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Get It NowThis cheesy loaded cauliflower casserole recipe is my go-to side dish for weeknight dinners, potlucks, and even holidays. My family, friends, and even kids all love it. I always get asked for the recipe — so here it is! And while I like to sneak this veggie into many meals in unexpected ways, this cauliflower bake is my absolute favorite. It reminds me of a loaded baked potato, but is also a lighter take on comfort food.
Why You’ll Love My Cauliflower Casserole Recipe
- “Loaded” with flavor – See what I did there? 😉 With creamy cheddar cheese sauce, bacon, and green onions, this dish has all the flavors you love in a loaded baked potato.
- Quick and easy – My cauliflower casserole recipe uses simple, natural ingredients you can find at any grocery store, and takes only about 30 minutes from start to finish. Must be why I make it so often?
- Major comfort food factor, but lighter – Just like my cauliflower potato salad and cauliflower mac and cheese, replacing the starch with cauliflower works amazingly well when the sauce is right (and it is). This dish is naturally low carb and gluten-free, but feels like you’re eating potatoes!
- Minimal cleanup – Many casserole recipes leave a lot of dishes to wash, so I absolutely love that I just need a bowl and a baking dish to make this one.
- Versatile for any occasion – It’s quick enough for a weeknight, but crowd pleasing enough for a potluck or holiday meal. Even the leftovers are amazing the next day.
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for my loaded cauliflower casserole, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower – I use fresh cauliflower (cut into florets), but frozen will also work (but takes longer to roast). You can take a shortcut and use bagged florets from the produce section, but it’s not my favorite thing to do because they tend to be different sizes.
- Butter – I wouldn’t normally use it for roasting, but since I roast the florets in a baking dish, the butter adds extra richness and never burns for me. You can use olive oil or avocado oil if you’re concerned about it.
- Heavy Cream – Thins out the sauce and makes it rich. You can also use half and half. Other milks, such as almond milk or regular dairy milk, are not ideal, as the sauce will be too thin. If you want to try one of those to lighten it up, use less.
- Sour Cream – For that classic “loaded” experience! I prefer to use full-fat sour cream, but lower fat sour cream or even plain Greek yogurt works as well. I’ve also made this with cream cheese when I ran out of sour cream. Just melt it in the microwave first, and add a little extra heavy cream for the right sauce consistency.
- Garlic – I love the taste of fresh minced garlic, but have also used jarred minced garlic to save time. If needed, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder instead.
- Cheddar Cheese – Shredded sharp cheddar cheese adds that classic loaded baked potato flavor to my cauliflower casserole recipe. I use a pre-shredded variety (all about convenience over here), but you can shred it yourself if you like. You can also opt for other types of shredded cheese, but to me the dish loses some of that “loaded potato” vibe if you do.
- Bacon – I typically use leftover oven baked bacon, air fryer bacon, or even microwave bacon, but ready-made bacon bits are an easy time-saver. You could also replace the bacon with cooked turkey bacon for a lighter option.
- Green Onions – For a pop of color and flavor. Fresh chives also work, if you prefer something more mild.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper
How To Make Cauliflower Casserole
This section shows step-by-step photos together with the instructions, to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Roast the cauliflower. If you’ve seen any of my other cauliflower recipes, you know that I’m a big fan of roasting cauliflower! So, let’s do this. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with melted butter (or oil of your choice), salt, and pepper. Transfer to a casserole dish or sheet pan, and roast in a preheated oven until fork tender. (You can boil, steam the cauliflower, or even make Instant Pot cauliflower instead and then drain it, but roasted tastes better!)
- Make the sauce. In the same bowl (wipe it down first but no need to wash), whisk together the sour cream and heavy cream, until smooth. Add the garlic, cheddar cheese, bacon, and green onions. Season to taste with sea salt and pepper, if needed.
- Mix the cauliflower with the sauce. Add the roasted cauliflower to the cream cheese mixture, and stir to combine. (Feel free to try it here if you can’t resist, I often do!)
- Assemble and add toppings. Return the cauliflower to the casserole dish. Top with more cheese and bacon.
