• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
My PCOS Kitchen
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Ketogenic Recipes
    • Paleo
    • Gluten Free Recipes
    • Dairy Free Recipes
    • Sugar Free Recipes
    • Low Carb Recipes
    • Nut Free Recipes
  • Start Here
    • How To Start A Keto Diet
    • Macro Calculator
  • PCOS
    • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Facial Hair - Electrolysis Hair Removal
    • PCOS Cookbook with a 7-Day Meal Plan
  • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Ketogenic Recipes
    • Paleo
    • Gluten Free Recipes
    • Dairy Free Recipes
    • Sugar Free Recipes
    • Low Carb Recipes
    • Nut Free Recipes
  • Start Here
    • How To Start A Keto Diet
    • Macro Calculator
  • PCOS
    • Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) Facial Hair - Electrolysis Hair Removal
    • PCOS Cookbook with a 7-Day Meal Plan
  • About
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Low Carb Keto Dinner Recipes » Easy Keto Cauliflower au Gratin Recipe with Heavy Cream

    Easy Keto Cauliflower au Gratin Recipe with Heavy Cream

    July 14, 2021 by Ashley 2 Comments

    1.2K shares
    • Share!950
    • Tweet!
    • Yum!
    • Email
    • Print

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclosure policy for details.

    Jump to Recipe
    A white baking dish showing baked cauliflower au gratin with a serving on a white plate.
    Healthy and cheesy cauliflower au gratin
    A delicious and easy creamy cauliflower au gratin baked in the oven. It's loaded with bacon and onions and made with heavy cream and cream cheese instead of flour. This is the perfect low carb dinner idea for the family.

    A delicious creamy and cheesy keto cauliflower au gratin casserole. Forget the panko, you'll fall in love with the crispy bacon and caramelized onions topping. An easy dinner to make, this will be loved by everyone - including toddlers and babies.

    A white baking dish showing baked cauliflower au gratin with a serving on a white plate.
    Table of Contents
    • What is Cauliflower au Gratin?
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make Cauliflower au Gratin
    • Recipe Video
    • Troubleshooting Tips
    • Frequently Asked Quetions
    • How to serve this to a baby or toddler
    • What to Serve with Cauliflower au Gratin
    • Tools Used
    • Recipe Card
    • Read Comments

    What is Cauliflower au Gratin?

    Extremely similar to cauliflower cheese, cauliflower au gratin is a cauliflower casserole baked in a cream sauce made with a strong French cheese like Gruyere, Swiss or Emmental.

    Au gratin simply means a dish covered in cheese and breadcrumbs that was broiled in the oven in French. In my family, we make different dishes made au gratin as you can literally make anything as long as it's covered with cheese and you brown it in the oven.

    For other gratin recipes, you can make low carb Shepherd's pie, cauliflower mac and cheese, leftover turkey casserole, keto zucchini lasagna, keto zucchini and squash casserole, scallops au gratin, and so on.

    You'll find famous versions made by Ina Garten or Otto Lenghi, but since they use flour and milk, they aren't keto friendly. Here is my healthy version made with keto friendly ingredients.

    In my low carb version, the creamy and cheesy cauliflower au gratin is topped with bacon and onions, the cheese sauce is made without flour or milk and so is extremely low in carbs.

    Ingredients

    The ingredients in this keto cauliflower au gratin are incredibly simple and easy to find. It is made without flour and without milk so the carbs are quite low. You actually do not need any sort of flour to make a white sauce, just cream cheese, heavy cream and cheese will do the trick.

    • Cauliflower: Or you could use broccoli, romanesco or do a mix of both.
    • Bacon: Traditionally not in it, but tastes so much better with bacon (who wouldn't agree?)
    • Onion: Make sure to caramelize them before so that they're nice and sweet. I recommend using a sweet onion, but if you don't have any simply use a yellow onion or white onion.
    • Keto White Sauce
      • Cream Cheese: This is used to thicken the sauce.
      • Heavy Cream: Much lower in carbs than milk and of course much creamier!
      • Parmesan: Any grated cheese will work here.
      • Gruyere Cheese: This is added to add a bit of thickness and cheesiness. Any type of cheese will work.
      • (Optional) Pork Rinds: Ground pork rinds could be sprinkled on top of the gratin for a little crunch instead of the panko, but I chose to leave them out as I was giving some to Charlotte.

