Cauliflower Gratin

vegan, gluten-free (potentially), refined sugar-free

Adapted from Miyoko Schinner's recipe in Artisan Vegan Cheese

Warm and creamy with a bit of crunch, this is the ultimate wintertime comfort food! It's one of my favorite dishes to bring to potlucks since it's easy to make a double batch. People always have a hard time believing there's no dairy in it. Thank you, cashews, you magical nut!

Serves: 6 as an entree, or 8 to 10 as a side dish / Active time: 15-20 minutes / Total time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 large head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets*
• salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 3/4 cups water
• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 4 ounces Soft Gruyère, vegan cream cheese (Go Veggie or Tofutti are good brands), or vegan mozzarella (Miyoko's Mozz is the best for meltability), optional
• nutritional yeast, optional**
• breadcrumbs or crumbled cashews

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a deep skillet or sauce pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently until tender, about 5 minutes.
3. Add cauliflower and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently until cauliflower is slightly browned but still crisp-tender, about 5 minutes more. Transfer to a 10 x 7-inch casserole dish.***
4. Put the water, cashews, and 1/2 tsp salt in a blender and process until smooth and creamy.
5. Pour the cashew sauce evenly over the cauliflower. With two spoons or butter knives, dollop small pieces of Gruyère/cream cheese evenly across the casserole. Sprinkle a dusting of nutritional yeast and a generous layer of breadcrumbs or crumbled cashews on top.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the sauce is thick and bubbling and the cheese is melted and browned.

*To slice a whole head of cauliflower quickly (without throwing tiny florets all over the floor!), first cut off the green stem as close to the base as possible, then use a paring knife to cut the florets away from the center. Keep cutting the white stems and avoid cutting the outer part as it tends to break into tiny pieces. Once you've cut away everything from the center, use your hands to break apart the large florets.
​**Nutritional yeast, commonly called "nooch" by vegans, is deactivated yeast with an amazing nutrition profile and a nutty, cheesy flavor. Look for nutritional yeast in the bulk bins, baking aisle, or supplements section at your grocery store. For other recipes calling for nooch, see Soft Gruyère,  Tofu Scramble, Crispy Kale Chips, and Roasted Chickpeas.
***If you have a larger casserole dish, you may want to use two heads of cauliflower and double the rest of the ingredients (a double batch is shown in the photos).