go (along with this rice stuffing) because it’s a family favorite and it’s just so darn good. Did I mention it takes only 3 ingredients?! Well, technically it’s 5 if you count salt and pepper. But still! 5 ingredients!

This makes a great make ahead dish and would be a nice substitute for green bean casserole if you’re not into that. I never had tried green bean casserole until I went to Idaho for College. My Mom never made it for us growing up. I’m pretty sure there are lots of Canadians who make this American Thanksgiving staple but we never did….probably because we had this cauliflower instead!

What other reasons do you need to make this besides easy, fast and yummy? Over the holidays, these are the kinds of recipes we need more of! More time with family and less time in the kitchen. So, this Thanksgiving, you should give this one a whirl! You might be surprised who starts eating their vegetables!

Grandma's Cauliflower Cheese Recipe (2)

Grandma's Cauliflower Cheese Recipe (3)

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4.69 from 16 votes

Grandma's Cauliflower Cheese Recipe

Grandma's Cauliflower Cheese recipe is incredibly simple and made with just a handful of ingredients to create a comforting side dish.

servings 8 servings

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup 10.5 oz.
  • 2 cups grated cheddar cheese I like sharp
  • salt & pepper

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Remove green leaves and a part of the stem so the cauliflower will still stay together and sit flat when upright. Place cauliflower upside down (so it doesn't float so much) into large pot and cover with cold water and about 1 tablespoon salt.

  • Bring to boil and simmer 30-40 minutes or until the cauliflower stems are tender, but before the cauliflower starts to fall apart. Remove from heat and carefully remove from pot using a large slotted spoon.

  • Place right side up into baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

  • Slather the cream of mushroom soup over the entire head of cauliflower evenly. Top with cheese* and bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.*If you want to make this ahead, cover and refrigerate before you bake. On the day you are ready to serve, remove from fridge and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Nutrition

Calories: 155kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 467mg | Potassium: 291mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 283IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 221mg | Iron: 1mg

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cauliflower cheese

Grandma's Cauliflower  Cheese Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you keep cauliflower cheese from going watery? ›

Drain well

Make sure you drain the cauliflower really well after it's boiled up and before you add it to the dish, otherwise it will end up too watery.

Why did my cauliflower cheese sauce split? ›

Cooking the cauliflower cheese at too high a temperature can sometimes cause the cheese to split, resulting in a slightly oily, grainy texture. What is this? A split sauce can also be avoided by removing the sauce from the heat before adding the cheese.

How long does cauliflower cheese keep in the fridge? ›

How long can you keep Cauliflower Cheese in the fridge? Once you've put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours. If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of Cauliflower Cheese in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.

How do you make cheese less watery? ›

For dips, you'll want to use a tablespoon of cornstarch per pound of cheese, then add at least five ounces of evaporated milk. After that, you can use more evaporated milk to thin out your dip as much as you need.

How do you get the liquid out of cauliflower? ›

Once the riced cauliflower has been cooked (or thawed), transfer it to a clean, thin dishtowel. Wrap up the steamed rice in the dishtowel, twist it up, then SQUEEZE all the excess moisture out! (Be careful if your cauliflower is still hot-- let it cool before handling.)

How do you fix watery cheese sauce? ›

Use Flour and Water

Combine 2 tablespoons flour with every 1/4 cup cold water and whisk until smooth. Add the mixture to your sauce over medium heat, and continue to stir and cook until you've reached your desired consistency. Test with a spoon.

How to fix cheese sauce that separates? ›

A cheese sauce usually splits because it has been overheated and oil separates from the cheese. Remove it from the heat, add a little cream and whisk it until it is smooth again.

How to prevent cheese sauce from breaking? ›

Add a thickener while you're making it–– adding cornstarch or flour to the liquid before adding (be sure to get out any clumps) can add some stability to your sauce.

Why can't I freeze cauliflower cheese? ›

It can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to cook. It is possible to freeze cauliflower cheese but unfortunately the sauce can sometimes turn thin and sligtly watery on defrosting, so we prefer not to freeze the dish if at all possible.

Can you reheat cauliflower cheese twice? ›

There are no limits to how many times you can safely reheat leftover home-cooked meals.

Can I eat 2 day old cauliflower cheese? ›

Food hygiene recommendations say 48 hours I think but another day is fine. If you're worried cook it today and use it tomorrow.

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

What keeps cheese sauce runny? ›

The solution is easy - add more water to replace the lost moisture while it is still warm. When I make this sort of thing I let it cool somewhat and then add pasta water in small amounts until I get a slacker sauce, then I refrigerate or freeze it.

Why is my cheese spread watery? ›

No need to worry – the liquid on the outside of your cheese is just excess moisture, or liquid whey. Wipe off your cheese with a napkin or paper towel and enjoy! It's common for naturally-aged cheeses to develop a small amount of moisture inside their packaging.

How do you thicken watery cheese? ›

Making a slurry with cornstarch and cold milk is how you will thicken your queso. A traditional slurry is a 1:1 liquid to cornstarch ratio, but for our queso purposes I used 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of milk.

References

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