Vegan Cauliflower Gratin – Creamy, Spiced Cauliflower Casserole. No Bake Skillet Gratin or Bake with a garlic breadcrumb topping. Add some chickpeas or vegan chiken subs for added protein to make a meal. Vegan Soy-free Recipe, Can be gluten-free and nut-free.
It is hot out here this week. It is also pretty ashy and humid with the many wildfires around (hope everyone is keeping safe) and difficult to heat up the house to bake. I made this gratin in a skillet for days like this and tested it out in the oven as well. The cream sauce is very versatile. I like Kashmiri garam masala(in my second book), Baharat(in my second book (Pre-order Now, starts shipping in 2 Weeks!!), Berbere or Jamaican Curry Blend in this cauliflower and the creamy sauce combination. You know me. Add spices of choice or just herbs.
The gratin is sprinkled generously with toasty breadcrumbs which have garlic and pepper flakes for a smoky heat. This crunchy garlicky topping is a must! Add some chickpeas or vegan chiken subs or tempeh for added protein to make a meal. Marinate the tempeh or chiken subs in more of the jamaican blend + salt + garlic and crisp on another skillet and then fold in with the greens.
Amazing, Creamy and ready within 25 Minutes! Add other vegetables for variation.
More Easy 1 Pot Creamy meals from the blog
- Cauliflower Parmesan Pasta Bake – sliced cauliflower, baked then dressed in vegan mozz and baked over pasta
- Pumpkin Sage Pasta with pumpkin cream sauce and crisp Sage
- Black pepper Mac and Cheese with Potato Carrot Cheese Sauce
- Cajun Cauliflower with Garlic Pasta – So Good!!
Creamy and amazing. Add more nutritional yeast, some black pepper, wine/lemon for a Cauliflower Mac.
Video:
Vegan Cauliflower Gratin - No Bake
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 cup (160 g) chopped onion
- 6 cloves of garlic finely chopped
- 1/2 (0.5 ) green chile chopped (optional)
- 2 cups (200 g) cauliflower , 2 to 3 cups small-medium florets
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) water
- 2 cups (80 g) or more chopped greens , I use chard and spinach
- 1/4 cup (35 g) cashews blended with 1 cup water (blend for a minute, then rest for 2 and blend again until smooth)
- 1/2 tsp (0.5 tsp) or more salt
- 1 tsp sugar or maple (optional)
- 1 tsp spice blend of choice (1 use a 1/2 tsp ground cumin + kashmiri garam masala or Baharat Spice blend, See notes)
- 1 tsp herbs of choice , blend of oregano, thyme, sage
Toasted Breadcrumbs:
- 1/3 cup (30 g) breadcrumbs
- 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) salt
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp (0.25 tsp) red pepper flakes
Instructions
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chile and a pinch of salt and cool until translucent. Add cauliflower, water and 1/4 tsp salt. Cover and cook for 6 to 7 minutes.
- Add greens and mix in. Cover and cook until wilted (3 mins) and cauliflower is aldente.
- Add cashew cream, salt sugar/maple, spices and herbs and mix in. Add other flavors if needed such as a 1 tbsp nutritional yeast for cheesiness, 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce or 1/2 tsp prepared mustard or additional depth in flavor.
- Bring to a boil uncovered and simmer for another minute to thicken to preference. Taste and adjust salt and flavor, adding more salt or spices if needed. Adjust the consistency if too thick with water.
- Meanwhile make the optional breadcrumb topping. Heat breadcrumbs, olive oil, salt, garlic and pepper flakes in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir occasionally until golden and toasted. 3-4 mins.
- Sprinkle all over the cauliflower and take off heat. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
GiGi says
September 6, 2017 at 6:18 pmI am making this tomorrow!
Lisa says
September 7, 2017 at 4:40 amWhat kind of pepper is green chile?
Richa says
September 7, 2017 at 10:47 amSerrano, bird’s eye or jalapeno. If you dont want the heat, omit it or use a tbsp of green bell pepper.
Weston says
September 7, 2017 at 6:26 amLooks great! However I noticed that the clicking the Print button shows different amounts of every ingredient compared to the main page.
Richa says
September 7, 2017 at 10:46 amI just checked and it shows the same values to me. Maybe a server glitch at the time. maybe you clicked metric and it was displaying the metric values? Can you send me a screenshot (you can email it or message me on facebook.com/veganricha)
Weston says
September 7, 2017 at 1:26 pmIt works fine now, weird. Earlier it was showing things like 0.75 tsp oil.
Cindy says
September 7, 2017 at 12:26 pmOh YUM. Just cooked a panful of this and doctored it up with Chipoltle and Cumin and fresh cilantro to finish. I am thinking…that the addition of some charred poblano, lime juice and zest and maybe a handful of charred corn would make this a whole new experience!
