Cheesy Cauliflower and Fire Roasted Tomato Gratin
45 Minutes Prep
1 Hour
45 Minutes Total
Cheesy, rich and creamy cauliflower casserole (gratin) is topped with the bright flavor of fire roasted tomatoes and crunchy, buttery bread crumbs. The result is a memorable dish perfect for family dinners and elegant enough for entertaining.
Ingredient List
- 1 head (2 lb) cauliflower, cut into large florets
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup hot milk
- 1 cup hot heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup freshly shredded Gruyère cheese (3 oz)
- 2/3 cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 1 can (28 oz) Muir Glen™ organic fire roasted whole tomatoes, drained
- 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
- 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped Italian (flat-leaf) parsley
Preparation
- In 5- to 6-quart saucepan, cook cauliflower florets in boiling salted water 3 to 4 minutes or until tender but still firm. Drain.
- Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 2 1/3- to 3-quart baking dish with cooking spray. In 3-quart saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Add flour; stir constantly with wooden spoon 2 minutes. Slowly pour hot milk and cream into butter-flour mixture, beating with whisk until smooth; increase heat to medium. Heat to boiling, beating constantly with whisk about 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; beat in Gruyère cheese and 1/3 cup of the Parmesan cheese. When melted, add 3/4 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper and nutmeg. Stir to combine.
- Add drained cauliflower to sauce; gently stir to coat cauliflower. Pour into baking dish. Bake 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, chop drained tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. Drain chopped tomatoes again to remove as much excess liquid as possible. In medium bowl, mix tomatoes, garlic and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.
- Remove cauliflower from oven; scatter chopped tomatoes on top. Bake 10 minutes.
- In 8-inch skillet, heat remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add bread crumbs; cook and stir until lightly browned. Transfer to medium bowl; add parsley and remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over top of tomatoes. Bake about 5 minutes or until top is golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Draining the tomatoes one more time after they've been chopped ensures the gratin doesn't come out too watery. Save the tomato water for one of our drink recipes!
- Fresh bread crumbs are easy to make. Just pulse day-old French bread or hearty white bread in the food processer until you get the desired crumb size. For extra crunch, don't process your crumbs too long. Slightly bigger crumbs deliver a bigger crunch!