    How to Make Cauliflower au Gratin

    Before starting the dish, you'll want to steam your cauliflower so that you can make the fried onions and bacon and white sauce while the cauliflower is cooking.

    I personally used a vegetable steamer, but you could use a simmering pot of water and put a metal steamer in there too. You'll want to steam the cauliflower for about 15 minutes, just until fork-tender. Try not to steam it too long as it'll become too soft and crumble up.

      Pro Tip!Steam or roast the cauliflower instead of boiling it to make sure your cauliflower cheese doesn't end up too watery.
    Images showing how to make cauliflower au gratin step by step.
    1. Fry the onion and bacon. 2. Make the white sauce. 3. Assemble everything in a baking dish. 4. Bake in the oven.

    Once your cauliflower is in the steamer, you can start caramelizing the onion and bacon.

    You'll want to slice both into thin pieces and fry them in a frying pan until golden brown. Once golden brown and soft, set aside.

    For the white sauce, add the cream cheese to the same frying pan and separate it into pieces so that it takes less time to melt and it's also easier that way.

      Pro Tip!Use room temperature cream cheese so that it's easier to melt.

    Add some heavy cream, a little at a time, and mix it in the cream cheese. Make sure you're always whisking to make sure there are no cheese lumps and that the cream doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.

    Once all of the cream is added in, add some of your grated cheese to thicken the white sauce. Here, we're using gouda, but you can use gruyere, emmental, Swiss, cheddar and so on. Continue mixing until all of the cheese has melted and your keto white sauce is done!

    Add the steamed cauliflower to a baking dish, add half of the bacon and onion mixture on top, drizzle the white sauce all over, top with some more cheese and add the last bit of onion and bacon. The last step is simply to bake the dish for about 15 minutes and it's ready to serve!

    Recipe Video

    If you'd like to watch my Youtube tutorial on how to make this delicious and simple cauliflower au gratin, watch below and make sure to subscribe for more cooking videos! Charlotte is also joining me in my Youtube tutorials! Enjoy 🙂

    Troubleshooting Tips

    My cauliflower cheese is too runny.

    Did you boil the cauliflower? I recommend steaming it or baking it in the oven to avoid excess water. Did you you wait until the white sauce thickened up? If not, the sauce will stay runny. If you want it to be extra thick, you can also add ¼ tsp of xanthan gum.

    My cauliflower is too watery.

    Did you boil the cauliflower? I recommend steaming it or roasting it in the oven to avoid excess water. Don't over steam it either as the cauliflower tends to retain water.

    My white sauce curdled.

    Did you cook the white sauce on high heat? This usually happens when it's cooked on high heat. You can try this next trick to fix it. Put the sauce in a blender with a tablespoon of cold water and put on high speed until mixed together. This usually helps it stick together once more.

    My white sauce sticks to the pan.

    Heavy cream and milk tend to burn easily so make sure you're whisking constantly, cooking on low-medium heat and using a non-stick pot or frying pan works wonders.

    Cauliflower au gratin topped with melted cheese and bacon on top of a baking dish ready to be served.

    Frequently Asked Quetions

    What is the best way to reheat this cauliflower cheese?

    Simply place the baking dish in the microwave to warmup the dish. You can also pop it back into the oven and bake it at 180C/350F for 25 minutes to reheat it.

    What meat goes well with cauliflower cheese?

    You can make cauliflower gratin with just cauliflower, or you can add any type of protein you like. It's very good with ham, pulled chicken, prosciutto, shrimp, tuna or salmon.

    What kind of cheese can you use?

    You can use any type of cheese that you like. I like making mine with whatever I have on hand. I have used different types of cheese like gouda, cheddar, emmental, Swiss, gruyere, havarti, white cheddar, parmesan, cotija cheese, goat cheese or even a shredded mixed type of cheese works.

    Can you use frozen cauliflower.

    You can, but I don't recommend it as frozen cauliflower is much more watery than fresh. The cream sauce will be very watered down.

    Can you make it dairy free?

    Unfortunately, this is one of those dishes that taste much better with dairy.

    Can I make it ahead?

    Of course, this dish keeps extremely well in the fridge for 4-5 days or freezer in the freezer for 1-2 months.

    How do you store cauliflower au gratin?

    Keep it in the fridge covered for 4-5 days or in the freezer for 1-2 months.

