Vegan Cauliflower Cheese Gratin
A super creamy & tangy vegan 'cheddar cheese' sauce coating steamed cauliflower and tenderstem broccoli, with a crispy breadcrumb topping.
Ingredients
For the vegan 'cheese' sauce:
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 white onion , finely sliced
- 120 g (~3/4 cup) peeled, cubed potato
- 130 g (1 cup) cashews
- 375 g (1 1/2 cups) water
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1 tbsp marmite , soy sauce or miso (my fave is marmite)
- 1 tbsp yellow mustard
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- Salt
- Black pepper
For the gratin:
- 1 medium head cauliflower , cut into medium florets
- 150 g (5.4 ounces) tenderstem broccoli (optional)
- 3 tbsp breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tbsp olive oil
Instructions
For the 'cheese' sauce:
- Heat 4 tbsp of the olive oil in a large pot over a medium-low heat. Add the onion to the pot and saute until it starts to brown slightly – about 10 minutes. Add the potato, cashews, water, smoked paprika, garlic granules, nutritional yeast, soy sauce/miso, and mustard to the pot.
- Bring to the boil and turn down to simmer – leave for 15minutes so that the potatoes and cashews can soften.
- Pour the contents of the pot into the jug of a high-speed blender along with the apple cider vinegar and blitz until completely smooth, adding more water as needed to get the right sauce texture (I added about 250ml/1 cup to get it thin enough). Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
For the gratin:
- Preheat your oven grill to a medium heat and place an oven rack in the top third of the oven.
- Pour a few cm (1-2 inch) depth of water into a large pot and set over a high heat on the stove. Once the water is boiling, add the cauliflower and broccoli to the pot. Cover with a lid, turn down the heat to low, and let the veg steam for 4 minutes until tender but still with firmness to it.
- Drain the veg and add to a roasting dish. Pour over the 'cheese' sauce and stir to coat. Mix the breadcrumbs and oil in a small bowl until coated then scatter this over the vegetables.
- Place under the grill in the oven and watch carefully. You want the breadcrumbs to toast and the sauce to brown slightly. This should take around 5 minutes but will depend on your grill.
- Once finished, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
To make ahead:
- Prep the sauce and store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Prep the veg and, once steamed, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- When ready to assemble: Gently warm the sauce with an added splash of water, in a small pot on the stove, stirring often until hot. Toss with the cold vegetables in a roasting dish and continue with the recipe as usual.