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Vegan Cauliflower Cheese

There are few things that bring us as much joy as a bubbling tray of cauliflower cheese coming out of the oven — especially at Christmas. This vegan version is one we make every year: it’s creamy, comforting, and packed with flavour thanks to a silky miso–cashew cheese sauce. It’s the kind of dish you plonk in the middle of the table and everyone dives into, whether they’re vegan or not. And for anyone avoiding gluten, we’ve swapped breadcrumbs for crushed crisps - honestly, it might be even better. Enjoy!

Takes

Serves

Ingredients
 

For the cauliflower

  • 1 large cauliflower cut into florets
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • Pinch of salt & black pepper

For the miso–cashew cheese sauce

  • 150 g 1 cup cashews, soaked in hot water for 15 mins
  • 500 ml 2 cups unsweetened plant milk
  • 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast
  • 2 tbsp white miso
  • 2 tbsp cornflour cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 garlic clove
  • ½ tsp turmeric optional, for colour
  • 1 tsp salt
  • Black pepper to taste

For the topping

Option 1: Traditional breadcrumb topping

  • 50 g 1 cup breadcrumbs
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

Option 2: Gluten-free crispy topping

  • 60 g about 2 cups crushed gluten-free crisps – salted or lightly flavoured
  • 2 sprigs of fresh thyme

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 200°C (fan 180°C).
  • Parboil the cauliflower in salted water for 8 mins. This will speed up the baking process and mean the cauliflower is soft and creamy inside!

Roast the cauliflower:

  • Toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking tray and roast for 10–15 minutes, until lightly golden and starting to char around the edges.

Make the cheese sauce:

  • Drain the cashews and add to a blender with the plant milk, nutritional yeast, miso, cornflour, mustard, lemon juice, garlic, turmeric (if using), salt, and pepper.
  • Blend until completely smooth.

Thicken the sauce:

  • Pour the mixture into a saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking continuously, for 5–7 minutes until thick, glossy, and cheese-like.

Assemble:

  • Tip the roasted cauliflower into a baking dish and pour over the cheese sauce. Give it a little shake to help everything settle.

Prepare the topping:

  • Breadcrumb option: Mix breadcrumbs, olive oil, and smoked paprika in a small bowl.
  • Gluten-free option: Crush crisps into small flakes, sprinkle over some thyme removed from the stalk and mix.

Top & bake:

  • Sprinkle your topping of choice evenly over the dish. Bake for 10 minutes, until golden, bubbling, and irresistible.

Serve:

  • Let it cool for a few minutes so the sauce thickens, then bring it to the table and watch it disappear!
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