- Bake the cauliflower casserole. Place the dish in the oven and bake until the cheese on top is melted. This goes pretty quick! When it’s done, I like to sprinkle it with more green onions for a pretty finish.
My Recipe Tips
- Make sure your florets are uniform in size, and not too large. Consistent sized pieces ensure that they cook at the same rate. And the sauce mixes in better if your florets are small or medium, rather than large.
- Roast in the casserole dish to save on cleanup time. Although roasting on a sheet pan is a little bit faster (more airflow), I prefer to cook the vegetables in the same baking dish I’ll use for the actual cauliflower casserole. Fewer dishes to wash = win!
- Go light on the salt. When mixing the sauce and adjusting salt to taste, keep in mind that the sauce will get saltier as cheese melts later. The right amount will vary depending on your preferences and the brands of cheese you use, but oftentimes I don’t even need to add extra salt to the sauce. (I do always salt the cauliflower before roasting, though.)
- Add protein for a one-pan meal. Turn this into a full dinner and call it a day! Simply stir in about 2 cups of shredded chicken or cubed chicken breast, leftover turkey, or cooked ground beef or sausage. I typically increase the amounts in the sauce by 50% to account for the added meat.
Storage Instructions
- Store: The leftovers from this dish are great the next day! Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The cauliflower does soften a bit, but I still think it tastes delicious.
- Meal prep: One of my favorite things about this loaded cauliflower bake is that I can make it in advance — so convenient for holidays when cooking is hectic, or weeknights when I know we’ll be home late. Just assemble the whole thing, cover with plastic wrap, and store in the fridge for up to 2 days. Bake it fresh right before serving. Keep in mind that it does take longer if you place in the oven directly from the fridge.
- Reheat: You can warm up the entire casserole in the oven at 350 degrees F, or reheat individual portions in the microwave.
- Freeze: I’ve frozen this dish both before and after baking, and both ways work quite well. This was a bit surprising, since there is so much dairy, but it just works! The cauliflower casserole keeps well in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before heating if you can, or you can bake from frozen at 325 degrees F, but it takes a while.
Serving Suggestions
I’ve served this loaded cauliflower casserole in dozens of ways over the years — it goes with just about anything! Try it with one of the options below, or choose one of my other healthy dinner recipes:
- Chicken – Simple baked chicken legs make a nice main dish with this, or make healthy chicken breast at the same oven temperature, so you can cook them together. When I want something even faster and more hands off, I make Instant Pot chicken drumsticks.
- Beef – Since we’ve got major comfort food vibes going on with this casserole, beef is one of the best main dishes to go with it. I like to keep it simple and serve it with juicy burgers or a sirloin steak.
- Pork – Make some quick air fryer brats or juicy cast iron pork chops while the cauliflower casserole is in the oven.
- Salad – Since this dish is so rich, you can even serve it as your main entree! When I do this, I tend to balance it with a colorful pomegranate salad or a light arugula salad on the side.
More Cauliflower Casserole Recipes
Cauliflower is one of my favorite real-food “fillers” for casseroles! Here are a few other ways I like to do this:
My Baking Dish For This Recipe
You might have seen this baking dish in many of my recipe photos, because it’s the one I use the most! It’s durable, heats evenly, and looks elegant when I bring it to the table. And it still looks new after all these years.
Cauliflower Casserole (Loaded Style!)
Bake this cheesy loaded cauliflower casserole recipe with sour cream, bacon, and cheddar in just 30 minutes. Tastes like loaded potatoes!
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C).
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In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with butter. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
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Transfer the cauliflower to a small 1.5 quart (1.4 L) casserole dish in a single layer. (Roasting in the baking dish saves on dishes, but you could also roast on a sheet pan to make it faster.) Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes if using a sheet pan, or 25-30 minutes if using the baking dish (stir halfway through if using this method), until crisp-tender.
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Meanwhile, in the same bowl, whisk together the sour cream and heavy cream, until smooth. Stir in the minced garlic, half of the cheddar cheese, half of the bacon, and half of the green onions. If desired, season sauce with sea salt and black pepper. (Don't over salt — it will get more salty as the cheese melts later.)
