This healthy Cauliflower Cheese Sauce is so creamy and savory, it works like an alfredo or a cream sauce and is absolutely delicious.
I mean, really. Is there anything cauliflower can’t do?
It has taken over our mashed potatoes. It has taken over our rice. Our pizza crust.
It has taken over our hearts.
(Awwww….who else saw that coming?)
Is Cauliflower Healthy?
Seriously, though. Cauliflower is such an amazingly versatile vegetable since it has the perfect color and texture so it can mimic so many other types of foods.
And — even better — it’s like ridiculously healthy for you, too. Cauliflower is a great source for vitamin c, antioxidants, fiber, and tons of other micronutrients.
I mean, I’m not saying I loooooove cauliflower, but I’m not NOT saying I love cauliflower.
Okay, you got me. I love cauliflower.
For the longest time, though, I looked at cauliflower as like a substitute for broccoli when I got tired of eating broccoli. I didn’t have any creativity when cooking it and thought it was so bland and boring.
That was before I realized it was such a hidden gem.
Now, we’re like besties.
Cauliflower is the best thing that ever happened to healthy eating since…I dunno…coconut oil?
Bold statement, I know.
Is Cauliflower Cheese Sauce Healthy?
Now, let’s talk about this amazing cauliflower cheese sauce we’re all looking at. It’s pretty amaze-balls, people.
Next to my beloved cauliflower pizza crust, this sauce may be my favorite cauliflower recipe to date. And you know how I do love the cauliflower.
This cauliflower cheese sauce contains just a bit of parmesan. But it tastes like cheese. And it’s cheesy good. And cheese.
[And you could even omit to make it entirely vegan, if you so desired.]But, alas, very little cheese. Just lots o’ fiber, antioxidants, and healthy goodness.
The first time I made this, I served it over a pan-roasted steak and some parmesan baked zucchini spears that I happened to be putting together for a new meal in No-Fail Meals. And it was flippin’ glorious.
Like…I couldn’t stop licking the spoon…glorious. I dipped the steak in it. I dipped the zucchini spears in it (omg so good). It was just so utterly amazingly good, I couldn’t even believe it.
Gotta love that cauliflower!
How To Make Cauliflower Cheese Sauce
The basic process of how to cook cauliflower cheese sauce is to first cook the cauliflower and garlic, then add it to just a handful of ingredients (salt, pepper, vegetable broth, almond milk, and parmesan cheese), then blend it together. That’s literally all you need to do.
When you make it, depending on how thick you like your cheese sauce, you can always add equal parts almond milk and the vegetable broth to loosen it. I like my sauces pourable, but thick so that’s how it’s written.
Cauliflower Cheese Sauce
What To Serve With Cauliflower Cheese Sauce
If you’re looking for recipe ideas for what the heck you’d add a cauliflower sauce to, try one of these great recipes:
- on these Baked Potatoes
- instead of an alfredo for this Chicken Alfredo Pizza
- drizzle some over a Pan-Roasted Steak
- as a tasty dip for these Parmesan Baked Squash and Zucchini Spears
- on top of this delicious Roasted Broccoli
It’s gonna be gloriousness no matter how you do it.
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 1 tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
- ½ cup almond milk
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese** omit parmesan if vegan
Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet and cook the garlic until tender and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Careful not to burn. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Add the cauliflower florets into a deep stock pot and then add the vegetable broth. Cover and cook over high heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork. Do not drain.
- Transfer the cauliflower florets to a blender (or food processor). Then, add 3/4 cup of the hot vegetable broth you used to cook the cauliflower, followed by the sautéed garlic and oil, sea salt, pepper, and almond milk.
- Blend for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is very smooth. If the sauce is too thick, you can add equal parts almond milk and vegetable broth. You may have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your blender. The consistency should be thick, but pourable.
- Serve hot as you would a cheese sauce.
This recipe can easily be converted to be vegan by omitting the parmesan cheese.
This post contains affiliate links for products I use all the time in my kitchen and highly recommend.
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I just found your website and I love it! This cauliflower recipe was awesome. My grocery store only had purple cauliflower so my sauce ended up being a purple cheese sauce. I also just used lactose free milk since I didn’t have any almond milk. We sliced some potatoes really thin and baked them to make french fries and dipped them in the cauliflower sauce, and my husband loved it!
Hi
I have a nut allergy. Could I substitute oat milk? I would also cut out a step and use 1tbsp Garlic Oil.
Yes, you absolutely can substitute for any milk of your choice.
I wonder why you chose almond milk instead of milk?
It’s just my preference for milk, but you can choose whatever milk you like.
Just curious, the recipe as written is vegan… but the picture showing the ingredients lists Parmesan cheese? Is it just an optional add-in?
Ha, very good point, Tegan – thanks for pointing that out! I went ahead and updated that ingredients image and mentioned it as totally optional in the ingredients list. This sauce can be made without the parmesan to be kept completely vegan, but can also have parmesan added for those who aren’t interested in it being vegan. Sorry for the confusion!
Have you tried this with nutritional yeast instead of parm? Seems like it would work as a swap?