Grainfree, SCD Cauliflower Cheese
![Grainfree, SCD Cauliflower Cheese](https://emmaeatsandexplores.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Cauliflower-Cheese-9.jpg)
This is one of those dishes that I’ve been craving for ages and has now become a reality thanks to the invention of my flour and milk-free Bechamel Sauce. SCD Cauliflower Cheese is of those foods that most people have as a side dish but which I could have for dinner just on its own! I love the melty, cheesy, rich taste and to me, it’s the ultimate comfort food.
Start by preheating your oven to 220C (420F). Then, the first thing to do is to make the cheese sauce. This is basically a béchamel or white sauce that you then add cheese to. I have two recipes that you can use as a base. One is strict SCD, as it’s made with coconut flour. You can find the original Béchamel Sauce recipe here. However, if you can tolerate Gram Flour (Chickpea Flour) then try substituting it for coconut flour in the béchamel sauce. It’s a new twist on the recipe that is slightly more savoury and a bit less granular than the coconut flour version. I’ll get it up on the blog shortly!
To be honest, in this recipe, it doesn’t matter much either way. Just go with whichever ingredients you tolerate best. There’s enough cheese in this recipe to hide any other flavours so you’ll barely taste a difference!
So to make the cheese sauce you begin by melting butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. Once the butter is melted add half of the gram or coconut flour and stir to combine. Keep adding the flour until the butter is all incorporated and you have a kind of dough or paste. Next, add a tiny bit of the almond milk and stir into the dough to thin it out. Keep adding the almond milk bit by bit and stirring to combine. If you do it bit by bit, fingers crossed you won’t get any lumps! And there you have your béchamel sauce.
Now to make it cheesy! Add two-thirds of the cheese to the sauce (you can just slice it up or grate it if you prefer). Make sure you use a strong cheddar or something similar as you really want the cheese flavour to come through. Stir the cheese through until it is all melted. Season well with salt and pepper and leave on a low heat on the stove while you prepare the cauliflower. It will thicken up a bit more as it cooks longer.
While the sauce is thickening on the stove-top, chop the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Steam these for around 6-8 mins until they are fairly tender. Then, drain the cauliflower and add to an oven-proof dish.
Once the cheese sauce has thickened to the right consistency, pour it all over the steamed cauliflower. It should be thick enough to coat it and stick to it. Slice the remaining cheese and use it to top the dish with. Pop the dish into the oven and cook for 20-30 mins…
…until the cheese on the top has melted and is browned and bubbling.
This recipe makes enough for 4 people as a side dish or 2 as a main meal. I’ve served it twice this week, alongside my Roast Rib of Beef and also my Slow Cooked Shoulder of Lamb and I promise you that you would never know that the Bechamel Sauce is a healthier, Paleo version, you can’t taste the difference at all. I didn’t mention what it was made from until after the meal and all of my guests agreed that they couldn’t taste the difference. Cheesy, creamy, decadently rich and perfect as a side to a roast dinner, your Thanksgiving or Christmas meal, or, just on its own!
![Grainfree SCD Cauliflower Cheese](https://emmaeatsandexplores.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Cauliflower-Cheese-9.jpg)
Grainfree, SCD Cauliflower Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 whole head of cauliflower
- 100 g mature cheddar cheese
For the Cheese Sauce
- 50 g butter
- 200 g mature cheddar cheese
- 3-4 tbsps coconut flour or gram flour
- 600 ml almond milk
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 220C (420F).
To Make The Cheese Sauce
- Melt the butter in a saucepan over a medium heat.
- Add half of the gram or coconut flour. Stir to combine. Keep adding the flour until the butter is all incorporated and you have a kind of dough or paste.
- Add a tiny bit of the almond milk and stir into the dough. Keep adding the almond milk bit by bit and stirring to combine.
- Grate/slice the cheese and add to the sauce. Stir through until it melts.
- Season well with salt and pepper. Leave on a low heat while you prepare the Cauliflower.
To Make the Cauliflower Cheese
- Chop the cauliflower into bite-sized florets
- Steam these for around 6-8 mins until tender. Drain and place in an oven-proof dish.
- Pour the cheese sauce all over the steamed cauliflower.
- Slice the remaining cheese and layer it on top of the cheesy cauliflower.
- Bake in the oven for 20-30 mins until the cheese on top is golden brown and bubbling.
Dietary & Allergy Information for SCD Cauliflower Cheese
This recipe is Grain-Free, Gluten-Free & Refined-Sugar Free. Also suitable for Paleo, Specific Carbohydrate Diet – SCD, Low Carb & Vegetarian diets.
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Pin SCD Cauliflower Cheese for later![Grainfree SCD Cauliflower Cheese](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Omg u made me hungry I will try to make this and send u pic
so yummy!! i love it! i ll definitely try it!! 🙂
I cannot get enough of cheese. Seriously, cheese is my life. This sounds perfect to go with dinner. Can’t wait to try it!
Mmm… this looks heavenly. I so want to dig my fingers in to it. 🙂
I love this recipe! Cauliflower is my favorite vegetable and adding cheese to it makes it even better!
Thsi is the second cauliflower recipe I’ve come across today! So excited to make them. I LOVE cauliflower!
Oh my, I’ve heard all about the wonders of cauliflower, but this looks amazing! Totes gotta add cauliflower into my 2017 meals 😀
Wow that looks so yummy! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Wow, it really looks great! Almost looks like Mac and cheese. I have never tried this before, but now it’s tempting me to give it a go.
If you couldn’t tell from my most recent post- I love cauliflower. This looks delicious!
Oh how I miss cheese. Cheese and cauliflower are the best together.
This looks delicious! We love cauliflower and I’m always looking for new recipes!
Looks like both an easy and delicious dish at the same time. i am going to try it out for my daughter. Gonna check the sauce recipe next
Love cauliflower and cheese. But together they must make for a great combo. This sounds really yummy, will check it out.
This looks so easy to make and it’s quite healthy because of the veggies. Will try it out this week!
THis sounds like something my kids would love! I like the ways cauliflower can be used!
this looks delish!
this looks so yummy! I’m in charge of Christmas dinner this year so i will be testing this out on the family. I’ll let you know how I get on!
My mouth is watering! 🙂 Thanks for the idea for the super easy family dinner 🙂
Yum!! This looks absolutely amazing! Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe! 🙂
Looks amazing! Pinning to save for future reference…
This looks amazing – perfect side dish 😉
-Clarissa
I have been hearing so much about cauliflower cheese these days, I must give it a try!
Gennifer Rose
Yum!! I love cauliflower AND cheese and I can’t wait to try this!!
Oh My! This looks really Good.
This looks so delicious, and much better than than mac and cheese!
I love cheese! I will definitely try this
Thank you for sharing that lovely food recipe.This is one of my favorite dish.