A comforting cauliflower cheese bake with a difference. Cauliflower and waxy baby potatoes in a cheese and spinach sauce topped with mozzarella and baked until golden. Vegetarian and vegan recipe.
Did I have you at potatoes or was it the cheese?
Think cauliflower cheese with baby potatoes but in a creamy cheese and spinach sauce topped with golden melted mozzarella.
Vegan?
Don't worry recipe can be made vegetarian or vegan.
Vegan?
Don't worry recipe can be made vegetarian or vegan.
There really is nothing like a cheesy bake on a dreich, wet day.
WAXY POTATOES
You want a waxy potato for this dish.
I used these British Baby Gem Potatoes in my bake.
They have a golden colour and buttery flavour which is great in a salad.
They have a golden colour and buttery flavour which is great in a salad.
They were just what I needed in this dish as they are waxy potatoes so they hold their shape and don't break down into moosh.
If you can't find these, any waxy potatoes would be good in this recipe. You can make it with any type of potato you want to use up, but waxy is better.
CHEESE SAUCE
This cheesy sauce would be fabulous in a broccoli bake, drizzled over vegetables, in a vegetable pie or tossed through pasta.
It really is a winner.
It's a basic roux with spinach added at the last minute.
A roux was one of the first recipes my mum taught me before I left home to head to art college and it's stood me in good stead since then.
It can be made vegan too, just use vegan butter and milk. It's just as good.
VEGAN CHEESE SAUCE
I've tried a variety of vegan cheese sauces, from powdered mixes to using nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavour, but now I just make my traditional roux with a few tweaks
- Butter = dairy-free spread or vegan butter
- Milk = oat milk
- Cheddar = vegan cheddar and vegan parmesan (the parmesan gives more of a cheesy taste, but you could add nutritional yeast to boost the cheesy flavour)
Like the original version I add English mustard powder and lots of black pepper.
It makes a gorgeous creamy cheese sauce with lots of flavour that will leave you wanting more.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEESY CAULIFLOWER AND POTATO BAKE
- waxy potatoes - these are best but you could use any potatoes
- cauliflower
- milk - dairy or vegan
- butter - dairy or vegan
- milk - dairy or vegan
- plain flour
- cheddar - dairy or vegan, if using vegan cheddar also add vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast
- English mustard powder - or regular mustard
- spinach
- salt & pepper
- mozzarella - dairy or vegan
HOW TO SERVE CHEESY CAULIFLOWER & POTATO BAKE
- Serve it as it is. It's full of veg after all.
- Serve it with crusty bread to mop up all the lovely cheesy sauce.
- Serve it with garlic bread and salad.
- Serve it with green vegetables.
- Serve it with well-cooked vegan sausages.
- Serve it as a luxurious side dish.
Love this cheesy potato bake, then try these creamy Mushroom Dauphinoise Potatoes next.
HOW LONG WILL A CAULIFLOWER AND POTATO BAKE KEEP?
You can keep leftover bake in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You want to cool it quickly, so spoon into another dish to cool, then cover and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can reheat in the microwave or the oven.
If you are reheating in the oven, cover with foil so it doesn't brown further.
CAN CAULIFLOWER AND POTATO BAKE BE FROZEN?
Yes, cauliflower and potato bake freezes well.
For best results make up the bake and freeze, don't bake it first.
It can be frozen for 3-4 months and you can freeze it in smaller portions if you like.
Bake from frozen.
MORE CAULIFLOWER RECIPES TO TRY
Here are a few more cauliflower recipes for you to try.
- Cauliflower 'Steaks' with Red Pepper Sauce
- Cheesy Cauliflower Steaks
- Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Creamy Cauliflower Macaroni Cheese
- Easy cauliflower soup with white beans
- Hearty Spiced Cauliflower & Carrot Soup
- Home-Style Cauliflower & Potato Curry
MORE VEGETABLE PACKED BAKES TO TRY
A few more easy bakes where the oven does all the work.
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Yield: 4-6
Cheesy Cauliflower and Potato Bake with Spinach
A comforting cauliflower cheese bake with a difference. Cauliflower and waxy baby potatoes in a cheese and spinach sauce topped with mozzarella and baked until golden. Vegetarian and vegan recipe.
