Isn’t it funny how the foods you hated as a child can become some of your favorites as an adult? Case in point: broccoli and cauliflower. I ate them only under duress when I was growing up. Now I lurv them! Especially with cheesy sauce. Here is a low-carb dish that is a great side with any protein. It’s also a good way to use up random bits of cheese. The recipe is very forgiving and will taste different depending on whether you roast or steam the broccoli/cauliflower, and what cheese you use.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 head broccoli
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup grated cheese – I use mostly cheddar but will add smoked Gouda, Gruyere, Parmesan, cream cheese, mascarpone, pepper jack, etc.
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Preparation
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Wash the broccoli and cauliflower, then chop them into bite-sized florets. Toss them in a large bowl with the olive oil.
- Place the broccoli and cauliflower florets on a parchment-covered baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. When you remove them from the oven, reduce oven temp to 350 degrees.
- While the vegetables are roasting, place grated cheeses, cream, butter, nutmeg, salt, and pepper into a saucepan and heat gently until cheeses are melted.
- Place the roasted cauliflower and broccoli into a casserole dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the top, then stir to make sure the vegetables are coated with cheese.
- The casserole goes back into the oven at 350 degrees until bubbly and just starting to brown – 10-15 minutes.
If you like, the broccoli and cauliflower florets can be steamed instead of roasted. You can also add different herbs and spices to the cheese sauce – cayenne, red pepper flakes, oregano, Italian seasoning, onion powder, whatever you like. Or chop some bell pepper and add to the sauce. Experiment until you find your happy sauce. Enjoy!