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When the cauliflower is done roasting, take it out and leave the oven on. Add the cauliflower to the bowl and mix with the sauce.
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Return the cauliflower mixture to the casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and bacon.
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Bake for 5-10 minutes, until the cheese melts. Top with remaining green onions.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers, or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 3/4 cup
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
443 Comments
Julie
0This is the absolute best tasting mac ‘n cheese wanna-be I have ever tasted! I could not get my kids on the cauliflower train, but they scarfed this up! I now make it as a side dish or main entree. Add some diced ham or bacon and you have a quick and easy meal. I added broccoli with ham one night, and the kids and I could not get enough. Truly, the best!
Phyllis
0I have heart disease, is this healthy for the heart? All that fat seems unhealthy, like cheese, butter, heavy cream? Just curious because I’d like to try keto.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi Phyllis, I’m not a doctor so I would recommend talking with your medical provider to see if keto is right for you.
Sarah Williams
0Can you use frozen cauliflower for this recipe?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Sarah, If using frozen I would thaw and then roast your cauliflower.
Maegan
0Simple, delicious, and most importantly, guilt-free! This is the first time I’ve ever had cauliflower and I’m glad I branched out! I’ll keep this recipe as a go-to as I find other recipes focused on this veggie. Thanks for sharing!
Margaret
0Can this be frozen?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Margaret, Absolutely! Store it in a freezer-safe airtight container and it will keep well in the freezer.
Mother Luv
0Hello. This dish was very EASY and delicious. I substituted some ingredients with plant based ingredients. My son really does not like my planted meals he said “It was deeeelicious.
I wanted to post a pic of my dish however I did not see the option to post pics 🤗 ~Mother Luv~ 💖Hug somebody and tell’m u luv’m 💖
Irene Showalter
0My son is not very fond of vegetables but he took seconds👏👍🤸
Mary Zeno
0Love it, very good but my cheese watered down.
C. Rawlins
0Delicious outcome. I only gave it four stars instead of five because there is some extensive prep involved, which probably could be avoided by using pre-shredded cheese (great if you like eating wood chips) and pre-minced garlic (which is always foul-tasting). Still, it was delicious. I would say using fully fatted sour cream and cream is a must because otherwise, you will end up in with a soupy cauliflower mess.
Tracy F
0I read your review. I, too, do not buy pre-shredded cheese. I buy Tillamook cheeses and shred them in my shredder, 1/4 lb at a time. Put the 1/4 # shredded cheese in a freezer zip lock bag and into the freezer. Be sure and mark the bags as to how much you are keeping and the date. Since I buy the cheese a pound at a time, I end up with four bags full. They last for at least 4 months (for me).
Micki
0If I wanted to do this as a prep-ahead recipe, could I roast the cauliflower and put together the sauce, store them separately and then combine when I’m ready to bake? Would the roasted cauliflower still be good after being in the fridge for a day or two? I suppose I could just do the sauce ahead of time, but would like to do both if possible. Thoughts?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Micki, Yes you could prep both ahead of time and heat up when you are ready to eat.
Norma
0Excellent recipe!! My family loved it!
Karen Hunt
0Thank you so much Maya. Your Cheesy Loaded Cauliflower Casserole is delicious! I had given up on cauliflower after trying it mashed until I looked up your recipe. It’s on the menu again. Awesome!
Megan
0This was a HUGE hit to say the least. I brought it to my families Easter dinner. It was all gone in a matter of minutes. Everyone went home asking for the recipe.. so I shared the app! Thank you for the great recipe and the wonderful app that makes it all so easy and accessible.
Andrea
0Absolutely delicious, even my husband likes it. We had it with a lamb chop, yummy, thank you.
Lejla
0I just made this for dinner and have enjoyed it very much. Great recipe! Thank you for sharing. 👍
Sondra Johnson
0OMG! This was fantastic! My husband gave it a “10” – said he could eat this every day. Thanks Maya for a wonderful recipe! (Served it with a rotisserie chicken and roasted asparagus.)
Linda P.
0Yummy, yummy, yummy! Thanks for the recipe.
Alyssa
0I didn’t have sour cream so I used 2/3 cup heavy cream and it is still so delicious!
K.
