This creamy, cheesy Cauliflower Casserole with bacon gives the loaded baked potato treatment to cauliflower au gratin. It’s always a crowd-pleaser!
Email Me the Recipe!
From time to time, we'll send you Well Plated emails. You can unsubscribe anytime. Have an account? Log In.
This cauliflower casserole is the best way to get your veggie fix!
People pleasing is not a good trait to have, unless you’re a creamy cauliflower casserole.
IN THAT CASE: If you’re looking for a single side dish to serve at your next holiday gathering or family dinner that pleases just about every taste preference and diet under the sun, look no further, friends.
- Tender, caramelized roasted cauliflower florets are hidden amongst indulgent, melting pockets of cream cheese, gruyere, and crispy bacon, a.k.a. you’ll question whether or not this dish actually contains vegetables (same goes for this Broccoli Bake).
- Healthy swaps, like Greek yogurt and reduced-fat cream cheese, cut calories without sacrificing flavor. Yes, this is a creamy cauliflower casserole without mayo or sour cream! As a bonus, it’s also naturally low-carb.
5 Star Review
“OMG! This was amazing! EVERYONE raved about it! I will definitely make it again!”
— Renee —
Key Ingredients
You’ll find the full list of ingredients in the recipe card below, but here are some notes to keep in mind.
- Cauliflower. Unlike raw cauliflower (which is bland), roasted cauliflower (like in this Roasted Vegetable Salad, for example) is complex, caramelized, and rich. We want bite-sized florets here; if you’d have to cut it with a fork on your plate before eating it, it’s too big for this cauliflower casserole.
- Garlic Powder. All the garlic flavor without the fuss of actually chopping garlic.
- Ground Nutmeg. My nod to the traditional flavors in a classic cauliflower casserole au gratin recipe.
- Reduced-Fat Cream Cheese. Lends the ultimate creamy texture that ramps up the “loaded” factor of this dish.
- Greek Yogurt. My sneaky swap for mayo or sour cream that keeps this cauliflower casserole creamy. You may also make this cauliflower casserole with low-fat sour cream.
- Bacon. Turns this casserole into the stuff of dinner legend.
- Cheese. Gruyere and Parmesan are the perfect nutty combination here! (This Brussels Sprouts Casserole is another side dish crowned with this tasty cheese combo.) If you don’t have Gruyere, any similar melty, alpine-style cheese will work wonderfully.
- Chives. A beautiful addition of color and fresh flavor.
How to Make Cauliflower Casserole
Roast. Toss the cauliflower florets with the oil and spices, then roast until tender.
Cook and Crumble the Bacon. Here are more tips for Baked Bacon.
Make the Sauce. Mix together the cream cheese, yogurt, and shredded cheese. (Yes, it’s thick! It will melt and get smoother as it bakes.)
Finish. Remove the cauliflower from the oven, dollop with the cream cheese mixture, and sprinkle with the remaining cheeses. Bake the cauliflower casserole at 425 degrees F for 5 to 7 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Pop under the broiler to brown the top. Sprinkle with chives and additional bacon. ENJOY!
Recipe Variations
- Loaded “Baked Potato” Cauliflower Casserole. Swap the Gruyere for sharp cheddar and the nutmeg for cayenne.
- Fontina and Herb Cauliflower Bake. Swap the Gruyere for fontina, add 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme to the cauliflower prior to roasting, and top the final casserole with chopped, fresh parsley. Bacon optional…or not.
- Italian. Swap the Gruyere for shredded provolone or mozzarella, omit the nutmeg, and add 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning plus a pinch of red pepper flakes to the cauliflower prior to roasting.
Meal Prep Tips
Here’s how you can make this cheesy cauliflower casserole ahead.
- Roast the cauliflower 1 day in advance, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Prepare the cream cheese mixture 1 day in advance and store in the refrigerator.
- When ready to cook, warm the cauliflower in a baking dish in a 350-degree F oven until hot.
- Let the cream cheese mixture come to room temperature.
- Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F, then dollop on the cream cheese mixture, top with cheese, and bake as directed.
