Broccoli, cauliflower, and breadcrumbs are generously covered in a creamy white sauce. They’re then baked until golden and bubbly. This cheesy cauliflower broccoli bake will be a favorite veggie side dish for Sunday dinners or special occasions. This dish is so easy to make and comforting.
How to Make It
The recipe card contains all the details, but the following is a basic overview:
- Steam your florets to remove a bit of their crunch. It’s essential to cook them only some of the way through.
- In the meantime, prepare your flour roux. It’s similar to what you would use when making cod au gratin (or mac and cheese). Melt butter in a pan, add flour, and whisk to form a paste. Cook for a few minutes.
- Add milk gradually and cook until the mixture is thick enough to coat a spoon. At this stage, you can also add the seasonings.
- Add some cheese after the mixture has cooled.
- Cover the florets in your sauce mixture.
- Pour the mixture into a baking dish that has been greased.
- Add more cheese and panko breadcrumbs to the top.
- Bake until bubbly and melty!
Tips and Variations
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- This broccoli cauliflower bake uses a mixture of cheese. Use a store-bought blend of shredded cheese or, even better, grated your own. The shredded cheese blend is convenient because it gives you a variety without purchasing a whole block. If you would instead grate the cheese yourself, you can choose to use a mixture of your favorite types or even all provolone or mozzarella.
- Choose the cheese that you like best. Pick a good melting cheese (or cheeses), like cheddar, low-moisture mozzarella, provolone, asiago, and Gouda. Add some parmesan to give it a little extra flavor.
- To ensure that your florets cook evenly, cut them into roughly equal-sized pieces.
- No worries if you have a little more broccoli or cauliflower than usual. You need about 8-9 cups or 1.5 pounds of florets.
- After everything has been cooked, the florets have some texture. You can add more steam before baking if you prefer them to be softer.
- You can boil the florets instead of steaming them. After boiling, shock them in cold water to stop the cooking before baking.
- You can use minced garlic and onion instead of the onion and garlic powder.
Ingredients
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- About one small head of broccoli or 3/4 pound is equal to 4 to 4.5 cups of broccoli florets.
- About half a head of cauliflower or 3/4 pound is about 4 to 4.5 cups of florets.
- Divided into five tablespoons, 1/3 cup of unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups of whole milk
- One teaspoon of garlic powder
- Salt to taste or 3/4 teaspoon
- Half a teaspoon of onion powder
- Black pepper, freshly ground: 1/2 teaspoon
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground nutmeg
- Divide 6 ounces of shredded Asiago, Parmesan, or cheddar into 1.5 cups. (See “Notes” below, Point “1”).
- Panko breadcrumbs, unseasoned (between 2 and 3 tablespoons)
- Garnish with chopped green onions or chives (optional).
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Instructions
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- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Place broccoli and cauliflower florets into a steamer basket that fits over your pot. Place a few inches of water in the pool, then place the steamer over it. Bring water to a rolling boil. Cover veggies with the lid of the steamer basket and steam for 6-8 minutes or until crisp but still tender. Note: The vegetables will soften as they bake but retain some crunch. If you prefer a more cooked result, you can steam them longer before baking.
- Melt 1/4 cup of butter (or four teaspoons) in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium heat.
- Stir in the flour to make a paste, and cook for 1 to 2 mins.
- Add milk, about 1/4 cup at a time. Continue stirring/whisking the mixture until it thickens and coats the backside of the spoon. Only add more milk once your previous batch is thickened. It could take 8-10 minutes to make your sauce.
- Add the garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper.
- Stir in 1/2 cup (2oz) of shredded cheese. Mix until fully incorporated.
- Add broccoli and cauliflower florets to the sauce, and stir well.
- Grease the baking dish (9 to 10 inches) (or a similar size) using one tablespoon of butter.
- Spread the broccoli/cauliflower mix into an even layer.
- Add the remaining 1/4 cup (4 ounces) of shredded cheese, breadcrumbs, and croutons.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes or until bubbly.
- If desired, garnish with fresh chopped chives. Enjoy!
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