Miso cauliflower cheese recipe
For a standout side that'll get everyone talking, try this cauliflower cheese with a savoury miso twist. It's definitely worth the extra effort and, with three types of cheese, smoky bacon and a nutty golden crust, it's sure to be a firm family favourite. Serve with your next Sunday roast, or as a main with a peppery rocket salad.
See method- Serves 4 as a main or 6 as a side
- 15 mins to prepare and 50 mins to cook
- 456 calories / serving
- Freezable
Ingredients
- 800ml milk
- 6 peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large cauliflower (about 1kg), quartered, large outer leaves discarded
- 1 smoked bacon rasher
- 50g butter
- 50g plain flour
- 2 tsp white miso paste (or Dijon mustard)
- 75g mature Cheddar, grated
- 50g Gruyère, grated
- 20g fresh breadcrumbs
- 10g Parmesan, broken into pieces
- 15g flaked almonds
- rocket leaves, to serve (optional)
Each serving contains
- Energy
- 1905kJ 456.0kcal
- Fat
- 28g
- Saturates
- 15g
- Salt
- 1.2g
- Sugars
- 13g
of the Reference intake
Carbohydrate 29.7gProtein 22.9gFibre 4.7g
Method
- Preheat the oven to gas 6, 200°C, fan 180°C.
- Pour the milk into a large, lidded pan and add the peppercorns and bay leaves. Bring to a gentle simmer over a low-medium heat, then add the cauliflower, stalk-side down. Cover and simmer gently for 5 mins.
- Remove the cauliflower and set aside to drain and dry slightly. Strain the milk; discard the flavourings. Set aside 500ml of the milk (freeze the remainder to make another white sauce) and wash the pan.
- Meanwhile, put the bacon rasher on a baking tray lined with foil. Bake for 20 mins until crisp and golden.
- Make the cheese sauce. Make a roux by melting the butter in the clean pan over a low heat. Stir in the flour and, once combined, cook for 1-2 mins. Remove from the heat and slowly whisk in the warm milk, waiting until each addition is incorporated into the flour before adding more. Once the milk has been added, return the pan to the heat. Bring to a simmer, stirring, then boil for 2 mins until smooth and thickened.
- Take off the heat and stir in the miso paste or mustard, Cheddar and Gruyère until melted and combined. Add the cauliflower and spoon the sauce over the top.
- Blitz the bacon, breadcrumbs, Parmesan and almonds in a food processor until mixed but with some texture remaining.
- Spoon the cauliflower into a 1.25ltr ovenproof dish and pour over any sauce left in the pan. Scatter over the bacon and breadcrumb mixture and bake for 20 mins until golden. If you want a golden crust, grill for 2-3 mins once baked. Serve with rocket leaves, or as a side dish.
- Tip: Miso adds an extra savoury flavour, but used mustard if you prefer.
- See more Side dishes
Freezing and defrosting guidelines
Freeze unbaked. In order to enjoy optimum flavour and quality, frozen items are best used within 3 months of their freezing date. For more tips on freezing and defrosting food, read our article Love Your Freezer.