0How long will this keep in fridge after cooked? Thanks for reply!
Wholesome Yum D
0You can store in an air tight container for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
SW Scholar
0Amazing recipe. We loved it. Will probably make a double recipe next time. I omitted the fresh garlic in the sauce and instead seasoned the cauliflower before I roasted it with a seasoning from Kinders called The Blend which is salt/pepper/garlic.
John Lacenere
0I love it it’s quick and delicious. I used my ninja foodie xl.
Jami
0The recipe was delicious. But seriously, the webpage is simply awful. Ingredients were obstructed, and the ads are just more than annoying.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Jami, Thanks for your feedback. Ads keep the Wholesome Yum website running and allow me to develop recipes that readers like you can access absolutely free. However, you may be interested in Wholesome Yum Plus, which includes an ad-free version of the website, along with other perks.
Stephie
0It’s not so much the ads, it’s the formatting. The ‘Pin, Facebook and Save’ circlets overlay the recipe on the left side. It ends up cutting off the first 4 spaces, so instead of seeing 2/3 cups you see 3 cups because the “2/” is cut off. Then some of the ads change the placement of the recipe vertically, so you are reading it and suddenly it shifts down, a few seconds later it shifts the opposite direction. I believe this is what they are referring to in their post.
BUT, the recipe itself is FANTASTIC. Thank you so much. It is a keeper. I couldn’t stop eating it and I’m buying more cauliflower tomorrow just to make it again. Roasting takes it to a whole new level.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Stephie, Oh no, what you are describing definitely should not be happening! I’ll take a look at this. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I’m so glad you like the recipe!
Tracy Fluitt
0My print out recipes always turn out perfect. Maybe it’s the printer setting?
Lizzy
0Is it possible to do half cauliflower & half broccoli? The family loves both & have made many with with that combo. Thanks so much!!
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lizzy, Yes, that would also work!
Heike Farmer
0I really want to try this but I don’t have heavy cream. Can I do it without the heavy cream or is there a substitute?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Heike, You could omit it but the sauce would be very thick.
Be
0I used half and half. It was delicious.
Karen Todd
0This was delicious and my husband loved it.
Lori
0Can you leave out the heavy cream altogether, I’m diabetic and that has a lot of things I shouldn’t have.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lori, You could omit it but the sauce would be very thick.
Angie
0Loved it!
Susan
0I’m really big into one pot meals these days and it occurs to me that adding some shredded chicken to this yummy-sounding dish would make it a complete meal. I will try that.
Christina
0This dish was amazing as a side at Christmas dinner! A star of the meal. I adjusted it slightly, using plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I also cooked a small diced onion and the garlic cloves until they were soft and translucent (about 6 mins) and mixed that into the dish. I didn’t add the bacon or green onions on top. I will definitely be making this again.
Betty Bennett
0Loved this. Will definitely make again.
Laura
0Can you use 2% milk instead of heavy cream
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Laura, I have never used 2% in this recipe, one being because 2% milk is not low carb and two being you want a thick and creamy texture and you will only get that from HWC.
Amy
0Great recipe, so tasty every time. This is a new go to recipe for my family. I roast the cauliflower in the bacon grease rather than adding butter.
Sarene
0Second time I’ve made this. First was Thanksgiving, a friend who had it that evening requested it for her birthday dinner. It was a huge hit both nights. Feedback was “Who would have thought cauliflower would steal the show!”
Deb Steppe
0If using frozen cauliflower do you boil then roast or just roast etc…
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Deb, I would thaw and then roast your cauliflower.
Dawn E Van Riper
0Could I use frozen cauliflower in this recipe?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Dawn, Frozen cauliflower should work as a replacement in this recipe.
HK
0How would you cook in crockpot?
Wholesome Yum D
0It may work in a slow cooker, but I’ve never tried it to give any recommendations. Let me know how it goes and what you did if you decide to experiment with it.
Janet Howgate
0Awesome. But I should have done more cauliflower I’m still hungry. Lol.
Anita
0Loved it!!
Vickie
0Is this recipe gluten free? I don’t eat gluten free but my daughter does and I would like to make something she can eat at our Thanksgiving dinner.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Vickie, Yes, this recipe is gluten free.
