It goes without saying that potato is the king of gratins but that doesn’t mean that it’s the only ingredient you can pair with creamy, cheesy goodness. You can gratinee pretty much any ingredient you can think of and here we’ve done it to the ever-versatile workhorse of a brassica, cauliflower. Now, cauliflower has a reputation these days for being a vegetable you can turn into anything (rice, pizza, mashed potatoes) and that adaptability is probably why it works so well in this bake. It’s mild enough that it plays nice with anything you pair it with and here it’s partnered with crispy bacon, sharp white cheddar, and a topping of buttery breadcrumbs. Let’s just say it’s a delicious way to eat your veggies.

First, you’ll steam your cauliflower and cook your bacon until it’s nice and crispy. Be careful not to overcook your cauliflower – it will cook more in the oven and you don’t want it to turn to mush.

Then you’ll make a bechamel sauce by whisking together butter, flour, and milk, and then stirring in plenty of white cheddar and a bit of nutmeg.

You pour that allllll over the cauliflower…

… and then stir it all together.

Some parmesan and panko breadcrumbs go on top and it heads into the oven until it’s golden brown and deliciously bubbly.

This isn’t the light and healthy side that you maybe think of when you think of cauliflower, but that just goes to show just how much cauliflower can do. When you’re looking for a side that’s a little bit more indulgent, this is the way to go – it’s a creamy, cheesy, crunchy bake that everyone is bound to love.