Thank you for this one and keep up the great work!
Richa says
September 7, 2017 at 12:41 pmthose are amazing flavor additions!! lemon + chipotle .. yumm!
Olwyn says
September 7, 2017 at 7:38 pmI made this for supper tonight and added a bell pepper and corn. My partner gave it 2 thumbs up! Delicious! Thanks Richa! It is a keeper!
Richa says
September 7, 2017 at 8:03 pmyay!
Nedjma says
September 8, 2017 at 1:56 pmWhat would you add to make it more protein dense? Tempeh? Tofu? Beans?
Richa says
September 8, 2017 at 2:00 pmAdd some cooked chickpeas, peas or quinoa. Add more spices as chikpeas will need additional flavor.
Nedjma says
September 8, 2017 at 2:01 pmGood idea! Do you think some white beans blended with cashews could be good?
Richa says
September 8, 2017 at 2:16 pmYes, you wouldnt need that much cashews them, maybe a tbsp cashews and a 1/2 cup beans.
Kelly says
September 11, 2017 at 9:14 amLove this great recipe!!! Going to make it for dinner. It looks so yummy in those images, and so easy to make.
Cassie Autumn Tran says
September 12, 2017 at 5:10 pmYummy! I love the breadcrumbs on this recipe. Chickpeas would taste delicious with this!
Mayke says
September 14, 2017 at 5:55 amSeasoned It with curry, kurkuma, ras el hanout. Yumyum gime Some
Thanks for This recipe. A perfect alternative for the traditional recipe with milk sauce.
Will be making This a lot This winter!
Richa says
September 14, 2017 at 10:06 amyes!! ras el hanout would be great in the sauce. Perfect winter meal!
Kris says
September 20, 2017 at 4:51 pmOh my! I fixed this for our monthly potluck and it was quite a hit! I was asked for the recipe and I posted it on our Meetup page with a link to your recipe!! I used the bake method (easier to bake & take). My non vegan husband made me promise to make it again soon. Thank you!
Richa says
September 21, 2017 at 9:29 amyay!!!
Marissa says
September 26, 2017 at 10:01 pmSo good. So easy. ????
Darlene says
September 28, 2017 at 6:20 pmThis is an easy but so very tasty recipe. It will be a family favourite. Thanks!
Hannah says
October 5, 2017 at 8:49 amI was so thrilled when I saw”no bake” on the pintrest image. I just have a cooktop right now and it hasn’t been easy to find a varity of recipes with no oven required. I was expecting somthing cheesyish but I didn’t add the nutritional yeast and I liked the creamy spiced sauce without it. The bread crumb topping was what really did it for me though. It’s a totally delicious dinner. Thank you!
Richa says
October 5, 2017 at 10:33 amAwesome!! you can add some nutritional yeast for cheesyness. Witht he spices, its not necessarily a needed flavor. i use it cheesy flavor with herbs, more variations to keep the dish fresh!
Elaine says
October 11, 2017 at 6:56 amWhen you say cashews, do you always mean raw cashews? Or would roasted work?
Richa says
October 11, 2017 at 10:37 amyes i mean raw. If i use roasted, then that will be mentioned. Roasted would make the sauce taste roasted as well rather than a cream profile.
Leena says
November 2, 2017 at 10:26 pmI have a vegan gluten-free Friend coming over for dinner. Would like to try this. This is gluten-free right ? What can I add to make this more of a main dish ? (The rest of us are having big wagyu steaks!)
Richa says
November 2, 2017 at 11:57 pmThis is not gluten-free. You would have to use gluten-free and vegan breadcrumbs for the topping. You can also make http://www.veganricha.com/2017/05/butter-tofu-paneer-tofu-butter-masala-recipe.html and serve it with a pilaf or make the roasted cauliflower slices with gravy http://www.veganricha.com/2013/06/cauliflower-steaks-with-mushroom-gravy.html, make extra gravy and some mashed potatoes too. Also, totally unnecessary to mention steaks on a vegan page. 42 million cows are slaughtered per year for food in the US, thats 4800 per hour, 80 per minute, more than 1 per second.
Richa says
November 3, 2017 at 12:03 amYou can add some chickpeas to make this a main. Add a bit more herbs and spices so that the chickpeas pick up some flavor.
Dale Smith says
November 6, 2017 at 8:43 pmI made the baked version of this tweaking the recipe a bit for taste and ingredient availability….I used canned green chilis, added mushrooms, vegetable broth instead of water….spinach for greens, and a vegan Parmesan mixed with breadcrumbs for topping…….and as usual, your recipe did not disappoint….you are magical for the vegan cook…
NdeJ says
December 22, 2017 at 5:08 pmThis was my first time making one of your recipes and it turned out delicious!! I didn’t bother with the breadcrumb topping. Everyone loved it, including non-vegans. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes.
