This Cauliflower Casserole is creamy, cheesy, and loaded with crispy bacon bits. Ready in 45 minutes, it's perfect for an easy meal any night of the week or as a fancy side dish for the holidays.
Can't get enough of casserole? Try my air-fryer cauliflower next!
About This Recipe
The first time I made this was a few months ago for a Thanksgiving dinner spread. I love it because it's easy to make ahead of time and bakes up beautifully while the turkey is resting. Everyone else loves it because it's rich, hearty, cheesy, loaded with cauliflower, and topped with crispy bacon.
This is, without a doubt, the easiest way to get picky eaters to eat cauliflower. I mean, who wouldn't once the cauliflower is covered in cream cheese, sour cream, and cheddar cheese? Itโs like a twice-baked potato, but instead of potatoes, it has copious amounts of cauliflower.
Key Ingredients
Cauliflower: I used two medium heads of cauliflower. You can also use one large head, but I'd rather use two medium heads since you get a bit more cauliflower.
Sour cream: If you like your casseroles more runny, I recommend a lower-fat sour cream; otherwise, if you like it thicker, get full-fat. For this recipe, I used full-fat.
Cream cheese: I used an entire block of Philadelphia cream cheese. One super important step is to mash the cream cheese with sour cream before combining it with the other ingredients. Cream cheese is very stiff, so we want to mash it beforehand to make it more spreadable.
Cheddar cheese: Use a sharper cheddar cheese because the sharpness will help contrast the creaminess of the other ingredients. You can also use other cheeses like Fontina or Monterey Jack.
Bacon: We will crisp up the bacon to add some texture to the casserole. All you do is chop it into small pieces and pan-fry for 6-7 minutes.
Instructions
STEP 1: In a large pot, blanch the broccoli for 3-4 minutes. Drain in a colander and set aside.
STEP 2: Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon for 6-7 minutes until brown and crispy. Remove the bacon and pour out some of the fat so that you are left with 2 tablespoons in the pan.
STEP 3: Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Turn off the heat.
STEP 4: Add the cream cheese and sour cream. Use a potato masher to mash the mixture until smooth and soft.
STEP 5: Add the cauliflower and GENTLY fold it into the sauce until combined.
STEP 6: Transfer to a casserole dish. Sprinkle on the bacon and cheddar cheese.
STEP 7: Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned and the sides are bubbling up. I actually pulled mine out at 15 minutes because I like the cheese to be slightly undercooked for my food photos. After I took the pictures, I put the casserole back in the oven to finish cooking for another 10 minutes.
๐ Recipe
Cauliflower Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 medium heads cauliflower (about 2 ยฝ pounds; cut into florets)
- 6 slices bacon (cut into ยฝ-inch thick pieces)
- 1 medium onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves garlic (minced)
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- โ cup sour cream
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons scallions or chives (thinly sliced)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the cauliflower for 3-4 minutes until softened. Drain and set aside.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat and cook the bacon for 6-7 minutes until light brown and crispy. Remove the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate, leaving the fat behind.
- Preheat your oven to 400ยฐF.
- Pour out some of the fat so that you have about 2 tablespoons left in the skillet. Add the onions and cook for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from the heat.
- Add the cream cheese to the skillet and use a fork to mash it together with the onions. The residual heat should help soften the cream cheese.
- Stir in the sour cream and 1 cup of the cheddar cheese. Gently fold in the cauliflower.
- Transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish. Top with the remaining cheddar cheese and bacon bits. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the cheese is lightly browned and the sides are bubbling up. Sprinkle scallions or chives on top.
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