This Horseradish Cauliflower Au Gratin is smooth and creamy with the perfect amount of kick! It’s the perfect side for your Thanksgiving table!
Good Monday morning friends! How was everyone’s weekend? I spent the earlier part of my weekend before the rain, wind and flooding from Hurricane Joaquin putting up my fall/Halloween decorations. Are you guys Halloween fans? I love Halloween! I love seeing all the kids in their costumes, and I love giving out the candy on Halloween night. This weekend I had such fun going into town to get my pumpkins, cornstalks, and hay bales and start decorating the house.
While I was out gathering up my fall decorations I noticed there are already Christmas cards and decorations in some of the stores! I love Christmas as much as the next guy, but I still need to focus on Halloween and Thanksgiving before I start trimming any trees for gosh sakes! Since Thanksgiving is the biggest food holiday of the year, I usually start thinking about special dishes I’ll be serving right around the beginning to mid-October. I always have the usual favorites, but I usually try to change up the vegetable side dishes every year.
Today I’m sharing my Horseradish Cauliflower Au Gratin which will be served this year at our Thanksgiving table. I really love cauliflower, and this recipe is my favorite way to prepare it. The sauce is smooth and creamy with some parmesan cheese, garlic and the perfect amount of horseradish to give it some wonderful flavor, and a little kick. I also like to top it with some Italian panko bread crumbs for added flavor. Cauliflower is rich in vitamin C, calcium, and potassium, so it not only tastes delicious, but it’s good for you. So plan ahead and give this one a go over the next few weeks, and hopefully it gets a spot at your Thanksgiving table too! Have a great week friends!
Ingredients
- 8 cups cauliflower florets one large head
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
- 2/3 cup parmesan cheese divided
- 1/4 cup Italian panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Place cauliflower florets in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover pot and steam for 7 minutes until slightly tender. Drain and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for one minute.
- Add flour and cook for an additional minute stirring constantly.
- Slowly add milk and bring to a boil, stirring often until thickened.
- Add salt, pepper, horseradish and all but 2 Tbsp. of the parmesan cheese.
- Pour a little less than half of the sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish big enough to fit the cauliflower.
- Add the drained cauliflower on top, followed by the remaining sauce.
- Sprinkle with the panko bread crumbs, the remaining 2 Tbsp. parmesan cheese and some additional fresh ground black pepper.
- Bake for 30 minutes until lightly browned.
Cauliflower is hands down one of my favorite vegetables and I’m a sucker for anything au gratin (because helllllo lovely creamy, cheesy sauce), so obviously I am swooning over this dish! I love love LOVE the addition of horseradish, Mary Ann! YES, give me all the kick of flava!! Perfection, my dear! Pinned! Cheers to a lovely week! <3
Mine too Cheyanne! Not as healthy as your fabulous grilled cauliflower steaks, but delicious nonetheless! Lol! So glad you’re back! Expecting some yummy stuff from your neck of the woods this fall!
Love this, especially the horseradish addition. I love horseradish, but have never tried it with cauliflower. I know it would be awesome :)
I am a huge horseradish fan Jennifer, the hotter the better! This is one of my favorite vegetable dishes. Hope you enjoy it if you try it. Have a great week!
I really like the idea of horseradish in your au gratin cauliflower dish. There is nothing like adding a little something special to a traditional dish. Glad I stopped by for a visit. :)
Thanks for stopping by Karen, and thanks so much for the comment! I love horseradish, and it worked out perfectly with this dish! Enjoy and have a great night!
Great recipe! So glad to have another way to prepare a favorite vegetable. The horseradish is an inspired touch.
I think you’ll really like it Elizabeth! Thanks for commenting!
This looks so perfect for Thanksgiving! I know- can you believe all the Christmas decorations out already? I just want to enjoy fall and not rush it! :) Have a good week!
Me too! I love to savor the fall before Old Man Winter comes! You too Jessica!
Gosh this looks phenom!!
Thanks so much Jocelyn! It’s a favorite of mine. Will definitely have a place on my Thanksgiving table! Enjoy your week!
I can only imagine the spicy kick horseradish gives to the cauliflower! I love it. Pinned!
Thanks Nicole!
This looks so great! I love cauliflower and I’m always looking for new ways to serve it so I’m planning on trying this soon. Horseradish sounds like it will give it a nice mustard-y flavor! Not much Halloween traffic in my neck of the woods – no side walks – so I don’t get too many kids stopping by.
Thanks Geraldine. I think the horseradish makes the dish! Enjoy the day, and thanks for commenting!
It looks delicious , I like the addition of the horseradish . Do you think it would go with duck confit legs and duck breast instead of polenta? I would add potatoes fried in duck fat. It’s for a dinner I’m planing this Friday.
I think it would work really well Gerlinde! I saw a honey-roasted duck online by Curtis Stone that was served with a creamed cauliflower. Sounds delicious to me! Hope you enjoy it!
We had steak instead of duck and your cauliflower gratin was a huge hit. I will make it again.
Awesome Gerlinde! I’m so glad!
(I also LOVE Halloween!) Oh man, I bet that horseradish adds a nice kick! I’m always looking for a new Thanksgiving sides to spice up the mix. This one looks very promising :)
Yes, I love the horseradish kick! Thanks Maryanne!
This has to be the BEST way to eat cauliflower ever! Looks amazing!!!
Thanks so much Jessica! It’s a favorite of mine! You should definitely try it!
Hi Mary Ann,
I realize it took a minute for me to try this recipe, but it’s great. I made it for dinner tonight. It’s been a grey,drizzly day in Seattle so warm dishes sounded good. It didn’t disappoint. Your cauliflower will definitely make more appearances on my table. Thank you so much for your ideas and wonderful recipes. Also, congratulations on the one year anniversary of your blog. I know it must be a huge amount of work, but believe me, your followers appreciate it!!! Thank you.
Becky
Thanks so much Becky! I’m so glad you tried it! I can’t believe it’s been a year already! It really is a lot of work, but comments from followers like you make it all worthwhile! Enjoy your night!
Hi Mary Ann! I really enjoy your site, and this recipe in particular. I blog for Bubbies Pickles, and I was wondering if I could use your recipe in a holiday casserole blog post I’m writing? I’ll be sure to credit you, of course :)
Yes, you may. Thank you for asking and for including my recipe!