Cheddar, Broccoli and Cauliflower Bake
The first time I made Jamie Oliver's Cauliflower & Broccoli Cheese, I ate three bowls full of it. The crunchy topping, the burned bits, the cauliflower crunch...it was (and still is) just perfection.
Broccoli mixture pre-blend
Broccoli mixture post-blend
I've made this recipe a million times since then, tweaking it slightly along the way. I've tried changing out the almonds for other nuts, using different kinds of milk and cheese, and using different herbs...really, this recipe is delicious no matter what you do to it.
This recipe is also perfect to serve a crowd and you can easily prep it ahead of time, so keep it in mind for your upcoming holiday menus…
Let me know what you think of the recipe in the comments and don’t forget to follow those sustainability tips below!
Time: 90 minutes
Serves: 5 as a meal, 8 as a side
Ingredients
1 large head or 2 small heads cauliflower (1 kg of florets)
Note: Feel free to sub some broccoli for cauliflower if your slightly short of 1 kg
1 large head broccoli (500 g of florets)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk of choice
3/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
2 slices stale or crusty bread
1/4 cup nut of choice
Olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh lemon thyme, or hearty herb of choice
Steps
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Cut your cauliflower and broccoli into florets (including the stems- no waste here!) Place each veggie in a separate bowl and set those aside.
In a medium pan over medium heat, toss in your butter and garlic. When the butter has all melted, whisk in your flour until the mixture forms a paste. Then, v gradually add your milk, whisking well to make sure all the lumps are gone.
Toss your broccoli into the pot and let that mixture simmer until the broccoli is tender, about 20-25 minutes.
While the broccoli is cooking, make your breadcrumb topping. Into a small bowl, crumble your bread into very small pieces. Roughly chop your nuts and add them to the bowl with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon thyme or your herb of choice.
Once your broccoli is tender use an immersion blender, stand-up blender or potato masher to blend or mash your broccoli until smooth. Add in half your cheddar and a generous pinch of salt and stir. Take this off the burner while you prep your cauliflower.
Place the cauliflower in an oiled baking dish. I used an 8 inch by 11 inch dish, but a similar size would work just as well. Pour your broccoli mixture on top of the cauliflower. Try to spread it fairly evenly, but don’t feel the need to mix it in too much. Top with the remaining cheese, followed by the breadcrumb topping.
Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Dig in!
Sustainability Tips
Broccoli and Cauliflower: Get these puppies locally and organically. In the Midwest, these are both in season August-October, so it is supes easiest to find these locally during the fall.
Garlic: Go for locally grown, organic garlic. Don’t buy the pre-minced stuff in the jar. There’s no need for plastic or glass waste here!
Butter and cheese: Buying from a B Corp is your best bet here. B Corps are great because they’re held to really high environmental and social standards. Cabot Creamery, Rogue Creamery and Stonyfield are great options, but aren’t sold everywhere. Do some research to find what’s available near you!
Flour: Buy from a B Corp or go for locally milled. (Psst! King Arthur brand is my fav!)
Milk: Non-dairy milk is your best bet here, especially since this recipe also uses butter and cheese. Cows are super bad for the planet, so avoiding dairy as much as possible is the most sustainable way to go.
Nuts: Go for a nut that’s either fair trade or locally grown and harvested. Read all about this in my sustainable nuts post!
Olive oil: Fair trade and organic olive oil is best for the planet. Read more in my sustainable oils post!
Herbs: Grow your own herbs (it’s easier than you think!) or buy them locally. The more local they are, the less nasty GHG’s will be released during their travels.