Amelia Grace Cauliflower cheese is one of those dishes I could happily eat as a main course, never mind a side. Tender cauliflower in a thick, silky, mustardy cheese sauce, with a crisp, golden top. It is Sunday lunch at its best.
The problem with most home versions is that the sauce turns thin and watery in the dish, and the culprit is nearly always the cauliflower, not the sauce.
Once you know how to deal with that, this is a very easy recipe, and a very reliable one.
Why Cauliflower Makes the Sauce Watery, and How to Stop It
Cauliflower is mostly water, and it soaks up even more of it while it cooks.
If you boil the florets and tip them straight into the dish, they carry a surprising amount of water with them. As the dish bakes, that water seeps out of the cauliflower and thins the sauce into a pale puddle at the bottom.
The fix is simple: cook the cauliflower until only just tender, drain it very well, then leave it to steam dry in the colander for 5 minutes before it goes anywhere near the sauce.
Ingredients for Delia Smith Cauliflower Cheese
Cauliflower:
- 1 large cauliflower (about 800g of florets), cut into medium florets
Cheese Sauce:
- 40g unsalted butter
- 40g plain flour
- 500ml whole milk, warmed
- 1 tsp English mustard
- 150g mature cheddar, grated
- A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Topping:
- 25g mature cheddar, grated
- 2 tbsp fresh breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp grated Parmesan
How to Make Delia Smith Cauliflower Cheese — Step by Step
Step 1 — Cook the Cauliflower
Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the florets and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until just tender when pierced with a knife. They should still hold their shape.
Step 2 — Drain and Steam Dry
Drain very well in a colander and leave to steam dry for 5 minutes, shaking it once or twice. Tip the florets into a 1.5-litre ovenproof dish.
Step 3 — Make the Roux
Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan / Gas 6). Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring, until smooth and pale.
Step 4 — Add the Milk
Take the pan off the heat and add the warm milk a little at a time, whisking well between each addition. Return to a low heat and whisk until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens. Simmer gently for 2 minutes.
Step 5 — Add the Flavourings
Take the pan off the heat. Stir in the mustard, nutmeg and the 150g of cheddar until melted and smooth. Season with pepper, and taste before adding salt.
Step 6 — Sauce the Cauliflower
Pour the sauce evenly over the cauliflower, making sure it gets into all the gaps.
Step 7 — Add the Topping
Mix the extra cheddar, breadcrumbs and Parmesan together and scatter over the top.
Step 8 — Bake
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and bubbling at the edges.
Step 9 — Rest and Serve
Leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.
My Top Tips for the Best Delia Smith Cauliflower Cheese
Do not overcook the cauliflower. It carries on cooking in the oven, so take it out of the water while it still has a little bite.
Steam it dry. Those 5 minutes in the colander are what stop a watery sauce.
Add the cheese off the heat. Cheese stirred into a boiling sauce can turn stringy or grainy, but a sauce that has come off the heat stays silky.
Make the sauce slightly thick. It will loosen a little in the oven, so aim for something that coats the back of a spoon thickly.
Use a strong cheddar. A mature cheese gives plenty of flavour, so you do not need to use more of it.
Add the mustard. It does not make the dish taste of mustard, but it sharpens the cheese flavour.
Serving Suggestions
Serve alongside a roast dinner, gammon or sausages, or enjoy it as a light supper on its own with crusty bread and a green salad. Crispy bacon pieces stirred into the topping are very good, too.
How to Store Delia Smith Cauliflower Cheese
In the fridge: Store covered for up to 3 days. Reheat in a moderate oven until piping hot.
At room temperature: Not suitable. Cool and refrigerate promptly after cooking.
In the freezer: Freezes reasonably well for up to 2 months, though the cauliflower softens. Defrost fully in the fridge and reheat in the oven.
Delia Smith Cauliflower Cheese Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Boil the florets for 5–6 minutes until just tender. Drain and steam dry for 5 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan / Gas 6). Put the florets in a dish.
- Make a roux with the butter and flour.
- Gradually whisk in the warm milk, then simmer for 2 minutes.
- Off the heat, stir in the mustard, nutmeg and cheddar. Season.
- Pour the sauce over the cauliflower.
- Scatter with the cheddar, breadcrumb and Parmesan topping.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden and bubbling. Rest for 5 minutes.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions About Delia Smith Cauliflower Cheese
Why is my cauliflower cheese watery?
Almost always because the cauliflower was not drained and dried properly. Cook it until just tender, drain well and leave it to steam dry before saucing.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Assemble it, without the topping, up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Add the topping and bake it from cold, allowing 10 extra minutes.
Can I use broccoli too?
Yes, a mix of cauliflower and broccoli florets works well. Broccoli cooks slightly faster, so add it for the last 2 minutes.
Which sauce method should I use?
This uses the traditional roux method, which is my favourite. If you are in a hurry, my all-in-one white sauce is a good shortcut.