Richa says
December 22, 2017 at 5:15 pmyay! awesome!!
Jess Leigh says
August 7, 2018 at 7:53 pmMade this tonight for dinner- soooo yummy! Next time will have to double (or triple) the recipe:)
Looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you!
Richa says
August 8, 2018 at 12:25 amawesome!!
Christine says
November 13, 2018 at 5:02 pmThis is just pure comfort deliciousness. I did your baked version. Super yum – love your recipes
Richa says
November 13, 2018 at 5:28 pmawesome!
Dee says
November 14, 2018 at 2:13 pmI cook at lot of your recipes and I have never commented before. We made this tonight and my 6 year old daughter LOVED it. We used the baked version with broccoli, mushrooms and chickpeas. Awesome. Will become a fixture I am sure. Love how el dente the cauliflower and broccoli came out. Will use as a side dish for Christmas. Many thanks.
Richa says
November 14, 2018 at 3:05 pmawesome!!
Danielle says
August 26, 2019 at 5:08 pmWould subbing cashews for coconut cream work the same way for a fat-free version? My partner is nut-free.
Richa says
August 26, 2019 at 6:56 pmyes coconut cream, silken tofu and pepitas will all work
Danielle says
August 26, 2019 at 5:09 pmWould subbing cashews for coconut cream work the same way for a nut-free version? My partner is nut-free.
Richa says
September 23, 2019 at 3:44 pmyes. you might need more coconut cream depending on how creamy you like it.
Liz says
November 16, 2019 at 3:46 pmYum! It didn’t seem like it made enough so I doubled the batch. My 3 kids all ate it and liked it and I’m glad I still have leftovers! I like the garam masala but my 8 yr old would probably prefer it without. Thanks!
Richa says
November 16, 2019 at 8:30 pmawesome! yes change up the spices to preference! or use just herbs
Sharon Spratling says
November 17, 2019 at 8:47 amWe loved this! Added chickpeas to make it a one pot meal and it was delicious and filling. Will definitely make again.
Richa says
November 27, 2019 at 10:53 pmawesome!
Sta says
June 5, 2020 at 6:18 pmThis was so yummy! I tried the bake version and cut the cauliflowers a little bigger so I ended up baking it for 15 extra minutes. Other than that, everything was super easy and straightforward.
Richa says
June 5, 2020 at 7:04 pmAwesome
Darlene says
June 21, 2020 at 4:37 pmRicha this was part of our Father’s Day dinner. It was delicious. Will make again and again! Thank you.
Deepti says
July 12, 2020 at 11:14 amSo easy and so delicious!
Vegan Richa Support says
July 12, 2020 at 8:28 pmYay!! 🙂
Tina says
July 24, 2020 at 9:33 amI love this recipe! I don’t use oil so I just dry roasted the bread crumbs and water sautéed the onion and garlic. The seasonings I used were oregano, basil, cumin, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, garlic powder, and miso. I also added some tapioca flour to thicken it and doubled the sauce. I will definitely make again.
Vegan Richa Support says
July 25, 2020 at 11:00 amWhat a great idea! I’m so glad you enjoyed this! 🙂
Rachel says
September 7, 2020 at 3:57 amThis looks great! If I use frozen cauliflower and frozen spinach, should I make any adjustments? Maybe I should add less water? Thanks!
Vegan Richa Support says
September 7, 2020 at 2:17 pmthanks – no – just adjust the cooking time, depending how al dente you prefer your veggies (omit the 6-7 min. cooking part only) and you will be good to go!
RACHEL E NATOV says
September 7, 2020 at 5:33 pmThank you!!
Sue says
January 3, 2021 at 6:52 amMade this on the stovetop, skipped the crumb topping. I loved it and will definitely make it again and again. Thanks Richa!
Ellen Pader says
January 15, 2021 at 9:54 amI’ve learned to trust that what might seem too liquidy before baking in these recipes turn out perfectly after baking! This was really delicious and quick to make. Didn’t use any oil or salt, added the vegan Worcestershire sauce (has some salt) and mustard as suggested in the recipe.
Vegan Richa Support says
January 17, 2021 at 8:06 amthanks for popping in
Manpreet says
February 25, 2021 at 6:29 amThis looks so amazing. I can’t wait to try it this weekend. Question: Do you think if would it work if I prepped the cauliflower portion on the stove top, added the sauce, and refrigerated. I was thinking of throwing it in the oven the next day (adding the topping right before). Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. Thank you.
Richa says
February 25, 2021 at 8:07 amYes cook the cauliflower half way. Add the sauce and bake for 20 to 30 mins or until cauliflower is cooked and sauce thickens
Manpreet says
February 25, 2021 at 9:02 amThank you so much! I can’t wait to try this!