Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Recipe

This tempting Vegan Cauliflower Cheese, crafted with roasted rather than boiled cauliflower, consists of only six ingredients. The florets are coated and baked in a straightforward cheese sauce, resulting in a decadent and cheesy casserole.

Cauliflower Cheese, a traditional British dish often served as a side or vegetarian main, typically involves lightly boiling cauliflower before baking it in a straightforward milk-based cheese sauce. In my version, I opted to roast the cauliflower first and created a dairy-free alternative using a delightful cashew sauce.

This cauliflower cheese bake can be likened to a vegan baked mac and cheese, minus the “mac.” The process involves combining roasted cauliflower with a vegan cheese sauce, resulting in a golden, bubbly, and cheesy casserole that’s sure to be a family favorite. The best part? It comes together in just one hour!

Reasons I adore this vegan cauliflower cheese

• It’s akin to mac and cheese, sans the noodles. While I never say no to a bowl of gooey vegan mac and cheese, this cauliflower version is equally irresistible.
• Incredibly easy – simply roast the cauliflower, prepare the cheese sauce, then bake them together!
• Comforting and cheesy – the roasted cauliflower, enveloped and baked with cashew cheese, creates a luxurious dish ideal for holidays or weeknight dinners. You won’t even realize it’s dairy-free!

Ingredients

Roasted Cauliflower

• 2 pounds cauliflower florets
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• A few shakes of ground black pepper

Cheese Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 cup unsweetened plant milk (I used soy)
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

How to Prepare Cauliflower Cheese

• Arrange the cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and coat them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast in the oven until they achieve a light golden brown color.
• Concurrently, soak the cashews in a bowl by pouring boiling water over them. Allow them to soak for 5 minutes or up to 1 hour.
• Drain the soaked cashews and transfer them to a blender, adding vegetable broth, milk, nutritional yeast, and salt. Blend until achieving a smooth consistency.

• Tip: If possible, use a high-powered blender for the cashew cheese sauce. My Vitamix, for example, creates a perfectly smooth and pourable vegan cheese sauce in less than 2 minutes.

• Move the roasted cauliflower to a baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower and gently toss to ensure even coating.
• Bake the cauliflower casserole until the cheese sauce thickens and becomes bubbly and golden.
• Optionally, place the cauliflower mac and cheese under the broiler for a few minutes to enhance the top with a deeper brown color.
• Garnish with parsley and savor the deliciousness!

Also you can checkout this Vegan Garlic Roasted Broccoli recipe!

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F and lightly grease a large-rimmed pan (or line with parchment paper).
2. Place the cauliflower on the prepared pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss gently in the pan.
3. Roast for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden brown. After roasting, reduce the heat to 350 degrees F.
4. While the cauliflower is roasting, soak the cashews – Bring 3-4 cups of water to a boil (using a tea kettle works well). Pour the hot water over the cashews and let them soak for 5 minutes or up to an hour.
5. Drain the cashews, discard the soaking water, and add them to a high-powered blender along with the vegetable broth, milk, nutritional yeast, and salt. Blend until very smooth.
6. Once the cauliflower has finished roasting, transfer it to a 9×13 inch baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower and gently toss to coat.
7. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, until the cheese sauce has thickened and is bubbly and golden. Optionally, place it under the broiler for a few minutes for a deeper brown on top.
8. Sprinkle with parsley if desired and serve warm.

Nitrition

Additional Information (notes)

• Nut-Free Option: Substitute 1 recipe of my Nut-Free Vegan Cheese Sauce in place of the cashew cheese. Alternatively, use raw slivered almonds or sunflower seeds as a cashew substitute.
• Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. I advise against freezing, as the cauliflower may become excessively soggy.
• Prep Ahead of Time: To streamline the process, you can pre-chop the cauliflower florets and prepare the cashew sauce in advance. Store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before proceeding with roasting the cauliflower and baking the casserole.