spicy three cheese cauliflower Christmas casserole

SPICY-CHEESY CAULIFLOWER CASSEROLE

With Christmas coming at our doorstep we decided to feature a recipe with the Christmas spirit: the spicy and cheesy cauliflower casserole. For those warm and cozy nights with the family, you will enjoy this recipe with its touch of spicy. Great for beginners in the world of hot sauce. We decided to use Aloha to bring up the heat because of its sweetness that blends perfectly with the cheesy casserole.

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
  • Salt
  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • ¾ cup grated Gruyère cheese
  • ½ cup grated fontina cheese
  • 1 tablespoon Lord’s hot sauce Aloha
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup panko or bread crumbs
  • 2 tablespoons pecorino or Parmesan
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Flaky sea salt, for serving (optional)

 

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees and butter a 2-quart glass baking dish.

2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the cauliflower until tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a colander to drain and cool.

3. In a small saucepan, melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour until it forms a pale-golden paste, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the heavy cream and the Lord's Hot Sauce of your choice (we used Aloha for its sweetness) and bring the mixture to a low simmer, stirring frequently, until it thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in half the Gruyère and fontina.

4. Pat the cauliflower dry then transfer it to a large bowl. Pour the creamy sauce over the cauliflower and stir to coat. Season generously with salt and pepper.

5. Transfer the cauliflower mixture to the buttered baking dish, spreading it in an even layer. Top with the remaining Gruyère and fontina. Bake until the mixture begins to bubble and the cauliflower starts to turn golden, about 20 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the panko, pecorino, thyme and oil.

7. Spoon the panko mixture on top of the cauliflower and bake until the topping is crisp, about 10 minutes. Allow the casserole to cool for about 5 minutes or so, then serve. Season with flaky salt, if desired.

Back to blog