What to Serve with Cauliflower Casserole
- Chicken. Baked Chicken Cutlets would be a perfect side with this cheesy cauliflower casserole.
- Pork. Crock Pot Pork Chops cook on your countertop while your oven is occupied with the cauliflower.
- Beef. These Air Fryer Steak Bites are another option that cooks outside your oven.
- More Sides. So many sides pair well with cauliflower casserole, from Sauteed Carrots to Roasted Garlic Potato Rolls.
Cauliflower Casserole
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Video
This cheesy roasted cauliflower casserole with cream cheese and bacon is an easy, low-carb side dish perfect for holidays and gatherings!
Email Me the Recipe!
From time to time, we’ll send you Well Plated emails. You can unsubscribe anytime. Have an account? Log In.
Ingredients
- 2 medium heads of cauliflower cut into bite-size florets (about 3–4 pounds cauliflower, prior to being cut, or 5–6 cups florets)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 6 slices bacon
- 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese at room temperature
- ¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- ⅔ cup freshly grated Gruyere or similar melty, nutty, alpine-style cheese, divided
- ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese divided
- 3 tablespoons fresh chives chopped
Instructions
- Place racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Lightly coat a wide 3-quart (9×13) casserole dish, with nonstick spray, and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
- Transfer the cauliflower to the prepared casserole dish and spread it into an even layer. Keep the bowl handy. Roast cauliflower on the lower rack for 30 minutes, until the florets are tender and begin to brown.
- Meanwhile, arrange the bacon strips in a single layer on the prepared foil-lined baking sheet. Bake on the upper rack until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Remove the bacon and cauliflower from the oven. Stir the cauliflower, spread it back into an even layer, and place it on the upper rack to continue cooking until the end of its baking time.
- Transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate and lightly pat dry. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop or crumble the bacon into small pieces.
- In the same bowl that you used to toss the cauliflower, beat together the cream cheese and Greek yogurt until combined. Stir in ⅓ cup Gruyere cheese, 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, and half of the chopped bacon.
- Remove the roasted cauliflower from the oven and dollop the cream cheese mixture over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining ⅓ cup of Gruyere and 2 tablespoons of Parmesan.
- Return the pan to the upper third of the oven and bake until the cheese is melted and gooey, about 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the oven to broil. Broil the casserole until golden on top, 1 to 3 minutes. Do not walk away, and watch carefully to make sure the cheese does not burn.
- Remove from the oven and sprinkle with fresh chives and remaining bacon. Serve hot.
Notes
- TO STORE: Leftovers may be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- TO FREEZE: Baked cauliflower casserole may be kept frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before warming.
- TO REHEAT: Warm the cauliflower casserole in an oven preheated to 350 degrees F until steaming and heated through.
- TO MAKE AHEAD: The cauliflower can be roasted 1 day in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The cream cheese mixture can be prepared 1 day in advance and stored in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, warm the cauliflower in the baking dish in a 350-degree F oven until hot. Let the cream cheese mixture come to room temperature. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F, then dollop on the cream cheese and bake as directed.
- TO DOUBLE: This recipe is easy to scale! Feel free to double it (bake in two separate 9×13-inch pans) or halve it and bake in a 1 1/2-quart casserole or gratin dish.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 8Calories: 229kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 11gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgPotassium: 529mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 266IUVitamin C: 70mgCalcium: 208mgIron: 1mg
A couple of comments. First, for religious reasons, I don’t eat bacon. I discovered Light Life’s vegan crumbles at a local Whole Foods. I substituted one for one in the recipe and they were tasty. Second, the recipe calls for two heads of cauliflower. At the store I noticed a purple and an orange variety of cauliflower; and I used one of each. It made the dish more interesting visually. Third, there was not enough of the cream cheese & yogurt topping; plus the cream cheese, even at room temperature, was not easy to mix things with. If I make the recipe again, I would double the amount of cream cheese and yogurt and substitute all yogurt for the cream cheese. Finally, it tasted great and got “very tasty” reviews from my eaters. Thank you !
I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe, Arthur! Thanks for taking the time to share your tweaks too!