    Can I make this in an air fryer?

    Instead of baking it in the oven, you could add a heat proof dish to your air fryer and air fry for 15-20 minutes at 350F/180C.

    How to serve this to a baby or toddler

    Now this is actually the perfect dish to introduce to your baby or toddler. My Charlotte has been eating this since she was about 8 months. Since the cauliflower is soft enough to crush between fingertips, it's the perfect toddler meal or an introduction to solids.

    A baby smiling after eating some keto cauliflower cheese.
    Charlotte is enjoying her Cauliflower au gratin.

    For babies:

    Make sure the cauliflower is so tender that you can squish it with two fingers. Just give the cauliflower and the cheese sauce. Skip the bacon and onions until they're better at chewing. For onions I usually chop them thinly and cook them until soft when serving. For bacon, I use low sodium bacon and chop thinly so that she can swallow easily.

    Skip the salt for your babies or add just a tiny amount in the dish.

    For toddlers:

    Serve as is, just make sure the cauliflower slices are small enough for them.

    What to Serve with Cauliflower au Gratin

    This is a dish that can be served on its own or with different sides.

    • Roasted Vegetables: Roasted vegetables like bell peppers, onions, mushrooms, kale, eggplant or squash all go very well with this.
    • Roasts & Grilled Protein: Serve with a keto pork roast, steak, grilled chicken or chops.
    • Fish & Seafood: Serve with some pan fried fish or seafood.
    • Keto Meatloaf with Eggs - My PCOS Kitchen - Slices of meatloaf covered in Heinz reduced sugar ketchup.
      Keto Meatloaf with Eggs
    • My PCOS Kitchen - Buttery Garlic Shrimps & Goat Cheese - Creamy shrimps cooked in a paprika butter sauce and smothered with delicious goat cheese.
      Creamy Garlic Shrimps & Goat Cheese
    • My PCOS Kitchen - Keto Paleo Chicken Fritters - Delicious dairy-free and gluten-free rosemary chicken fritters.
      Keto Paleo Chicken Fritters
    • My PCOS Kitchen - Dutch Oven Roasted Chicken - This Keto Paleo Roast Chicken is low carb, gluten-free and grain-free. The perfect healthy dinner, and you can make homemade bone broth with the leftover juices!
      Keto Paleo Dutch Oven Roasted Chicken
    • My PCOS Kitchen - Grilled Chicken, Bacon & Radish - A delicious low carb, gluten-free, paleo & keto quick meal or side dish!
      Grilled Chicken, Bacon & Radishes
    • My PCOS Kitchen - Hasselback Chicken Caprese - A chicken breast sliced and stuffed with fresh mozzarella, pesto, tomatoes, basil and olives. Keto/low carb
      Hasselback Chicken Caprese

    Tools Used

    • A steamer: It helps to have one for when you want to steam food, especially when you're introducing your baby to solids!
    • Cheese shredder: French cheeses usually don't come pre-shredded so you'll probably need to shred your own cheese.

    Recipe Card

    A baking dish filled with cauliflower cheese and bacon ready to be served.
    Print Pin Leave a Comment

    Easy Keto Cauliflower au Gratin Recipe with Heavy Cream

    Cheesy, creamy and delicious, this cauliflower au gratin is topped with crispy bacon and sweet onions. Made without flour, my healthy version uses a white sauce made with heavy cream to save on the carbs! Babies, kids and adults are guaranteed to love this recipe.
    Course Dinner
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes minutes
    Total Time 55 minutes minutes
    Servings 6 servings
    NET Carbs 6.81g
    calories 522kcal
    Protein 18.34g
    Fat 45.98g
    Cook Ashley

    Equipment Needed

    • Steamer
    • Baking Dish
    • Frying Pan

    Ingredients

    • 1 large (700 g) cauliflower (or 2 small heads)
    • ½ (75 g) onion
    • 1 tbsp butter
    • 4 slices (130 g) bacon
    • 3 tbsp (65 g) cream cheese (room temperature)
    • 1 ¾ cup (420 ml) heavy cream
    • ½ tsp black pepper
    • ½ tsp salt
    • ¼ tsp nutmeg
    • ½ cup (60 g) emmental cheese ((this is for the cheese sauce) or gouda, swiss, gruyere, cheddar, mozzarella, etc. )
    • ½ cup (60 g) emmental cheese ((this is for the topping))

