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A quick and easy cheesy cauliflower bake with bacon, offering a healthier, gluten-free alternative to traditional mac and cheese without heavy pasta.

  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets (about 5 cups)
  • 2 slices bacon, chopped
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/4 cup yellow onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
  • 2 tbsp all purpose flour (or tapioca flour for gluten free)
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp chives, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C).
  2. Cook the bacon in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon, reserving the bacon grease in the skillet; set bacon aside.
  3. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and cook for 5 minutes until slightly tender. Drain and set aside.
  4. To the skillet with bacon grease, add olive oil, diced onion, and minced garlic. Sauté for 3-5 minutes until onion is soft.
  5. Whisk together almond milk and flour in a small bowl until smooth. Pour the mixture into the skillet and bring it to a low boil, stirring frequently until edges start to bubble.
  6. Add shredded cheddar cheese, parmesan cheese, and salt to the skillet. Whisk until cheese sauce is smooth and well combined. Remove from heat.
  7. Stir cooked cauliflower into the cheese sauce until coated well.
  8. Transfer the cheesy cauliflower mixture into an 8×8 inch baking dish. Sprinkle cooked bacon evenly on top.
  9. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes until bubbly and golden on top.
  10. Remove from oven, sprinkle chopped chives on top as garnish, and serve warm.

Notes

To make vegetarian, omit bacon and use olive oil instead of bacon grease., Replace bacon with cooked shredded chicken, ham, ground beef, or sausage for variation., Use a 1:1 ratio of cauliflower and broccoli or add other cooked vegetables such as peas or corn., For gluten-free flour, use tapioca flour; for keto, substitute flour with xanthan gum or cassava flour., Recipe can be assembled up to 1 day ahead and refrigerated covered before baking.

  • Author: Laura
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: Approximately 1 cup
  • Calories: 292 kcal per serving
  • Fat: 18 g per serving
  • Carbohydrates: 13 g per serving
  • Protein: 20 g per serving