Cauliflower, mayonnaise, mustard and cheddar cheese come together in this easy and delicious side dish! It is fancy enough for entertaining, and…did I say easy??
Cauliflower, Mayo, Mustard and Cheddar cheese all come together in this easy and delicious side dish! Fancy enough for entertaining. And..did I say easy?
This recipe is one of those really easy recipes that is always a hit. And the best part…you only use 6 ingredients, including salt and pepper. Now, think about that! Are you in yet???
I started making this when the kids were still living at home. As I posted with the Southwestern Corn Dip, when Jennifer was in the hospital in Lubbock for 101 days before the twins were born, this was one of the recipes I always had to make and take to the hospital for her…including on Thanksgiving. (Don’t recommend having your Thanksgiving dinner in a hospital…you’ll be doing without the wine!) She loves this cauliflower…and I love this cauliflower because it is so easy. You can get all of the preparation, up to baking, done ahead of time. Just pop it in the oven about 15 minutes before serving time.
My sister-in-laws and I always split up the holidays. My sister-in-law, Cherie, has always had Thanksgiving at her home. I think that has always been one of the kids’ favorite holidays with the huge extended family. It had grown to about 60-70 relatives. Well, starting 2 years ago, our Thanksgiving lives changed. 3 years ago, Jennifer’s husband, Bennie, became the head strength coach at the University of Texas at Austin. 2 years ago, Texas started having a game on Thanksgiving weekend so; guess where we started going for Thanksgiving. For the last 2 years, we have had Thanksgiving at Jennifer’s house in Austin with our family and my sister, Suzann, and her husband, Bill. This cauliflower dish had to be on the menu…along with lots of other family favorites. I will try to get them all posted so you can take a look at them and consider using them for your Thanksgiving dinner.
These are the ingredients you will need for the Cheese Frosted Cauliflower along with a fresh head of cauliflower.
I try to use a good quality Sharp Cheddar Cheese, and if I have the time, I prefer to grate the cheese myself. As I have learned, the cheese melts better if it’s freshly grated. I must say, I’m usually too lazy to take the time to grate it! However, I the buy the Tillamook Sharp or Medium Cheddar Cheese in a large block from Costco just in case I decide to grate my own. (If the twins are here, I use it to make my World Famous Grilled Cheese Sandwiches!! ) I also get the large jar of Hellman’s mayonnaise there. Since I only use Hellman’s mayonnaise, and I use a lot of it, I like getting it in the large jar.
This is a really fresh, Texas grown head of cauliflower. To prepare it, simply break off the green leaves, rinse it and let it drain.
You will need a pot tall enough to submerge the head of cauliflower in water and allow room for the boiling water.
This is what it looks like after you spread the cauliflower with the mayonnaise/mustard mixture.
I usually glop the mayonnaise/mustard mixture on the cauliflower with a spoon, then spread it around with my fingers…maybe so I can lick my fingers clean??? I could eat this mixture with a spoon…forget the cauliflower! This sauce reminds me of when I was a kid, my friend, Laura Gustafsen’s, mother used to make us a mayonnaise/mustard dip with Fritoes and a Coke. I can still see us sitting at her kitchen table having our snack and talking about kid stuff. It was the best! I still sometime cheat and make it…comfort food, I guess, but it makes me smile!
Sprinkle the shredded cheese over the mayonnaise/mustard mixture. Be sure to completely cover the top and the sides of the cauliflower with the shredded cheese. Then slightly press it into the mixture to make sure it sticks.
- 1 large cauliflower head (leave whole), green leaves broken off, rinsed and drained
- dash sea or Kosher salt
- to taste fresh ground white pepper
- to taste sea or Kosher salt
- ½ cup Hellman's mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons prepared mustard (I use French's)
- ¾ cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese (more may be necessary to totally cover the head of cauliflower)
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- Lightly spray a heat-proof, shallow, round casserole with Pam. I use a round Corning Ware or Pyrex pie or quiche pan.
- Place the cauliflower, stem side down, in a deep pot and cover with water.
- Sprinkle with a dash of salt.
- Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil.
- Reduce the heat so the water is at a medium boil.
- Boil for about 15 minutes, or until the cauliflower is slightly soft when pierced with a skewer. (Be careful not to over-cook, as the head will fall apart.)
- Drain well and cool in a colander.
- In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and mustard.
- When the cauliflower is completely cooled, place it in the prepared casserole stem side down.
- Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Spread the mayonnaise/mustard mixture over the cauliflower as if you were icing a cake.
- Cover with the shredded cheese, pressing the cheese into the mayonnaise mixture.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until the cheese just starts to melt and is bubbly.