    Instructions

    • Slice the cauliflower head into slices. Place in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes. You can also oven roast the cauliflower for 30-40 minutes at 180C/350F. I don't suggest boiling the cauliflower as it gets too watery.
    • While the cauliflower is steaming, let's prepare the sauce and toppings.
      Thinly slice the onion and bacon slices. Place in a frying pan with the butter and fry until the onions and golden and the bacon is crispy. Set aside. Use the same pan for the white sauce.
    • Add the room temperature cream cheese to the frying pan and break into smaller pieces with a spatula so that it's easier to melt. Put the heat on medium and let the cream cheese melt while stirring.
    • Add the heavy cream a little at a time and whisk it in the cream cheese. Keep on whisking until there are no more cheese bumps from the cream cheese.
    • Add the pepper, salt, nutmeg and emmental and whisk everything together until the cheese has melted. Turn off the heat.
    • Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. In a deep baking dish add the steamed cauliflower, top with half of the bacon and onions, pour the white sauce all over, top with the rest of the bacon and onion and then sprinkle the emmental cheese all over.
    • Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, just until the top cheese has melted. Take out of the oven, let it cool 10 minutes before serving!

    WATCH THE RECIPE VIDEO (must disable adblocker)

    Tried this recipe?Mention @mypcoskitchen or tag #mypcoskitchen!
    Follow me for more Low Carb Recipes!Mention @MyPCOSKitchen so that I can see all of your goodies!!
    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Keto Cauliflower au Gratin Recipe with Heavy Cream
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 522 Calories from Fat 414
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 45.98g71%
    Saturated Fat 26.26g164%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 2.27g
    Monounsaturated Fat 12.72g
    Cholesterol 152mg51%
    Sodium 628mg27%
    Potassium 557mg16%
    Carbohydrates 9.91g3%
    Fiber 3.1g13%
    Sugar 3.43g4%
    Protein 18.34g37%
    NET CARBS 6.81g14%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Nutritional information is provided through calculations made on fatsecret.com. They are approximate only. We cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information given for any recipe on mypcoskitchen.com. Sugar alcohols are included in the fiber count. Net carbs are the total carbs minus fiber (which include sugar alcohols).

     

    All text, pictures & videos are copyright protected © by Mira Richard-Fioramore for My PCOS Kitchen.

     

    Shares are very much appreciated, just make sure to share a link and not a screenshot.

     

    Copy/pasting full recipe text to websites and social media is prohibited. Excerpts, single photos, and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to www.mypcoskitchen.com with appropriate link back to the original content.

    « Easy Keto Tiramisu Cake
    Fresh Squeezed Keto Sugar Free Lemonade »
    1.2K shares
    • Share!950
    • Tweet!
    • Yum!
    • Email
    • Print

    Ashley

    Food Blogger | Beating PCOS through diet and lifestyle | Healthy Food Enthusiast | Amateur Photographer | Animal Lover | Based in Virginia

    Subscribe

    for your weekly recipe fix.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Anna-Jean Cresswell Cresswell

      July 14, 2021 at 4:04 pm

      I can hardly wait to try this recipe. It looks easy to make and to eat. I like that it takes everyday ingredients that I already have on hand. Thanks for sharing this recipe. It is a great advertisement for your cookbooks (which I plan to order). Charlotte is ADORABLE!

      Reply
      • Mira

        July 15, 2021 at 6:50 am

        haha thank you! Super easy to make 🙂

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Hi, I'm Ashley

    Ashley is a self-taught home cook, originally from Montreal, Canada, that was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) as a teenager.

    She was able to alleviate all of her PCOS symptoms by going on a culinary journey to heal herself. By eating gluten-free, sugar-free, low-carb and keto meals. Now, all of her PCOS symptoms all disappeared. Read More…

    Footer

    About Ashley

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest

    A self-taught home cook, originally from Montreal, Canada, that was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome) as a teenager. Realizing the only way to thrive with PCOS was to change her lifestyle, Ashley decided to go on a culinary journey to heal herself.

    My Favorites

    Copyright

    Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to My PCOS Kitchen with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

    Affiliate Notice

    My PCOS Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

    Copyright © 2023 My PCOS Kitchen · Privacy Policy
    The photos on this blog are copyright protected. If you wish to share this recipe, simply provide a link back to my blog.

    1.2K shares
    • 950