Looking for more cozy casserole dishes for a Sunday family dinner or your holiday table? Be sure to give my Vegan Tater Tot Casserole, Vegan Scalloped Potatoes, Baked Vegan Mac and Cheese and Broccoli Rice Casserole a try! What do you get when roasted cauliflower and cashew cheese sauce get together? This indulgent and easy Vegan Cauliflower Cheese recipe! Cauliflower Cheese is a British dish that is served as a side or vegetarian main. Usually the cauliflower is lightly boiled, then baked in a simple milk-based cheese sauce. I decided to roast the cauliflower first, and of course make it dairy free with an easy but delicious cashew sauce. This cauliflower cheese bake is essentially vegan baked mac and cheese but without the “mac”. It takes roasted cauliflower and vegan cheese sauce, then bakes them together until you’re left with a golden, bubbly, and cheesy casserole the whole family will adore. Better yet, it only takes 1 hour to put together!
Why I love this cauliflower cheese bake
It’s like mac and cheese, but without the noodles – I’ll never turn down a bowl of gooey vegan mac and cheese but this cauliflower version is just as crave-worthy as the classic. Ridiculously easy – All you have to do is roast the cauliflower, make the cheese sauce, then bake the two together! Comforting and cheesy – Roasted cauliflower that’s smothered and baked with cashew cheese is an indulgent meal that’s perfect for holidays or weeknight dinners. You won’t even notice that it’s dairy free!
How to make cauliflower cheese
Lay the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and toss them in the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven until they’re lightly golden brown. Meanwhile, soak the cashews by placing them in a bowl and pouring boiling water over top. They can soak for 5 minutes or up to 1 hour. Drain the cashews and transfer them to a blender along with the vegetable broth, milk, nutritional yeast, and salt. Blend until very smooth. Tip: Make the cashew cheese sauce in a high-powered blender if you can! My Vitamix is a pro at making completely smooth and pourable vegan cheese sauce in less than 2 minutes. Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over top and gently toss to coat. Bake the cauliflower casserole until the cheese sauce has thickened and is bubbly and golden. Optional: Finish the cauliflower mac and cheese under the broiler for a few minutes to give the top a deeper brown color. Garnish with parsley, then enjoy!
Frequently asked questions