I made this for my son’s family as he and his wife are on a low carb diet. I tasted it before I took it to their house and it was delicious! Unfortunately, my husband decided to place it on top of our cooler to carry it into their house. I was in their kitchen and heard a loud crash. My daughter-in-law and I ran into the entryway and there was my husband standing there holding the cooler – with the cauliflower casserole on the floor and my beautiful casserole dish broken into the food. Grrr. It definitely was a time consuming dish, even though I did buy cauliflower florets, but worth the time. I guess I’ll make it for them again this weekend! But this time I’ll do the carrying. I had made a good chicken cheese and bacon dish and veggies with Uncle Dan’s so my son scrambled a bunch of eggs so we had another dish. ?
Oh NO! I’m so sorry about the crash, Jill. Thank you for leaving this review, and I hope you get to enjoy it next time!
OMG! This was amazing! EVERYONE raved about it! I will definitely make it again!
I’m so glad it was a winner, Renee! Thank you so much for taking the time to report back!
Great recipe! But my husband doesn’t eat meat so we used veggie based bacon and we also used a hickory smoked gruyere cheese which made it even more flavorful. Definitely will make again. We paired it with grilled artichokes and that was dinner!
Thanks for reporting back, Robyn! I’m happy to hear it was a hit.
I have it almost ready. Can’t wait to try it.
I hope you love it, Tanya!
OMG … THIS!!! I made this today to ‘try’ before making for a family picnic this weekend. Wow, this is amazing! Not only is it easy to make it is absolutely DELISH! I’m glad I made it up ahead of time so I can have this one to myself without sharing = ) Thank you for an AWESEOME recipe. Even my SO who claims not to like cauliflower had a second helping of it.
YAY! This made my day! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
I made this last night and was told by my wife it was the best cauliflower dish that she has ever had. I agreed. Simply delish!! There is a good reason I follow Erin and Well Plated, and have for some time now!! Great dishes and ideas.
YAY! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, Chris! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
I’m adding this to my holiday/special occasion list. This is comfort food at it’s best. Kids and husband devoured it. It tastes like 500 calories per bite. Another great recipe.
So so pleased to hear you enjoyed it Carrie. Thanks for leaving this wonderful review!
Cauliflower stew is very delicious and attractive. I really like the way you prepare food. The food is quite simple.
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
Can this be made with frozen cauliflower?
Hi Debbie! I have not tried this recipe with frozen cauliflower, and I’m afraid it may make the dish liquidy. If possible, fresh cauliflower will work best for this recipe. If you decide to play around with it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
I love this recipe…absolutely delicious. I made the Cauliflower Casserole as a mail course along with a salad. This recipe is a keeper.
I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit, Lesley! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
Can I put it together and freeze it or should I cook it all the way and freeze it? Will this change the flavor or consistency? Just trying to get ahead with all the cooking before thanksgiving, red all the comments but didn’t see this being asked
Thank you
Hi Claudia! I have not tried to freeze this recipe, but I think cooking it first and then freezing it will be the best method. If you decide to try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Made this for Thanksgiving and it sure didn’t last long at all ! The only thing I would change would be to make the cream cheese sauce a bit thinner so it could be easily spread over the cauliflower rather than making dollops of it. Other than that – just delicious!
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Chris! I’m so happy that this recipe was a hit!
love your recipes and helpful tips!!! Hats off to the chef
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Gina! I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe!
Marvelous–especially with some blue cheese added!
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Ann! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit!
I added in roasted shrimp at the same time as the cheese and made it a main course. It was excellent.
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Sam! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit!
This is super yummy!
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Shelly! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit!
