Creamy Cauliflower with Cheddar and Dijon
One of my favorite things to do is to take dishes that my family ate when I was younger and remake them in my own kitchen, with little changes to suit what my own little family likes. It’s fun, and even if it’s not quite like I remember mom or grandma making, most of the time, we like it all the same. And sometimes, sometimes…. it’s even a little better? This is one of those. And perhaps, most notably, this is the recipe that started Project: Get My Husband To Eat Cauliflower. That’s right, it was after he tried this recipe, and loved it, that I realized that I might actually be able to get him to eat it in other incarnations, too. This is a cauliflower recipe that might get you to like cauliflower for actually being cauliflower.
See, people tend to do this thing with cauliflower. They make it into “pizza crust”. They make it into “rice”. They make it taste like anything other than what it is. Poor cauliflower is stuck in an eternal identity crisis. It’s kind of sad, especially for cauliflower lovers like me.
Of course, I’m no innocent. Here I am, saying I love cauliflower in all it’s cauliflower-y goodness, and yet in the very same blog post I’m presenting you with a recipe in which cauliflower is doused in a creamy, mustardy sauce and then basically smothered in cheese. Mea culpa. But it’s so good! Consider this cauliflower for beginners. If you’re like my husband, and suspect you might just hate cauliflower, this is a good one to try. It might just change your mind! And in case you’re one of those people who actually think wayyyy in advance about big important meals like THANKSGIVING, this would be an awesome side to go along with your turkey.
Creamy Cauliflower with Cheddar and Dijon
Ingredients
- 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup whole-milk plain yogurt
- 2 teaspoons stone-ground dijon mustard
- 1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- 3 cups shredded cheddar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Put cauliflower florets into a microwave and oven-safe baking dish with a splash of water. Cover with plastic wrap and steam in the microwave on high for 6-7 minutes, or until just tender. Remove from microwave, drain remaining water, remove plastic wrap and let stand. (This will help it "dry out" a bit and keep you from having watery cauli... yuck.)
- In a small bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, except the cheddar and stir to combine. Pour this mixture over the top of the steamed cauliflower in the baking dish and toss everything until all the cauliflower is coated. Top with cheddar cheese.
- Bake approximately 30-40 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and bubbly, and beginning to brown. Serve hot.