Portions: 6 servings Calories: 304kcal |
This roasted cauliflower and carrot gratin may look more indulgent than it really is, fear not, it may taste sinfully rich, but it's actually quite light. The layer of melted cheese will convince even the most reluctant child that this is a dish worth digging into. Grown-ups will need no convincing after the first bite.
Why I ā¤ļø it ā¢ Recipe ā¢ Ingredients ā¢ Video ā¢ Preparation
Roasted cauliflower and carrots gratin.
Why I ā¤ļø it
This tasty carrot and cauliflower casserole with cheese is a flavorsome and creamy dish that I love serving as a late lunch (or "dunch" as we call it), something we do a lot on weekends when things move slowly, and I refuse to spend too much time in the kitchen.
Throw in lots of cheese, and it's amazing just how much the little ones will love roasted veggies.
Roasted cauliflower and carrots recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 large carrots, cut into slices
- 1Ā½ teaspoon of salt, (or more to taste), divided
- 2 medium-sized heads of cauliflower, separated into florets
- 2 tablespoons of butter, divided
- 2 large red onions, cut into cubes
- 4 clove garlic, sliced thinly
- 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 2 cups skim milk
- 2 tablespoons of parsley, minced
- Ā¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
- Ā¼ teaspoon of black pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground), (or more to taste)
Video
Preparation
Before starting, please make sure you have all the ingredients and utensils ready.
Step 1: Boiling vegetables
In a deep pot, boil the carrots for 10 minutes in water salted with 2 teaspoons of salt. Once the 10 minutes have passed, add the cauliflower to the water.
Boil for 3 minutes, or after the cauliflower changes colors and, immediately after, remove it from the hot water (do not overcook, they have to be tender but firm). Set aside in a large bowl.
Step 2: Sauteing
Heat half the butter over very low heat in an oven-safe skillet.
Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Stir often to cook uniformly. Add the carrot and cauliflower and increase heat to medium. Cook and stir until all the ingredients are heated through.
Remove the vegetables from the skillet.
Step 3: Making sauce
Heat the other half of the butter in the skillet over low heat. Sift the flour into the pan, and stir until there is no more "raw" flour in sight. Add the milk and mix. Simmer until the milk turns into a creamy sauce (think ranch dressing).
Add the parsley, parmesan cheese, and half of the cheddar cheese and stir until the cheese has melted. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.
Step 4: Broiling
Return the vegetables to the skillet and stir to coat them with the sauce. Sprinkle the vegetables with the remaining cheddar cheese.
Cook under the broiler until the cheese melts or browns (depending on your preference).
Top tips
- If you follow a gluten-free diet, you can use cornstarch in place of flour. The flavor and texture are a bit different, but the main flavors remain the same.
- To save leftovers, place them in an air-tight container and place them in the refrigerator, where they will last for about 48 hours. To reheat the leftovers, place them on a baking sheet pan lined with parchment paper, and reheat them in the oven over low temperature.
- If you have 6 small skillets or baking pans, you can bake them in individual servings.
Serving suggestions
We love this cheesy cauliflower casserole as a simple, quick brunch, or mid-afternoon dish. I served it with just bread (try it with cheddar bread rolls!), but this makes a perfect side dish for BBQs with any of your favorite salads.
Roasted vegetables are great served as a side dish to grilled meat, or as a light meal with some rustic bread. It goes great with air-fried chicken, stuffed chicken breast, and my brined chicken roast.
Variations
You can make a healthy broccoli cauliflower carrot casserole recipe by substituting broccoli for half the cauliflower. You can make the dish with just broccoli too, and the same process and cooking times apply.
If you loved this dish, you might want to try this cauliflower cheese soup too, or for another lighter casserole, try this slow cooker ratatouille.
Nutritional information
Calories: 312kcal - Carbohydrates: 23g - Protein: 17g - Fat: 18g - Saturated Fat: 11g - Cholesterol: 56mg - Sodium: 959mg - Potassium: 847mg - Fiber: 5g - Sugar: 10g - Vitamin A: 3970IU - Vitamin C: 97.1mg - Calcium: 427mg - Iron: 1.4mg
FAQs
How do you soften carrots before baking?
Because carrot tends to need more time to cook than other vegetables, I prefer to boil the carrots a little bit to soften them before baking. That way, there won't be any mushy vegetables in the end. It works quite well.
How do you cook cauliflower, so it's not mushy?
The trick to cauliflower that is not mushy is simply to cook them for a short period of time, which I do in this dish by parboiling them, then broil to brown. The result is cauliflower cooked just enough, but that still has some bite.
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Cheesy Cauliflower and Carrot Casserole Recipe [+Video]
Ingredients
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into slices
- 1Ā½ teaspoon salt Ā (or more to taste), divided
- 2 heads of cauliflower (medium), Ā separated into florets
- 4 tablespoon butter divided
- 2 white onion (large), cut into cubes
- 4 garlic cloves sliced thinly
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups skim milk
- 2 tablespoon parsley minced
- Ā¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- Ā¼ tablespoon pepper (freshly-cracked, or ground), (or more to taste)
- 2 cups Cheddar cheese shredded
Instructions
Boiling vegetables
- In a deep pot, boil theĀ carrotsĀ for 10 minutes in water salted with 2 teaspoons ofĀ salt. Once the 10 minutes have passed, add theĀ cauliflowerĀ to the water.Boil for 3 minutes, or after the cauliflower changes colors and, immediately after, remove it from the hot water (do not overcook, they have to be tender but firm). Set aside in a large bowl.
Sauteing vegetables
- Heat half theĀ butterĀ over very low heat in an oven-safe skillet.Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 minutes or until the onions become translucent. Stir often to cook uniformly. Add the carrot and cauliflower and increase heat to medium. Cook and stir until all the ingredients are heated through.Remove the vegetables from the skillet.
Making sauce
- Heat the other half of theĀ butterĀ in the skillet over low heat. Sift the flour into the pan, and stir until there is no more "raw" flour in sight. Add theĀ milkĀ and mix. Simmer until the milk turns into a creamy sauce (think ranch dressing).Add theĀ parsley,Ā parmesan cheese, and half of theĀ cheddar cheeseĀ and stir until the cheese has melted. Season with salt andĀ black pepperĀ to taste.Ā Remove from the heat.
Broiling
- Return the vegetables to the skillet and stir to coat them with the sauce. Sprinkle the vegetables with the remaining cheddar cheese.Ā Cook under the broiler until the cheese melts or browns (depending on your preference).
Notes
Nutrition
By , published Jun 21, 2012 on Tia Clara
erik j G
Is good God is good..why dint write it on spanish..
Shannon Santana
I loved this dish. Im puerto rican But i love dominican cuisine aswell.
Elizabeth G.
I love roasted cauliflower, but this looks even better! Thanks for the recipe.
Rosangela
What a beautiful place. I love my country!
Lovey
Hi!!! It was as if we were reading each other's mind as you posted I finished eating my own cauliflower and carrot gratin!!! It is so easy and so delicious, great as an only dish or a side!! I ate it so fast!!
Cook and be happy!!
Tia Clara
š I have heard that twice today. Perhaps it's cauliflower gratin season. š