This recipe is great made it for Christmas with Cornish game hens, I used smoked cheddar cheese instead of the Gruyere cheese and added chopped onions to the bacon while it cooked what a great flavor everyone loved it , will definitely make it again . Thank you for the recipe
I’m so happy to hear that this was a hit, JoAnn! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
My entire family (including non-keto bunch) absolutely demolished this casserole, we all loved it! I’m not a domestic kitchen pro or anywhere near but since on keto diet i have been making interesting and easy meals, this looked easy to me – yes, i base it on quick, convenience before taste, lol! I used two full large cauliflower, generic spices, the gruyere cheese i’d never heard of but got it at the deli whole (they only had smoked), and pretty much x1.5 the whole recipe. I did the bacon in a pan and only used one rack and it turned out. What a delicious meal! We had it with garlic butter fried chicken. For a simpleton like myself, it was so easy to make for getting off of work and going to the store quick to buy cheese, and prepping, it was absolutely scrumptious! Thank you! Will definitely be having this again and again!
YAY! I’m so happy to hear that this was a hit! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
This was really, really good. A nice change from potatoes.
This is absolutely the best! I substituted sour cream for the Greek yogurt as I didn’t have any available and did not add the nutmeg as I forgot lol, but best recipe ever!
Thank you for sharing this kind review, Karen! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
I made this tonight to go with a smoked bbq roast. It was perfect!
Thanks for sharing ♥️
Thank you for sharing this kind review, Kathy! I’m so happy the recipe was a hit!
Just made it & everyone in family loved it. My teens not big on casseroles but Recipe sounded great. I did not use bacon but sprinkled breadcrumbs, and used Gouda(that’s what I had). Under baked a little but it stayed in oven warming 20 min extra and cauliflower still had great bite to it; so it would be easy to do ahead and reheat. I would thin out cream cheese mixture with milk maybe next time as personal preference but everyone loved as it was written.
I’m so pleased that you enjoyed this recipe, Joan! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Hi there, can this be made ahead of time, cooled and then frozen to be thrown in the over at a later date?
Definitely, Melissa! You can freeze the cooked casserole for up to 3 months, then let it thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. I hope you enjoy it!
A small suggestion.
When starting out making this delicious dish, I set my cauliflower to roast on a half sheet pan because ….that’s how I always roast my vegetables? I was thinking I would roast the whole hug head of cauliflower I had purchased and then turn it into two separate casserole dishes.
My daughter took one look at the roasted cauliflower on the sheet pan after learning the next step was to smother it in a cheese sauce and exclaimed that was so wrong! Make more cheese sauce and smother each delectable bite in it!
And so we did. And so delicious! We had some crusty cheese skirt and incredible levels of flavor. I had roasted it on a parchment covered sheet pan, so stickage was not an issue.
Normally cauliflower anything is not something the family will tolerate two days in a row. They DEMANDED this again tomorrow night with a different protein.
Glory, I am so pleased to hear how much your family enjoyed this. Thank you for sharing!!
Awesome nutty taste!
Thanks so much June!!
Thanks for this post! I had forgotten about this cauliflower recipe. It’s perfect for cooler weather. We really like it too. I’m going to make it tonight since I have fresh cauliflower in the fridge! Guess it’s time to transition to more oven cooking. Just put the grill away this week. Thanks again, keep the emails and instagrams coming!
I’m so happy that you’ve enjoyed it, Janet! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I’ve made this recipe before and love it. Can I prepare the casserole and instead of baking right away, can it be frozen to bake at a later date?
Hi Jan! If you check out the “Make Ahead + Storage Tips” and “Freezing Cauliflower Casserole” sections of the blog post, you can find some ideas for making this ahead and freezing it. I hope this helps!
Oh my! Rave reviews from the family. Again! This the second recipe of yours I will keep! Thank you ??
I’m so happy that you enjoyed the recipe, Lynne! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
This was incredible! My fiance isn’t big on “health food” and was skeptical while we were cooking, but we both LOVED it! His family was shocked I got him to eat cauliflower and he said don’t count on enough left over for tomorrow’s dinner because he’d eat it throughout the day and for a midnight snack! Every recipe of yours we’ve tried, we’ve loved.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Jessica! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Very tasty!
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Diana! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Can you substitute something for the bacon? I have some vegetarians in the family but I know that bacon usually adds fat flavor so I don’t want to just cut it out.
Hi Sarah! You can simply omit the bacon (the casserole will still be delicious). I hope you enjoy the recipe!
