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Creamy and delicious this lightly spiced vegan cauliflower cheese is topped with golden panko breadcrumbs and baked to bubbling, crispy perfection! #veganrecipes #vegansides #cauliflower #vegancheese #vegancauliflowercheese | Recipe on thecookandhim.com

Vegan Cauliflower Cheese with Breadcrumb Topping

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 30 mins | Total: 50 mins | Quantity: 2-4 servings (as main or side dish)

Ingredients

Breadcrumb topping:

  • 1/4 cup (40g) vegan butter
  • 1 cup (80g) Panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 tblsp whole flax seeds (also known as linseeds)
  • 1 tsp turmeric (optional but it gives the crumb topping that lovely golden colour!)

Cauliflower Cheese:

  • 1 large head (900g) cauliflower
  • 1/4 cup (40g) vegan butter
  • 1/4 cup (40g) plain flour
  • 1 + 1/2 cups (375ml) unsweetened plant milk
  • 1 veg stock cube
  • 4 tblsp (16g) nutritional yeast
  • 2 tsp mustard – I used wholegrain
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp onion powder or granules
  • 1 cup (30) snipped chives
  • 1 tsp salt and a few good grinds of black pepper

Instructions

  1. Melt the butter for the breadcrumb topping in a medium saucepan then tip into a bowl with the breadcrumbs, flax seeds and optional turmeric. Mix together and set aside. Don't wash the saucepan up yet!
  2. Remove the leaves and stalks from the cauliflower, break into florets and boil in a large pan of salted water for 6-8 minutes until just beginning to soften. Drain, refresh under cold water to stop it cooking any further then drain again
  3. Preheat your oven to 180 Fan / 200 C / 400 F / Gas 6 and lightly grease an 11 inch (28 cm) baking dish
  4. In the same melted butter saucepan, melt the butter for the cheese sauce until starting to bubble
  5. Add the flour all at once and beat together to form a sandy coloured roux
  6. Over a low-medium heat add the milk a bit at a time, gently but thorougly mixing with the spoon. It will return to a lump after the first few additions then it will start to turn into a thick sauce. Add a little more milk if it's too thick once you've added all the milk
  7. Whisk in the remaining sauce ingredients then gently stir in the cauliflower
  8. Tip into your prepared dish dish and sprinkle over the breadcrumbs
  9. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden and bubbling
  10. Serve immediately - though this also makes great leftovers! Simply chill once cooled then reheat until piping hot in the middle

Recipe by The Cook & Him at https://thecookandhim.com/recipes/vegan-cauliflower-cheese-with-breadcrumb-topping/