Cauliflower, potato, and cheddar bake is a perfect side to either lighten up your usual potato dish or to add in some extra vegetables. It is super easy to make and will taste great any time of year, not just at Thanksgiving.
About this Recipe
- Easy: This cauliflower and potato bake is super easy and makes a great side dish. You simply cook the potatoes and cauliflower in boiling water to soften them, divide them into individual baking dishes, sprinkle cheese on top, pour a little milk over each, and top with a dab of butter. Bake them until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and browned a bit.
- Flexible: If you don’t have cute individual dishes, don’t worry! This recipe works just great for one casserole dish too.
- Nutritious: If you love au gratin potatoes or cheesy potatoes, you’ll love this twist that’s slightly lower in calories and carbs.
Is a Mandoline Necessary?
A mandoline isn’t an essential kitchen tool, but it’s a great one to have on hand. It is perfect to slice potatoes for stovetop scalloped potatoes, or slice onions for pickled red onions.
More Great Side Dishes
- Potatoes: Crockpot Cheesy Potatoes, Mashed Red Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes: Sweet Potato Bread Pudding with Marshmallow Topping, Scalloped Sweet Potatoes, Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes, Healthy Sweet Potato Casserole
- Vegetables: Green Bean Casserole, Brussels Sprouts Salad with Apples and Cranberries, Roasted Green Beans with Parmesan and Basil, Cheesy Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin, Crockpot Carrots with Cinnamon Glaze
Recipe
Cauliflower and Potato Casserole
Cauliflower and potato casserole topped with creamy cheese sauce is a comfort food side dish. Whether you make it for a holiday or a weeknight dinner, it’s guaranteed to disappear fast!
Ingredients
For Roasted Vegetables:
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets (about 8 cups cauliflower)
- 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled & diced into ½-inch chunks (about 4 cups)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
For Cheese Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard (optional but recommended)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- 2 cups milk (I recommend whole milk or 2%)
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (see notes)
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
For Topping:
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
- In the prepared pan, toss cauliflower and potatoes in olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for 25 minutes.1 head cauliflower, cut into small florets, 1 ½ pounds russet potatoes, peeled & diced into ½-inch chunks, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour, garlic powder, onion powder, ground mustard, salt, and pepper; cook for 1 minute to form a roux. Slowly whisk in milk, stirring constantly until the sauce comes to a boil and is slightly thickened (5 to 6 minutes).3 tablespoons butter, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon onion powder, ½ teaspoon ground mustard, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, 2 cups milk, ¼ teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
- Reduce heat to low, and gradually stir in the cheddar cheese and Parmesan (don't dump it in the sauce all at the same time). Stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat.1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- Pour cheese sauce over the roasted cauliflower and potatoes and gently mix to coat.
- To make the topping, in a small microwave-safe bowl, melt 1 tablespoon butter. Stir in the breadcrumbs and 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the casserole.½ cup panko breadcrumbs, 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, 1 tablespoon butter, melted
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden and bubbly. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.
Notes
- Potatoes: We recommend russet potatoes, but Yukon gold potatoes also work well. Although you can skip peeling the potatoes (especially the Yukon gold potatoes), we found that we preferred the potatoes peeled in this casserole.
- Pro tip: For best results, shred your own cheddar cheese instead of using pre-shredded. Pre-shredded cheese has an anti-clumping additive and doesn’t melt as smoothly. You can also substitute another type of cheese, if you prefer.
- Topping: If you prefer, you can skip the topping or try an alternative topping, such as crushed potato chips, cracker crumbs, additional shredded cheese, and so on.
- Make it a meal: To add protein to this veggie dish, add diced cooked ham when you stir in the cheese sauce. You could also use cooked chicken, albacore tuna, or even browned ground beef.
- Recipe retested and revised 8/2025.
Nutrition
Calories: 313kcal, Carbohydrates: 28g, Protein: 12g, Fat: 18g, Saturated Fat: 9g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.3g, Cholesterol: 40mg, Sodium: 713mg, Potassium: 697mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 443IU, Vitamin C: 40mg, Calcium: 275mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
Did this recipe change? It has been a go to for us for years because it is so good and I swear I’ve never made a cheese sauce or roasted the veggies.
I sent you an email. :) Yes it’s been updated, but we save the old one too, so I sent that to you!
This cauliflower, potato, and cheddar bake is perfect
So glad you liked it!
Going to make this for Thanksgiving!
I hope you love it!