23 Cheesy Cauliflower Recipes That Are Healthy and Delicious

January 27, 2021
Credit: Jacob Fox

Move over, broccoli. These cheesy cauliflower recipes make the perfect main or side dish on any table. Cauliflower has numerous health benefits including lowering risk of heart disease and cancer. Whether it’s Cheesy Chipotle-Cauliflower Mac or Cheesy French Onion Cauliflower, you’ll have a healthy and tasty dish you’ll want to make over and over again.

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Cheesy French Onion Cauliflower

Credit: Jacob Fox
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If you like French onion soup, you'll love this baked cauliflower coated in melted Gruyère cheese and sweet caramelized onions. Enjoy this as a side dish alongside roast chicken or steak, or as a healthy appetizer.

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Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

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You'll never want to eat roasted cauliflower any other way once you try this tasty recipe. Bacon, sour cream and sharp Cheddar cheese coat good-for-you cauliflower in deliciousness for an easy side that will make everyone actually want to eat their vegetables.

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Cheesy Chipotle-Cauliflower Mac

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You'll barely notice the cauliflower in this comforting skillet pasta--it's pureed and mixed into the creamy cheese sauce.

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Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower

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You'll be craving your vegetables with this easy and oh-so-delicious recipe. Cauliflower gets sweet and tender as it caramelizes from the high heat of roasting. A sprinkling of Cheddar and herbs and a squeeze of lemon on top make it crave-worthy.

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Cauliflower Casserole with Mixed-Seed Crust

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The cheesy-seedy crust that tops this healthy cauliflower casserole recipe evokes everything bagels. Serve for the holidays or as a hearty side dish with roast chicken.

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Cauliflower Rice-Stuffed Peppers

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Slash the calories and carbs of traditional stuffed peppers by swapping white rice for cauliflower "rice." The riced cauliflower is hearty and won't turn to mush during baking. Use an assortment of red, yellow, orange and green peppers to make an appealing presentation.

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Roasted Cauliflower with Cheese Sauce

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Two kinds of cheese combine to make a creamy sauce for this easy cauliflower side dish. Roasting the cauliflower adds an extra layer of savory flavor.

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Cauliflower Parmesan

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This vegetarian version of chicken Parmesan uses cauliflower "steaks" in place of chicken, and has all the classic comforting flavors, without the meat! The steaks are cooked until just tender and topped with a rich sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. Despite their names, classic Italian-American chicken Parm and eggplant Parm don't always contain Parmesan cheese. If it's not “Parm” to you without Parm, feel free to sprinkle on a little grated Parmesan after you add the sauce to the cauliflower cutlets.

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Chicken & Cauliflower-Rice Casserole

Credit: Will Dickey
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Get your veggies and your protein fix in this easy, gluten-free chicken and cauliflower-rice casserole. Riced cauliflower stands in for traditional rice, making this creamy casserole low in carbs but—with the simple combination of Cheddar cheese and chicken—suitable for even the pickiest of eaters.

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One-Pot Mac & Cheese with Cauliflower & Brussels Sprouts

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Taking a minute to sizzle some garlic in olive oil is a simple way to pep up the cheese sauce for this easy homemade mac and cheese, and the flavor plays well with the cauliflower and Brussels sprouts in this family-friendly pasta dish. This recipe is designed for you to make a big batch of the cheese sauce to use in different dishes: Stir it into pasta and veggies to make this pasta a one-pot dinner then use it for Cheesy Beef Enchilada Casserole later in the week (see Associated Recipes). Or simply serve it over your favorite steamed vegetables for an easy side dish. If you'd rather make just enough sauce for this pasta, simply cut the sauce amounts in half.

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Balsamic-Parmesan Cauliflower Steaks

Credit: Victor Protasio
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These balsamic-Parmesan cauliflower steaks make the perfect vegetarian dinner. Dried oregano and fresh thyme and rosemary flavor the cauliflower. Balsamic vinegar paired with Parmesan cheese adds a nice sweet and savory balance to the dish.

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Chile-Lime Cauliflower Quesadillas

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Poblano peppers add a touch of heat to these vegetarian quesadillas, but a sweet bell pepper is tasty, too, if you want something milder. Start these quesadillas in the oven and finish them off in a skillet for melty cheese and crispy tortillas.

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Skillet Cauliflower Gratin

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Nonfat milk and a bit of sharp Cheddar combine to make a rich sauce without all the butter usually found in gratins.

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Horseradish-Cheddar Mashed Cauliflower

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This mashed cauliflower recipe with butter and sour cream mimics the taste and texture of mashed potatoes. The swap saves you 40 grams of Carbohydrates and 100 calories per cup, plus it quadruples the vitamin C, giving you 82% of your Daily Value of the immune-boosting nutrient.

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Cauliflower Risotto

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Cauliflower rice stands in for arborio in this recipe that's not only lower in carbs than traditional risotto, but also way faster and easier to make! In just 20 minutes you'll have a flavorful and healthy vegetable side to go with dinner.

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Loaded Cauliflower Bowls

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Enjoy these comforting roasted cauliflower bowls topped with cheese, bacon, scallions and sour cream on their own, or add grilled chicken or shrimp to make it a full meal.

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Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

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There's no pasta here, but this gluten-free and low-carb cauliflower "mac & cheese" is as comforting and creamy as your family's favorite cheesy dish.

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Roasted Cauliflower Steak & Spanakopita Melts

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In this genius carb swap recipe, we take all the flavors of the Greek spinach pie, spanakopita, and put it on a low-carb roasted cauliflower steak. Plus, because you don't have to deal with the fussy layers of phyllo, it's perfect for an easy weeknight dinner.

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Cauliflower Chicken Nachos

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Swapping in tender-crisp cauliflower slices for chips in these cauliflower nachos ups your veggie servings for the day.

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Butternut Squash & Cauliflower Enchiladas

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The butternut squash and cauliflower in these easy layered enchiladas are frozen and don't need to be thawed, making this a healthy and quick dinner. Look for canned tomatillos, sometimes labeled green tomatoes, in the international aisle of your grocery store.

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Cheddar Cauliflower Soup

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Start your meal off with a bowl of this satisfying, easy cheesy cauliflower soup.

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Tomato & Squash Pizza with Cauliflower Crust

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The combination of squash, tomatoes and basil give this pizza a summery-fresh vibe. The cauliflower crust resembles a lower-carb Boboli crust with cruciferous undertones--it's soft and tender, but has very nice caramelization. If you can't find cauliflower rice, chop up a pound and a half of florets and process them in the food processor.

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Loaded Cauliflower Bites

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Crispy slices of roasted cauliflower topped with cheese, sour cream and bacon make a tasty low-carb alternative to classic loaded potato skins.

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