Publised on 27/10/2022. Last Updated on 06/12/2024 by Richard
Easy vegan cauliflower cheese made with a super delicious sauce which doesn't require any vegan cheese!
Flash-back to my childhood dinners, it's vegan cauliflower cheese! Obvs my childhood dinners weren't the vegan version, but you know what? I'm willing to bet this is even better than the dairy version. It's so easy, super gooey and velvety smooth!
Like mac and cheese, bolognese and lasagna, I think that vegan cauliflower cheese is just MEANT to be eaten after a long day. It's FATE! It's the design of the great vegetable gods! So, don't try to fight it - give in to vegan cauliflower cheese! It makes a wonderful side for a special dinner - ideal for Thanksgiving or Christmas, for sure!
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🧀 Ingredients!
What's involved in a vegan cauliflower cheese? Chances are you've made a cauli cheese at some point in your life, and actually the basics are similar here. Here are the ingredients you'll need to whip up this dish of heaven!
Cauliflower - broken into florettes and ready to roll!
Nutritional yeast - for that nutty cheesy flavour!
White wine vinegar - for that cheesy tang!
English mustard - for a little yellow colour but also for a tangy kick.
White miso paste - this brings the umami and makes the whole thing taste super cheesy.
Tapioca starch - this makes the cheese sauce thicken and go stretchy like a dairy cheese sauce would.
Vegan bechamel sauce - don't forget to make this in advance!
Before you panic, this is not the recipe: see the recipe card at the bottom of the page for quantities.
🔪 Method!
Only four steps between you and the perfect vegan cauliflower cheese! Magic! Here's how to make this recipe. As always, the full recipe is at the bottom of the page, this is just a nice handy visual guide to get you going!
- Cook the cauliflower! The easiest way to do this is to boil the florettes in a pan of salted water. Just be sure to blanch the cauliflower in cold water if you're preparing this part ahead. You don't want it to cook to mush!
2. Make the cheese sauce! For this you'll need a batch of my vegan bechamel sauce. Then we're just going to whisk together our cheesy flavour bomb ingredients and whisk them into the bechamel.
3. Dress the cauliflower! Get your cauliflower in a nice oven-proof dish and cover with the super cheesy vegan bechamel sauce. Things should be looking super glossy and cheesy now!
4. Bake the vegan cauliflower cheese! 200c in the oven for 20 minutes and you're done! Look how golden brown and crispy this bad boy looks! The perfect easy dinner or side!
Hint: If your oven doesn't have a great circulation, you can always bake for 15 minutes then stick under the grill/broiler for an extra 5-10 mins or until the vegan cauliflower cheese is deliciously golden and grilled!
🔄 Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Substitutions
Alright, it's time to make this recipe a bit more of a people pleaser! Here are some tips for adjusting this vegan cauliflower cheese to suit your diet!
- Nutritional yeast - If you're not a fan of nooch, don't worry! Just swap the nutritional yeast for another 2 tablespoon of miso paste and a dah of soy sauce.
- Mustard - If you have a mustard allergy then definitely skip the English mustard. The recipe works just fine without it but if you'd really like to replace it, just use a tiny splash of hot sauce instead!
- Soy milk - If you have a soy allergy, definitely replace the soy milk in the vegan bechamel recipe for any other plant milk.
If you've made this recipe with some swaps, let me know how it worked out in the comments!
🥦 Variations!
It's easy to switch things up with this recipe - like most classics, it's super fun too! Why not try these ideas!
- Broc n Cheese! - this cheesy vegan sauce works really well on a bunch of different veggies! Why not swap the cauli for broccoli instead.
- Spicify! - This one's for the grown ups! I love to whisk a tablespoon of harissa into my vegan bechamel sauce before adding to my cauliflower. You can even top with some za'atar for a middle eastern kick!
- Crispy crumbs! - If you're a fan of breadcrumbs on your vegan cauliflower cheese, why not try this little hack. Toss some panko breadcrumbs in a little vegetable oil and throw in some smoked paprika and garlic powder. Sprinkle over the top and bake!
If you're a big fan of vegan cheese, by all means grate your fave over the top before baking. For me, the best for melting is Cathedral City or Scheese!
🫕 Equipment!
You don't need much to rustle up this easy vegan cauliflower cheese. Just the basics! Still, make sure you've got these bits on hand so you can get cracking straight away!
- 1 x large pot
- 1 x casserole dish
- oven
❄️ Storage!
This dish reheats well, so if you don't eat it all straight away, but wrap in tin foil and pop in the fridge to chill overnight. When you're ready to reheat, place in the oven still wrapped in tin foil at 200c for 20 mins. Remove the tin foil and bake for a further 10 mins without!
Alternatively, if sealed tightly, you can freeze unbaked vegan cauliflower cheese for up to a month, if not longer. Be sure to defrost before baking according to the instructions in the recipe.
🙋♀️ Vegan Cauliflower Cheese FAQs
A: This vegan cheese sauce is made from bechamel, nutritional yeast, mustard, miso paste and tapioca starch. These ingredients help the bechamel to look and behave more like cheese!
A: Soy or oat milk make the best vegan cheese sauce as they're neutral flavoured. Soy milk works best since it naturally contains lecithin which is an emulsifier which stops the sauce from splitting.
Vegan Cauliflower Cheese
Equipment
- 1 x large pot
- 1 x casserole dish
- oven
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower broken into florettes
- 3 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon english mustard
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 1 batch vegan bechamel sauce made in advance
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200 °C (fan).
- Bring a large pot of water to the boil and season with the teaspoon salt. Boil the cauliflower florettes for 5 minutes then drain and transfer to a casserole or roasting dish.1 cauliflower
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the nutritional yeast, white wine vinegar, mustard, miso paste, tapioca starch and 3 tablespoon hot water.3 tablespoon nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon english mustard, 1 tablespoon white miso paste, 1 tablespoon tapioca starch
- While the bechamel sauce is still hot, add the nutritional yeast mixture and whisk to combine. Remove from the heat and immediately pour over the cauliflower in the dish.1 batch vegan bechamel sauce
- Place the cauliflower cheese in the oven to bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling all around the edges.
- Remove from the oven and serve.
Mark French
Lovely!
Jess
Are the calories including the bechamel sauce? That recipe says >200cal per 4 servings?? Trying to plan a Christmas dinner that works for my weight loss plan!
Georgie S
Thanks for this one Richard! Smash hit!
Ken Farrow
Made this tonight. So gooey and cheesy it's great
Kel
As Richard says "Phwoar!"