Traditional Cauliflower Cheese

My recipe for Traditional Cauliflower Cheese is a winner – cauliflower florets are baked in a cheese sauce until bubbling and golden brown.

A Classic British Recipe for Family Supper, Thanksgiving or Christmas

My recipe for Traditional Cauliflower Cheese is a winner – rich extra cheesy sauce covers freshly cooked cauliflower florets which is then baked until bubbling and golden brown.

This classic British dish is one I grew up with, and was a welcome family supper dish when times were hard and meat was expensive.

Traditional Cauliflower Cheese not only makes a fabulous one tray meal when served with salad or crusty bread, but it’s also a delectable accompaniment to roast dinners, or for Thanksgiving and Christmas lunch.

Sometimes cooks, writers and recipe developers try to reivent the wheel; insofar as they take a perfectly good recipe, that has stood the test of time, and change it.

Cauliflower cheese is one of those recipes – yes, it is undoubtly great with shaved truffle, or truffle oil. And ham and bacon are great bedfellows with this cheesy dish too.

However, if you are bereft of truffles, or truffle oil and crispy bacon, then never worry, as this is a recipe that needs no embelishments at all.

I am not saying you can’t add extras, but just enjoy it by itself before trying to overgild the lily – in my humble opinion, it is fabulous just the way I was taught to make it many years ago.

It it one of those classic British recipes that shines with the minimum of ingredients, showcasing the humble cauli and good English cheese.

I now live in the beautiful Lincolnshire Wolds, on the East Coast of England. My county of Lincolnshire is renown as the vegetable basket of Britain, with most of the countries brassicas and root vegetables being grown here.

So, when I was in my local town of Louth the other day, I took full advantage of buying some wonderful locally grown vegetables at the town’s greengrocers.

Piled high outside the shop were sacks of potatoes, pumpkins, squash, glossy green cabbages and beautiful creamy cailiflowers.

Priced at just £2 per large cauliflower, I bought one with the express view of making today’s recipe for Traditional Cauliflower Cheese.

All that was then needed was cheese, milk, a little flour and seasonings to make this sensational but simple vegetarian meal.

I’ve shared the recipe below, the recipe that was taught to me by my mum when I was growing up, and the same recipe I have been making for years.

If you are wanting to get ahead for Christmas or Thanksgiving, then this freezes well before baking. Just defrost overnight and then bake as the recipe suggests below.

Serves 4 as a main meal and 6 to 8 as a side dish.

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• Healthy Cauliflower Cheese
• Whole Roasted Cauliflower in a Spicy Mexican Sauce

Culinary Notes

If you are wanting to get ahead for Christmas or Thanksgiving, then this freezes well before baking. Just defrost overnight and then bake as the recipe suggests.

Serves 4 as a main meal and 6 to 8 as a side dish.

Use a strong cheese such as vintage or extra mature Cheddar, Comte, or any good local melting cheese.

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Recipe for Traditional Cauliflower Cheese