This amazingly rich and tasty cauliflower casserole is made with sour cream, shredded cheddar, and crumbled bacon.
Ready in 30 minutes, it's the perfect side dish for a busy weeknight. The leftovers are excellent, too!
One of my kids is not a fan of cauliflower. That's unfortunate because my husband and I love it - it's such a wonderful, versatile vegetable.
However, this cauliflower casserole is magical! It's the only way she'll agree to eat cauliflower. I guess the cheese and bacon make it tolerable. I'm not complaining!
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Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this casserole. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Cauliflower florets: You can chop a whole cauliflower head into florets or use a bag of pre-washed cauliflower florets.
- Olive oil spray: Used to coat the cauliflower before roasting it.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: I use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Sour cream: Used as the base for the casserole's creamy sauce.
- Whole milk: You can use heavy cream instead if you wish.
- Dijon mustard: This traditional French mustard is creamier, thicker, and less vinegary than yellow mustard. I highly recommend using it in this recipe.
- Cayenne pepper: It doesn't make the dish spicy but adds an interesting layer of flavor.
- Shredded cheddar: I like using sharp or extra sharp for the best flavor.
- Bacon bits: I use commercial ones, but you can cook bacon until crispy and crumble it.
- Thinly sliced scallions: They make a beautiful garnish and add a nice flavor to the dish.
Variations
- Sometimes, I top the casserole with thinly sliced jalapenos before placing it in the oven. If you go this route, remember to use gloves when handling jalapenos.
- Adding ¼ cup of dry-grated parmesan is delicious!
- Add a tablespoon of hot sauce to the sour cream mixture to make it spicy.
- Add 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken (such as this grilled chicken breast) to turn the casserole into a complete meal. Double the sour cream if you do this.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this casserole:
Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the cauliflower florets on the baking sheet. Liberally spray them with olive oil and season them with kosher salt and black pepper. Roast the cauliflower until tender-crisp, about 12 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix sour cream, milk, Dijon, garlic, cayenne, and ½ cup of cheddar.
When the cauliflower is done, add it to the sour cream mixture and mix to combine.
Transfer the mixture to a greased 1.5-quart baking dish. Top with the remaining shredded cheddar.
Return the baking dish to the oven and bake just until the cheese is melted, for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle the casserole with bacon bits and scallions and serve.
Expert Tip
Cut the cauliflower head into small, similarly-sized florets. If you use a bag of pre-washed cauliflower florets, you'll notice they are not even in size, as shown in the photo below. Some florets are quite large. It's best to cut those florets into smaller ones before roasting.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. Full-fat sour cream has the best texture and flavor, but in my experience, light sour cream works in this recipe.
I don't recommend that. Sour cream, even light, is tastier and creamier.
Yes. You can roast frozen cauliflower and use it in this recipe. Frozen cauliflower takes longer to roast than fresh cauliflower.Â
You can, but it won't be as good. While I'm usually a fan of microwave cauliflower, in this recipe, roasting the cauliflower enhances the casserole's flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Since I bake it in a 425°F oven, I like to serve this cauliflower casserole with a main dish I can cook in the same oven. So, I often serve it with one of the following:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. I don't recommend freezing this casserole.
More Cauliflower Recipes
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Recipe Card
Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower head - large, cut into small florets; 1.5 pounds of florets
- Olive oil spray
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon fresh garlic - minced
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 cup cheddar - sharp, shredded, divided; 4 ounces total
Garnish:
- 2 tablespoons bacon bits
- 2 tablespoons thinly sliced scallions - green parts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange the cauliflower florets on the baking sheet. Liberally spray them with olive oil and season them with kosher salt and black pepper. Roast the cauliflower until tender-crisp, for about 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, mix the sour cream, milk, Dijon, garlic, cayenne, and ½ cup cheddar.
- When the cauliflower is done, add it to the sour cream mixture and mix to combine.Â
- Transfer the mixture to a greased 1.5-quart baking dish. Top with the remaining shredded cheddar. Return the baking dish to the oven and bake just until the cheese is melted, for about 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle the casserole with the bacon bits and scallions and serve.
Video
Notes
- Mix in cooked shredded chicken to turn the casserole into a complete meal. Double the sour cream if you do.
- You can use frozen cauliflower in this recipe. You can roast it frozen following this recipe, then add it to the sauce. Frozen cauliflower takes longer to roast than fresh cauliflower. You don't need to roast it for the 45 minutes mentioned in the linked recipe because you don't need it browned. But plan on roasting it for around 30 minutes.Â
- Cut the cauliflower head into small, similarly-sized florets. If you use a bag of pre-washed cauliflower florets, you'll notice they are not even in size. Some florets are quite large. It's best to cut those florets into smaller ones before roasting.
- You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. I don't recommend freezing this casserole.
Nutrition per Serving
Disclaimers
Cup measurements refer to the standard American cup, which is 240 milliliters. Most of my recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate, and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read these Terms of Use carefully before using any of my recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 
joan keefe
Can broccoli be substituted?
Vered DeLeeuw
Hi Joan,
Yes, absolutely!
Alysia
I made the recipe exactly as it was written. The flavor was AMAZING!!! I'm adding this to my go-to recipes.
Vered DeLeeuw
Yay! I'm so glad this was a success, Alysia! Thank you for making this recipe and for taking the time to leave your feedback. I appreciate it!