My goodness this was delicious!! A keeper for sure. I made this for family Easter dinner and there wasn’t a bit left in site. Everyone loved it, even all the children devoured it. Will make again no question. I roasted the cauliflower, did the bacon and seasonings and prepped the cheeses all the day before. It was super simple to put together and heat up in the oven the next day. Thank you for the fantastic recipe.
I’m so happy that you enjoyed it, Carissa! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Great for family thanksgiving dinner, everyone loved it!
Hi! So glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for this kind review!
Yes, First one, ate the whole thing- Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Then made one to share. DELICIOUS!
Hi! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Excellent recipe. I substituted a red pepper spiced humus for the cream cheese and a shredded Mexican blend cheese for the Gruyère. I also bumped up the bacon by a couple slices. I kept everything else the same. I was very pleased with the outcome and will definitely repeat this meal.
Hi Bruce! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review and feedback!
I’m leaving 5 stars although my dish was in the 3-4 star range. The ingredients & idea are excellent, but you may need to adjust depending on taste. I only had about 4.5 cups cauliflower, and i’d prefer twice as much (2 heads-ish). The end result was way too cheesy and rich for me. My 4.5 cups cauli only took up about half of the 9×13 casserole dish. Also, I had 3 slices of leftover bacon from breakfast, and that was more than enough. Even with 2x the amount of cauliflower, 3 bacon strips would work fine. I subbed sour cream for greek yogurt & dubliner cheese for gruyere. I’ll def make again, with 2x the cauliflower.
Hi Nicole! Thanks for your feedback.
we love this cauliflower casserole. I’ve made it a few times and have passed this recipe on to others. My mouth is still watering from just eating it.
Hi Kathryn! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
‘Just wondered how you would adjust cooking time to half the recipe since I’m normally cooking only for 2. Thanks in advance for your help. ‘LOVE your recipes and all the wonderful tips you include. :)
Hi Jaycee, I haven’t tried it myself, but you should have to adjust the cooking time, just the amounts of the ingredients. Hope you enjoy it!
A great recipe for cauliflower. My family announced it was the best cauliflower they have ever eaten!
Hi Ayla! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Awesome Thanksgiving side dish. Rave reviews all around. Also, the flavors were just incredible.
Hi Nico! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I tried and it just didn’t float my boat. The baking instructions are poor and to me on a review. I don’t rate with stars but simply would I make it again, and sadly, I would not make this one again.
Hi James, I am sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy the recipe. FYI you actually did leave a star rating. Could you tell us what was the issue with the baking instructions?
Loved this recipe! I was looking for something to take to a potluck this weekend. Did a trial tonight. I substituted some cheddar cheese for gruyere and also did not add any more salt. It would have been too salty for me. My Father In Law said it was delicious. Coming from a man who pretty much only eats meat and rice. Definitely a keeper! Thank you!
So glad to hear you enjoyed it, Olivia! Thank you!
I am in love with this cauliflower casserole. It’s a great alternative for meat free meals if you leave the bacon off. So much flavor and easy to get prepped. It was ready in less than 30 minutes.
Great to hear, thank you Jessica!
OMG! This recipe felt so indulgent. All of the flavors came together beautifully. Will definitely be making this again. Everyone loved it and it was just as delicious as mashed potato casserole.
So happy to hear, thank you Annie!
This was perfect for my husband’s low carb diet. So delicious! Thank you.
Great to hear, thank you Jocelyn!
My kids actually ate cauliflower without me having to beg them, which makes this recipe a winner already. The bacon and cheese covered up the veggie taste just enough for them to enjoy it.
Yay! Love to hear that, Andrea! Thank you!
I genuinely enjoyed making this. Roasting the cauliflower first made a real difference. It was rich, but somehow still felt somewhat lighter than typical casseroles. Definitely saving this for future potlucks.
So glad to hear, Kimberly! Thank you!
I tried this recipe while meal prepping for the week. I was worried it might not reheat well, but it actually tasted just as good the next day. The cauliflower holds up nicely, and the cheesy top stays flavorful. Really nice change from the usual side dishes.
So glad to hear, Paula! Thank you!