Vegan Cheesy Cauliflower: Step-By-Step Recipe
Our Vegan Cheesy Cauliflower recipe contains ooey-gooey cheese and is topped with buttery breadcrumbs and then it's baked to perfection!
Ingredients
- 1 cup Breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large cauliflower
- 1 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tsp granulated onion
- ¼ cup almond milk
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 cup Vegetable Broth
- 2 tbsp vegan butter
- 1 cup cashews
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp red flakes
- freshly-cut parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Firstly, preheat oven to 400° F (200° C). Grease a 3-quart casserole dish and set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, melted butter, and a dash of garlic powder. Set aside.
- To soak cashews, boil water in a small pot and remove from heat. Add cashews and cover for 15-20 minutes, until softened.
- After that, you can steam the cauliflower while the cashews are soaking. In a large saucepan that will accommodate your steamer basket. Add approximately 1" of water. Put your basket on the bottom, and then put a lid on the pot. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle boil. Then add cauliflower florets to the basket. Cover and steam for 7-10 minutes, until tender. Uncover and remove from heat.
- Rinse and drain the cashews (discard soaking water). Now combine all the ingredients for the cheese sauce in a powerful blender. After around 1-2 minutes of blending, time will get the sauce smooth and the cashews are broken down.
- Over medium heat, add cheese sauce to a medium skillet or pot (I used the same pot for steaming the cauliflower). Sauté for 4-5 minutes, or until it thickens and starts to stretch a bit. To avoid burning, stir it in a frequent way. You can thin out the sauce if it is too thick for your taste by adding more soy milk or broth. If more seasoning is required, taste the food first.
- In addition, fill the bottom of the casserole dish with grease and then add half the cheese sauce. At this point, stack the cauliflower on top. On top of the cauliflower, drizzle the leftover cheese sauce. In the following step, top with foil and sprinkle with prepared breadcrumbs. The cheese should be hot and bubbling after 15 to 20 minutes in the oven. When the breadcrumbs are golden brown and the foil is removed, bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Lastly, sprinkle red pepper flakes and fresh, chopped parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Choose the right cauliflower: Firstly, choose a fresh, firm cauliflower head that is not too big or too small. Look for a cauliflower head that is bright white in colour and has tightly packed florets.
- Clean and prep the cauliflower: Secondly, clean the cauliflower and cut it into bite-size florets. Make sure to remove the stem and leaves.
- Season the cauliflower: Thirdly, season it with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and any other seasonings you prefer.
- Make the cheese sauce: Next, use Nutritional yeast, plant-based milk, and vegan cheese shreds to make the cheese sauce. You can use cornstarch as well. Blend all the ingredients in a blender until smooth.
- Coat the cauliflower: Toss the cauliflower florets in the cheese sauce until they are well-coated.
- Bake the cauliflower: Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Place the coated cauliflower florets in a baking dish. Then bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and the cheese sauce is golden and bubbly.
- Optional toppings: Top the cheesy cauliflower with fresh parsley, green onions, or toasted bread crumbs. It will add extra texture and flavour to the dish.
- Serve and enjoy: Lastly, once the cauliflower cooks, remove it from the oven and serve immediately. It tastes good when you serve it hot and fresh out of the oven.