Everyone loves this cauliflower! I’ve taken it to two bridge groups so far. Yum! Barbara
Glad you are enjoying Jennifer’s favorite vegetable!!
A bit of dry mustard adds an additional kick.
I’ll try that this Thanksgiving!
This recipe is an oldie-but-goodie, I almost forgot about it – As always a Big Hit. Will make it more often now.
It is an Oldie, but one of our favorites! My daughter, Jennifer’s favorite vegetable. Thanks for your comment.
Can you make this ahead to bring to a potluck? I was thinking of boiling the cauliflower and letting it cool, then assembling but not baking it until I get there. Do you think it would transport ok?
Yes. You can boil the cauliflower in advance and even refrigerate it a day ahead. Then, the day of transporting, ice it with the mayonnaise mixture and the cheese. Wrap it with plastic wrap sprayed with Pam to avoid sticking to the cheese. Bake just before serving. Please let me know how it turns out.
Could you put this on the grill? Naturally in a pan…
Just be careful not to burn the outside.
Made this delicious recipe for a family dinner and it was a hit! We called it ” brain” food! Would be a fun side dish for Halloween!
Great idea!
This was absolutely delicious I did cheat a little bit and added a teaspoon of honey to it my family thinks I’m the greatest thing since sliced bread. Thank you for posting
This was very good, although I revised it to my misplaced old recipe, not leaving the vegetable whole. It was every bit as good as the last time I made it, which was way too long ago. Thank you for helping me glorify the cauliflower again!
Can you use Miracle Whip instead of mayonnaise? My family isn’t a fan of mayo, but I know in some recipes MW can’t be a substitution.
I would not substitute MW.
I love this recipe. I made it 10 years ago for the first time and still love it. I make it casserole style now and am very generous with the cheese on top.
Sounds good. I’ll try it casserole style.
I love this recipe. I made it 10 years ago for the first time and still love it. I make it casserole style now and am very generous with the cheese on top. Lol
How is this served? As slices? Or does it get soft enough to spoon?
Our family spoons it.
Love this receipe I lost the one I had long time ago so glad I found yours making it right now.
Glad I could help you find an old friend!
I have been making this recipe since the ’70s when I got my undergraduate degree from Texas Tech! Over the years I lost the paper index card it was written on (no Internet or recipe management software back then). I never made it for Thanksgiving, but I am also on a mission to find all my family’s classic Thanksgiving recipes – I can remember my Mon getting up early to stuff the turkey, asking over and over again for me to taste the dressing to see if it had enough sage… If you have a good, old-fashioned dressing recipe I would love to have it.
Glad I could help you get an old favorite back.
I have been making this for years and have used frozen cauliflower when fresh isn’t available. I find it so good that I eaten left overs, cold, from the refrigerator, although it is much better warm.
Glad you like it!
This is simply easy and delicious. Fed this to the missionaries with BBQ chicken and bean salad. My new favourite way to eat cauliflower.
I am glad you like it. My family loves it!
Pretty sure I’ve made this before but just mixed the cheese into the sauce to make that all one step. Can also be done with Dijon. Making it again tonight. Thanks!
So glad you like it!
When I was a Tupperware Manager, this was one of my demonstration parties. However, I cooked it in the microwave. Six minutes per pound. Then about 2 minutes to melt the cheese at the end. My daughter loves it! I used one of the round ovenware bowls upside down, so that the cauliflower rested on the lid. Yummy!
I’ll try microwaving the head of cauliflower.
I micro the whole head of cauliflower for 10 min covered. Drain Mix mayo mixture And frost cauliflower, coat with cheddar and put back in micro till cheese is melted. Serve
I am so glad I found this! I remember learning to make cauliflower this way in my junior high school foods class. It made me love cauliflower. This was in 1973. Thank you from another Mimi!
I’ve been making this for 20 or more years. I boil my head on stove top, take it out to drain. I add minced onions to my mayonnaise spread and a little red pepper. After the spread goes on I cover with sliced cheese and melt in macowave a couple minutes. It’s always a hit.
I have made this dish many times but I add dried onion to the mayo/mustard mixture. The taste is great either way!
I made this recipe for years and found it easier serve and transport by breaking up the cauliflower and putting it in a casserole dish and top with mayo and cheese.
I made this recipe for years and found it easier serve and transport by breaking up the cauliflower and putting it in a casserole dish and top with mayo and cheese.
Great idea!
This is one of the first recipes I made when microwaves first came out. Using a steamer (a dish with a small amount of water and a dome typed cover over it) in my microwave cut the time down immensely. I double the amount of mayonnaise/mustard mixture and put 1 to 2 cups of cheese packed on top. People rave about the taste, even to the point of saying they would be happy with just that dish alone for dinner.