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 40 MinTotal time: 50 Min
Ingredients
- 1 kg waxy potatoes / 2 lb 2 oz (whole if they are small or cut in half if they are a little bigger, no need to peel them)
- 1 medium cauliflower, cut into florets
- 650 ml / 2 ¾ cups milk (soya or nut milk)
- 3 tbsp butter (dairy or vegan)
- 45 g / ½ cup plain flour
- 150 g / 5 oz cheddar (if using vegan cheddar add vegan parmesan or nooch for extra flavour)
- 1 tsp English mustard powder
- a generous handful of fresh spinach
- a pinch of salt
- a good grinding of black pepper
- a good handful of grated mozzarella (dairy or vegan)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200c fan/220c/425f/gas mark 7.
- Steam or boil your potatoes and cauliflower. The potatoes will need 15-20 minutes until tender, but the cauliflower will only need 10 minutes. While the veg is cooking, make the sauce.
- Melt the butter in a pan, then add the flour and mustard and mix in. Gradually add the milk a little at a time, over a low heat, whisking until it thickens then add more. Keep gradually adding and whisking until thick and glossy. You want to let it bubble towards the end to cook out the flour.
- Add in the grated cheddar and whisk until melted, then stir in the spinach. It will start to wilt quickly. Season with salt and pepper
- Pour the vegetables into one or two baking dishes, depending on how big they are, then pour over the cheese sauce and top with the mozzarella.
- Bake for 20 minutes until golden and bubbling.
- Enjoy!
Notes:
Waxy potatoes work best in this dish as they hold their shape, but you can use any potatoes you want to use up.
You can use frozen cauliflower instead of fresh.
If you are using frozen spinach, you will have to defrost it first so it can be mixed through and not just in one clump.
Kale can be used instead of spinach.
You can keep leftover bake in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Yes, cauliflower and potato bake freezes well.
Calories
669.95Fat (grams)
28.86Sat. Fat (grams)
16.65Carbs (grams)
78.23Fiber (grams)
9.63Net carbs
68.60Sugar (grams)
6.40Protein (grams)
28.32Sodium (milligrams)
580.94Cholesterol (grams)
84.68
Thank you so much for the vegan version too! I've been wanting to try out vegan butter and spreads, and this will give me just the excuse to pick them all up!
ReplyDeleteIf you pick a good one you will really enjoy it. Violife make great vegan cheeses that melt well and taste good and so do Sainsburys.
DeleteWould love to try this on a cold day!
ReplyDeleteYou can't beat a comforting bake like this on a cold day.
DeleteHow can that glorious drippy cheese sauce be VEGAN? I'm all over it!!
ReplyDeleteHaha, the secret is a good vegan cheese that melts well and to make a thick roux sauce to start with.
DeleteGreat idea for your cheese sauce. I can just imagine that over potatoes and cauliflower. I will be making it!
ReplyDeleteOh good, I hope you enjoy it as much as we did Ginny!
DeleteYeah, you had me at potatoes AND cheese! Yum!
ReplyDeleteHaha both? Excellent Cynthia x
DeleteLooks fabulous. This is on my list for dinner tonight.
ReplyDeleteExcellent. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks for stopping by :)
DeleteAh yes, I'm in for a cheesy potato bake any day! This looks wonderful!
ReplyDeleteThanks it was quite a treat!
DeleteHi, looks great, can it be frozen?
ReplyDeleteYou could freeze it. You may find the vegetables are a little softer when cooked from frozen after the initial cooking.
DeleteOh, yummy! When my son was small, I used to make something similar to this, and it was always one of his favourite meals. Cauli and potato are such a great combo, aren't they? Add some cheese, and it's comfort food a-go-go! Fantastic! xx
ReplyDeleteIt is definitely a family pleaser this one. Although Cooper said he would prefer the potatoes and cauliflower in the cheese sauce separately. Go figure!
DeleteChessy and potatoes are two great words to see together ;)
ReplyDeleteYes I think so too :)
DeleteWow, I definitely wouldn't have guessed that this is vegan! It looks so creamy! I'll be trying this one for sure!
ReplyDeleteIt can be made the same way veggie or vegan and it's very creamy. The secret is in a good roux sauce.
DeleteI could have sworn I'd already commented on this one, but I've seen it so often over the last few days, I'm dreaming of it. It looks and sounds so delicious and just the sort of dinner I love to tuck into - winter or summer ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks Choclette, hope you aren't seeing it too often.
Deletewhy doesn't your Pin button ever work?
ReplyDeleteOh shoot, is in not? The one in the recipe card should be ok. Will have to look into that. Thanks for letting me know.
DeleteIs it hard to make for kids to do my dauter wants to do this recipe for her food tec class
ReplyDeleteIt's not difficult but there are a few parts and stages to it so it would depend how much time she had and how confident she is
Delete