I have always considered myself fairly lucky in love. I have known first love, second love, and the comforting feeling of caring deeply for someone who cares just as much in return. I have also been fortunate enough to avoid the kind of heartbreak people write songs about. At least, that was true until I had to face the difficult truth about one of my longest and most complicated relationships: my love affair with cheese.
To be clear, C did not break up with me. He knows better. This particular heartbreak is about my other great love: cheese. Cheese and I have had a dramatic history for years. I adore it, but it does not always adore me back. No matter how many times it leaves my stomach feeling less than wonderful, I somehow convince myself that the next time will be different. Then, just when I think I have moved on, I find myself staring at a container of ricotta, ready to dive in with a spoon. What can I say? Cheese is one difficult block of Gruyere to get over.
Lately, I have been trying to be more mindful about how much dairy I eat. I still love cheese and yogurt, which are really the only dairy foods I reach for, but my body does not always respond kindly to them. I am not interested in strict restriction, and I do not believe every craving needs to be treated like a problem. Instead, I have been experimenting with simple swaps where they make sense. That is how this dairy-free baked “cheesy” cauliflower came about. It has the cozy spirit of cauliflower mac and cheese, without actually relying on cheese.
Funny enough, traditional mac and cheese is not something I eat often. I am pretty sure the last time I had the boxed version was in college, late at night, with enough hot sauce to make my mouth feel like it was on fire. The cheese powder in those boxes has always seemed a little questionable, so maybe it would not even bother me the same way real cheese does. Still, I wanted to make something that felt creamy, warm, and satisfying while staying dairy-free.
I am not at the stage where I want to sprinkle nutritional yeast on everything I eat, and I am definitely not pretending it tastes exactly like melted cheddar. This recipe is a “cheesy” cauliflower bake, not a magic trick. It will not fool someone who is expecting a bubbling casserole full of dairy cheese, and that is perfectly fine. What it does offer is a savory, creamy, golden baked cauliflower dish with plenty of flavor and a comforting texture.
Nutritional yeast gives the sauce its savory, cheese-like quality, while almond milk and tapioca starch help create a smooth, thick coating for the cauliflower. The egg helps bind everything together as it bakes, and the short broil at the end gives the top a little extra color. It is simple, practical, and a great option if you are avoiding dairy or just want a lighter take on a comfort food classic.
I still have not found a dairy-free cheese substitute that truly tastes like cheese, though I have heard plenty of people say good things about different brands. Since I am still new to life with less cheese, I am taking things slowly and sticking with nutritional yeast for now. It does the job here, and I am willing to put my cheese snobbery aside if it means avoiding a stomachache. Will I come home at 2:00 AM craving this baked “cheesy” cauliflower? Probably not. But for a cozy dinner side dish or a dairy-free comfort food craving, it absolutely works.
Baked “Cheesy” Cauliflower {Dairy-Free}
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- Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 1/2 large onion, diced
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk*
- 3 T tapioca starch**
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 egg
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Add the diced onion and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until translucent.
- Warm the almond milk for 1 minute in the microwave, or heat it gently on the stovetop in a separate pot.
- Stir the tapioca starch into the warm almond milk until fully combined.
- Reduce the heat under the onions to low, then add the almond milk and tapioca mixture. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Stir in the nutritional yeast, then season with salt and pepper. Let the mixture cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Add the egg and stir until well combined.
- Add the chopped cauliflower and toss until the florets are evenly coated in the “cheesy” sauce.
- Grease 4 small ramekins or one larger ovenproof baking dish with non-stick spray or coconut oil.
- Divide the cauliflower mixture between the ramekins, or transfer it to the prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
- Increase the oven to broil and cook for another 2 minutes, watching closely.
- Remove from the oven and serve warm.
Notes
*You can use any dairy-free milk. **You can use another starch, such as cornstarch, but use tapioca starch if you want the recipe to remain paleo-friendly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
Dairy: yes or no? Have you ever tried nutritional yeast?