Cauliflower with Bechamel Sauce

I like to use silky bechamel sauce with my favorite vegetables, and cauliflower is on top of that list. In my opinion, they go great together like bread and butter. Please do not be discouraged if you have never made bechamel sauce before. I know it has a fancy French name, but making some is incredibly easy. In simplest terms, we combine and cook high quality butter (unsalted is a better choice) with all-purpose flour in a saucepan. And all it takes is five minutes!

Some people tend to stay away from cauliflower, but they do not know what they are missing out on. Aside from being super tasty, cauliflower is considered a superfood with the special antioxidants and vitamins it contains. Cauliflower is related to broccoli, Brussel sprouts, and cabbage. In fact, the word caulis means cabbage in Latin. Some people even call it cruciferous since its petals have four petals that resemble a Greek cross. It contains a high amount of vitamin C, but it does not end there. Other notable cauliflower nutrients would include fiber, potassium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, folate, vitamin K, C, and B6.

Did you know that you can use cauliflower as a rice replacement? Keto fans are big fans of cauliflower rice, which is a great low-carb alternative to rice. You might have also noticed cauliflower pizza crust and cauliflower tortillas popping out from every food website recently. It is a tasty and effective substitute for flour too. And, do not forget cauliflower hummus. By the way, make sure you try our original hummus recipe when you have the time. It is super delicious too!

What equipment you will need:

You need basic tools that you probably already have in your kitchen. A quality wire whisk is essential when preparing the bechamel sauce. OXO makes some of the best wire whisks in the market. The following item is a bestseller, and its balloon shape is perfect for whipping and aerating ingredients.

Also, a handy glass casserole would be helpful to bake the cauliflowers in the oven properly. I recommend the 5-quart casserole from the Anchor Hocking store. Being made from tempered glass, this set is safe for refrigerator, freezer, oven, dishwasher (top rack), and microwave. It is a durable and versatile baking dish that you can use for preparing many different meals. Note that it is produced in the USA, and comes with a 5-year warranty.

Cauliflower with Béchamel Sauce Recipe

The silky white Bechamel sauce is one of the main bases in French cuisine. Its history dates back to the 1600s. In Italy, it is mostly used with pasta dishes. In basic terms, it is made with thickened butter and flour. Take note that the flour must be roasted carefully when preparing bechamel sauce, otherwise, it might taste like raw flour.

This recipe includes ground meat, but feel free to skip it if you like. Trust me, the meatless version is super palatable too. You can also replace butter with applesauce, mashed bananas, or vegan butter for that reason.

Cauliflower with Bechamel Sauce

Recipe by OzgurCourse: MainCuisine: TurkishDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

30

minutes
Calories

300

kcal
Total time

35

minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 medium cauliflower

  • 3 cups of water

  • 2 tablespoons of butter

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • Stir-fry ground meat
  • 8 Oz. (225 g) ground meat (use your favorite)

  • 1 small size onion, diced into small cubes

  • 4 tablespoons of olive oil

  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste

  • Béchamel sauce
  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (use your favorite)

  • 1 ½ cup milk

  • 1 ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

  • 3.5 Oz. (100 g) grated Jack cheese (use Parmesan if you like)

Directions

  • Remove the leaves from the cauliflower.
  • Wash and drain the cauliflower, and break it up into small pieces by hand.
  • Place the cauliflower in a small pan.
  • Add three cups of water to the pan.
  • Boil the cauliflower.
  • Drain the water and transfer the cauliflower to a large glass casserole.
  • Stir-fry ground meat directions
  • Add four tablespoons of olive oil to a skillet.
  • Add in the diced white onions and sauté.
  • Add 8-ounce (225 g) ground meat to the skillet.
  • Continue to stir over medium heat for a few minutes until the water of the meat evaporates.
  • Add one tablespoon of tomato paste and continue to stir.
  • Add half a teaspoon of salt and a quarter teaspoon of black pepper.
  • Remove from heat and place the stir-fry ground meat on top of the boiled casserole.
  • Béchamel sauce directions
  • Add two tablespoons of softened butter and one tablespoon of vegetable oil to a small saucepan.
  • Add one and a half tablespoons of all-purpose flour to the saucepan once the butter melts.
  • Continue to stir on low heat.
  • Gradually add one and a half cups of milk to the saucepan and use a wire whisk to stir slowly.
  • Once the sauce starts to thicken, add half a teaspoon of salt, a quarter teaspoon of black pepper, and a quarter teaspoon of grated nutmeg.
  • Let the sauce boil over medium heat for 2-3 minutes and remove from heat.
  • Bringing it together
  • Preheat the oven to 365⁰F (185 ⁰C).
  • Pour the Bechamel sauce over the glass casserole to which we added cauliflower and ground meat earlier.
  • Bake at 365⁰F (185 ⁰C) for 15 minutes.
  • Remove from the oven and add the grated Jack cheese (or mozzarella) on top.
  • Place it in the oven again and bake for another 10 minutes or until the grated cheese is browned.
  • Remove from the oven and serve hot.

Notes

  • Note that you can also use the Bechamel sauce in this recipe as a base to create other sauces like Alfredo, Soubise (with caramelized onions), Nantua (with shrimp and heavy cream), Cheddar sauce, or Mornay (with cloves, onion, and Parmesan cheese).
  • Be creative and try this recipe with broccoli or Brussel sprouts. They taste equally delicious as well.
  • I recommend using olive oil for the vegetable oil in this recipe to further elevate the flavors.
  • You can add thyme, chopped parsley, and cumin to add character to stir-fry ground meat.

What are the benefits of eating a cauliflower?

Cauliflower contains many antioxidants that may help to reduce the risk of several diseases including cancer and heart disease.  In fact, it is considered to be a superfood due to its nutrition profile. Potassium, fiber, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, folate, vitamin K, C, B6 are some of the most apparent ones to list. Some recent studies also suggest that cauliflower may aid in Alzheimer’s disease. Being an alkaline food, cauliflower may also aid acid reflux. Consume cauliflower regularly to protect yourself from inflammation.

Is it better to eat a cauliflower raw or cooked?

In general, consuming vegetables in raw is the best option to maximize the health benefits that we can receive from them. However, cooking cauliflower increases the indole levels (found in cabbage, cauliflower, kale, Brussel sprouts, turnips, and broccoli), which may reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer. Tomatoes are also a good example of vegetables that provide increased health benefits when cooked. For example, lycopene levels in tomatoes rise significantly when they are cooked while there is a small percentage of decrease in vitamin C levels.

Is cauliflower good for skin?

Cauliflower is a superfood that contains many carotenoid and flavonoid antioxidants. It is also rich in sulforaphane. This antioxidant may help to stop cancer growth by destroying damaged cells. It may aid to protect the skin from ultraviolet radiation damage, in other words, skin cancer. On a side note, sulforaphane may also help reduce high blood pressure and prevent diabetes.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *