This is a fantastic, creamy, cheese filled sauce with the added bonus (vegetable) of a whole head of cauliflower pureed in. There is no butter, flour or milk, just infused water with herbs and spices, cauliflower and of course some good cheese.
I have made pizza crusts and rice using cauliflower and added this veggie to recipes to “lighten” the carbs. Those recipes are good but this cheese recipe using cauliflower is outstanding and will be made often…
I just love this sauce and so did everyone else. Even though it is “light” it is perfect over pasta and especially a veggie like broccoli. It doesn’t separate, non-gritty, reheats perfectly, it’s yummy as bloggers like to say. There are so many good things about it. You’ve just got to try it!!!
This new favorite cheese sauce is adapted from the kitchn.com. I changed a couple of the ingredients and some directions.
Cauliflower Cheese Sauce with Gruyere and Cheddar, Adapted
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1-1/2 tbsp. olive oil (I used extra-virgin)
- 1/2 to 1+ cup cooking liquid to get a good consistency (depends on the size of your cauliflower)
- 1/2 cup Gruyere, shredded
- 1/2 to 1+ cup sharp cheddar, shredded (see comment below)
- 1 tsp. Dijon
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil and add the garlic, thyme and bay leaf. Boil for about 5 minutes to infuse the water; remove the thyme and bay leaf. You can leave the crushed garlic clove if desired.
Add the cauliflower and cook for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the cooked cauliflower, using a slotted spoon, to a food processor. Scoop out about 1/2 cup (or more) of the cauliflower water and add it to the food processor along with the oil. Blend until smooth, about a couple of minutes.
Add the Gruyere, cheddar, mustard, salt and pepper to the cauliflower, blend well until cheese is incorporated. Adjust the seasonings and add more hot water and cheddar if necessary. Serve over your favorite vegetable or how about some pasta?
Comment: The amount of cheese and water you add to the cauliflower depends on the size of the cauliflower and how “cheesy” you would like it. The second time I made this recipe I had a beautiful, big head of Michigan grown cauliflower. I needed to add more cheese (I recommend the cheddar as Gruyere has more of a nutty taste) and water.
http://cookingwithauntjuju.com/2018/08/15/cauliflower-chee…yere-and-cheddar/
Linking to Angie @ Fiesta Friday #239 and Antonia @ Zoale.comand Lathi @ From Lathi’s Kitchen
Good things going on here!
Thanks – using cauliflower in the sauce is a great idea!
I adore Gruyere and cheddar together. I can see why you like this so much. I love the idea of using it on broccoli. It’s nice to make veggies funner sometimes. Thank you for bringing this delicious and multi-purpose sauce to the party, Judi! Happy Fiesta Friday! 😀
Thanks – cheese on anything is good but what I really liked was the head of cauliflower in the sauce. So over broccoli you are getting two veggies 🙂 Have a nice holiday weekend Antonia!
Thanks Judi, you too!
Wow this looks fabulous!
Thanks – it’s a delicious “light” cheese sauce.
Gorgeous Judi…I too try to use cauliflower in many different dishes. I will definitely be following your cheese recipe and I just love Gruyere so I know the taste will be pretty elevated.
Thanks Loretta – this recipe surprised me at how good it was. I mean a whole head of cauliflower, some spices and lots of good cheese. I am a Gruyere fan too but preferred adding more cheddar when I needed it the second time I made it.
Incredible! I’m very impressed. Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks Mimi – I hope you do try it. It may not be totally lo-cal but using cauliflower has to help and of course good cheese!
This is brilliant. I love cheese sauce on most anything, so this is an exciting recipe. Thanks for this new take on cheese sauce!
Thanks Ron – the cauliflower really worked in this cheese sauce. I was a bit surprised and good cheese definitely made it creamy and very tasty!
This cauliflower sauce recipe looks like a keeper. Thanks!
Thank you for stopping by! It’s a keeper for me – I want to make it all the time. What a great way to use cauliflower which I love to begin with 🙂
I agree!
I looked at the picture and thought, yeah, cheese sauce. But then I read that it has no butter, flour, or milk … what? Now that’s truly amazing. It looks so delicious. Brava!
Thanks – I was pleasantly surprised at how good this sauce is. A new way for me to make a cheese sauce – helps to have quality cheese!
This looks sooooo yummy