Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole with Fresh Cauliflower
This cheesy cauliflower casserole starts with fresh cauliflower, never frozen, tossed in a tangy sour cream and sharp white cheddar sauce with a touch of smoked paprika. It bakes up bubbly with a golden, cheesy top, the kind of cauliflower cheese casserole that turns skeptics into fans. There's no canned soup and no heavy cream, just a handful of real ingredients stirred together. From start to finish, it's ready in about 45 minutes, making it an easy side for a weeknight dinner or a potluck table.
Ingredients
- 4 cups cauliflower (about 1 head)
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 8 ounces white cheddar cheese (about 2 cups grated)
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Grease a small casserole dish, 8 x 8 or oval.
- Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets.
- Bring salted water to a boil and add the cauliflower florets, cooking for about 4 minutes until just slightly softened. Drain in a colander.
- In a medium bowl stir together the sour cream, paprika, thyme, salt, red pepper flakes and ½ of the cheese.
- Add blanched cauliflower and stir to combine. Add to casserole dish and top with remaining cheese.
- Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes
Barbara's Notes + Tips
- The top should be deep golden brown and bubbling around the edges before you pull it from the oven, not just melted.
- You can assemble this a day ahead and refrigerate it unbaked, then add 5 to 10 extra minutes to the bake time since it's starting cold.
- Reheat leftovers in the oven at 350°F rather than the microwave.
Nutrition
Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1000mg | Potassium: 416mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1181IU | Vitamin C: 49mg | Calcium: 471mg | Iron: 1mg
