Grandma's Cauliflower Cheese Recipe (2025)

FAQs

How do you keep cauliflower cheese from being watery? ›

Drain well

Make sure you drain the cauliflower really well after it's boiled up and before you add it to the dish, otherwise it will end up too watery.

The dish may get watery if the cauliflower is overcooked – that's when the florets release more water – or if you haven't drained the florets well after steaming/boiling them. Make sure the florets are properly drained and that you stick to the exact instructions from the recipe.

Cool completely, then cover with clingfilm and keep in the fridge for up to 2 days before cooking.

Cooking the cauliflower cheese at too high a temperature can sometimes cause the cheese to split, resulting in a slightly oily, grainy texture. What is this? A split sauce can also be avoided by removing the sauce from the heat before adding the cheese.

I've done it. It really is as simple as putting the cooked and cooled cauliflower on a clean flour sack towel , wrapping it up and squeezing all the water out. I like to use flour sack towels because they're large and really thin, which makes them easy to squeeze tight and get out as much water as possible.

The ratio could not be simpler. For every cup of grated cheese (about 3 ounces) you will need a quarter cup of water and a half-teaspoon of sodium citrate. Heat the water to a simmer, add the sodium citrate to dissolve, then whisk in the cheese of your choice a bit at a time until you get a smooth and creamy mixture.

"Be sure to give each floret a bit of room so that the they have space for airflow. I'd also recommend baking them on a silicone baking mat," says Blay. The edges will get much crispier than they would if you baked them on parchment paper.

It's probably just differences in the type of potato - some are wetter than others and it changes with the seasons. Do you cover it when you bake it? I would use double cream rather than milk if you want it thicker, or bake it for longer to burn off the liquid. Cornflour will just be yucky and sticky.

Likewise, if you're making a sauce in the oven, use low heat. Egg yolks are often used as a thickening agent in sauces, but if you cook them for too long at too high a temperature, the proteins will start to denature and form curds. Flour has similar properties, especially if it's not cooked in butter first.

It can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to cook. It is possible to freeze cauliflower cheese but unfortunately the sauce can sometimes turn thin and sligtly watery on defrosting, so we prefer not to freeze the dish if at all possible.

Why can't you reheat cauliflower cheese? ›

Can you reheat cauliflower cheese? Yes you can, and it will taste fine… But just be aware that it will dry out a little and the cauliflower will be a little bit softer… not a deal breaker, but definitely not as good as fresh! Simply place any leftover cauliflower in a lidded container and refrigerate.

However, freezing cauliflower cheese will compromise the texture of the cauliflower, as well as the richness and thickness of the cauliflower cheese sauce. Dairy is noted to separate when frozen and thawed, ruining your dish's sauce. As such it is advised to simply refrigerate the cauliflower cheese.

Overcooked cauliflower releases water, which will seep into the rest of the dish. So even if your sauce was thick when it went in the oven, if its in there too long, the water from the cauliflower will cause it to go watery. I would advise to not bake for longer than 20-25 minutes.

Broccoli, cauli and cabbage

But the bacteria in your gut loves to utilise it for energy, and this results in gas. Many of these cruciferous veg also contain sulphur, and you know all about the smell that can lead to. Image caption, Cauliflower cheese with onions could lead to bothersome gassiness.

Rustle up one of the greatest comfort foods: cauliflower cheese. It makes a perfect side dish or vegetarian main meal.

Since fresh mozzarella retains at least 52 percent water, it will benefit from a bit of drying time. Instead of slicing the mozzarella and immediately adding the cheese, set the slices on a paper or tea towel to absorb excess moisture; let them rest for at least 15 minutes.

You can thicken cheese sauce further by adding more flour or even using a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch. In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch or flour with a cup of water. The cold water will create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the cheese sauce over medium heat, and let the sauce boil and thicken.

Cheese sauce can be kept from congealing by applying enough heat to keep it semi-liquid but not enough to scorch it or dry it out. A candle or an electric heat source can be used for this. A fondue pot is one type of vessel commonly used for the process.