Heather
0I only have 10% cream in my fridge. Do you think that would work? Thanks
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Heather, Yes, that would also work in this recipe.
Jpallesen
0This was SO DELICIOUS!! The roasting left the cauliflower with texture and a nice bite.
Judy
0I’ve made loaded cauliflower casserole for a very long time & have never roasted my cauliflower…..I cook it first drain it & put it in the baking dish & pour my sauce over it cover with foil & I sprinkle the cheese over it & bake for 10-15 mins. or until cheese melts. Sprinkle with green onions & serve.
Gary
0You should try the roasted approach, even though you have always done it another way. Roasting removes a LOT of the additional water! It also adds a more complex, nutty and smoky flavor to the cauliflower.
This recipe as written is GREAT! 🙂
Peggy Pavek
0I made this last week & it was outstanding! I plan to make it again next week! It was THAT GOOD!
Tammi
0This recipe is so delicious! My husband (who hates cauliflower) loved this casserole. I made this alongside smoked sausage and green beans. Will definitely be making this often!
Oh, I added double cheese
Ashley
0My family requests this a lot now!! So good! When we need to go through veggies, we add sweet potato, squash and zucchini. Super easy and most of the time my picky girl will even eat this.
Chris Vigil
0Love this recipe. I’d like to make ahead for a weekend away with some friends. Can I just refrigerate until time to bake? Any suggestions on bake time after that? Thanks in advance!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Chris, Yes, you can assemble the ingredients in a baking dish and refrigerate until ready for the final bake. Follow steps 1-6 on the recipe card and then refrigerate. When you are ready to serve, bake at 350 for 20 minutes or so until fully heated through. Enjoy!
Kristy c Glisson
0Can you freeze this?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kristy, Absolutely! Store it in a freezer-safe airtight container and it will keep well in the freezer.
Lourdes Winter
0Maya does it again! I just whipped up my second batch of this delicious side dish – two Sunday dinners in a row. Big hit with friends last week as well as with the hubs.
I can’t recommend it enough!
*My variation was to substitute “Unexpected Cheddar” cheese from Trader Joe’s – it’s got a hint of parmesan, but it’s definitely a nice, sharp cheddar flavor.
Julie
0This just became a staple in my household and I will be making at least once a week. Was a little worried with cauliflower but it turned out incredible! With the salt and pepper I also added onion and garlic powder. So good!
Liz
0I made this recipe last weekend. Oh my goodness this is so good. I did add cooked chicken breasts, chopped, to it to give it some meat. The flavor was absolutely amazing. Nothing “diet” like to this. Loved it.
Rebecca Heck
0This recipe was one of our favorites when we first started Keto. We’ll 2.5 years and 105lbs later it STILL IS! Now I add 4oz of softened cream cheese in with heavy cream and sour cream. It’s a bit richer and spectacular over the top creamy.
Dana Jackson
0I made this for my family. We loved it! I did use a bigger head of cauliflower, so I added some extra butter, cream, and cheese. We turned it into a one dish meal with some extra crumbled bacon and diced, sweet onion on the top. Great recipe!
Sue Y
0Oh my… SO good! Husband and I may or may not have demolished the entire pan at dinner! Made exactly to the instructions. All the things I love about cauliflower mac & cheese without the fuss of making a sauce. Highly recommend.
Sue
0I didn’t add bacon or green onions very satisfying without all those carbs
Mandy
0I was planning to make this tonight but I only have 18% cream. Do you think that will work instead of heavy cream? Thanks so much in advance!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Mandy, Yes, melt an extra tablespoon of butter in to the 1/4 cup of cream and it will work great! Enjoy!
Christalynn
0Very tasty but had some extra moisture in the bottom of the casserole dish. Any suggestions to reduce or what I may have done?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Christalynn, Did you have too much cream sauce at the bottom or was it watery from the cauliflower? If it was watery, you can increase the roast time by another 5 minutes. Then pour off any excess liquid before adding the cream and sour cream. If the recipe had too much creamy sauce, you can half the amount of heavy cream you add to the recipe. I hope this helps!