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This potato cauliflower bake is an easy cheesy side dish that is always a crowd favorite. It’s simple to make with a few ingredients and is great for pairing with a weeknight chicken dinner or your annual Thanksgiving feast!
ingredients & substitutions
- Potatoes: Peel and chop the potatoes. Use starchy potatoes like Yukon Gold or Russet for the best results since they will absorb the milk and cheese; it’s best to avoid waxy potatoes.
- Cauliflower: Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Boil them with the potatoes to soften before baking.
- Seasonings: Salt, pepper, garlic powder and thyme.
- Milk: Milk helps to keep the cauliflower and potatoes from drying out when they are baked and adds a creamy flavor. You could use 2% milk for as suggested here or half and half for a more decadent side dish.
- Cheese: The casserole is topped with shredded cheddar cheese before being baked but any melty cheese will work!
how to make potato cauliflower bake
- Boil the potatoes first and then add the cauliflower towards the end.
- Cook until both are tender but still crisp, and drain.
- Add the potatoes and cauliflower to a baking dish and season.
- Pour over the milk.
- Top with shredded cheese.
- Bake until the cheese is golden and bubbly.
Tips for making the potato bake
- Cut the potatoes and cauliflower into similar sized pieces. This will help them to cook through at the same time so that the casserole has an even texture.
- Start the potatoes in boiling water. If you place the potatoes into cold water and bring it up to a boil, the outsides will be cooked before the middles. Cook them in salted water to add flavor right from the beginning of cooking.
- Let the cauliflower potatoes steam and drain. This will help to get rid of excess moisture. If you add them straight to the casserole dish they can get too soggy.
- Change up this recipe to suit your tastes. Try using sweet potatoes instead of regular, and broccoli works great in place of the cauliflower. You can use different seasonings depending on what you are serving it with.
Frequently Asked Questions
We use 2% dairy milk in this potato cauliflower bake, but you can use a neutral tasting plant based milk like oat milk or unsweetened almond.
For best results, this is best served as soon as it’s baked, but you can prep it ahead of time. You can boil the cauliflower and potatoes, place them in the dish with the milk and cheese, then keep covered until you are ready to cook them later in the day.
If you do have leftovers, they will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and can be reheated in the oven at 350F until warmed through.
This cauliflower potato casserole can be easily served as part of an easy weeknight meal, but it will not be out of place on your Thanksgiving or holiday table either. Serve them alongside:
Thanksgiving Turkey
Dry Brined Turkey Breast
Mushroom Gravy
Green Beans with Almonds
Cranberry Orange Sauce
This cheesy cauliflower potato bake is a wonderful addition to any holiday table. Simple to make and cook, it’s lighter than other creamy and cheesy side dishes, but is just as delicious!
More cauliflower recipes:
- Cauliflower Au Gratin
- Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes
- Cauliflower Rice
- Cauliflower Crust Pizza
- Cauliflower Waffles
If you try this healthy-ish feel good Potato Cauliflower Bake recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
Potato Cauliflower Bake
Video
Ingredients
- 3 medium yellow potatoes peeled and chopped into 1-inch pieces
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 small head cauliflower cut into florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoons fresh thyme plus more for garnish
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup 2% milk
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F degrees.
- In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook potatoes for 15 minutes and then add cauliflower for the last 10 minutes to cook together until both are crisp tender. Drain potatoes and cauliflower and set aside.
- Transfer the potatoes and cauliflower to an 8×11 baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and season with fresh thyme, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Pour the milk on top and toss to combine.
- Add the cheese on top and bake in the preheated oven until the cheese is golden and bubbly, about 15-20 minutes.
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Excellent – lots of fresh thyme and cheese – great way to reduce the carbs in the meal. They said make it again so I will print the recipe for my file. Thanks
So glad it was a hit!
Pretty bland as standard.
So sorry to hear that it was too bland, cauliflower is one of those foods that does take some getting used to.
Could you add bacon to this recipe?? If yes, would you recommend adding it before baking ?
You could! I would probably add it before baking, but I don’t eat bacon, so I’ve never cooked it.
Can you prepare in stages to shorten dinner cook time…like pre-Boil potatoes & cauliflower in the a.m. so you only have to bake in the p.m.?
For best results, this is best served as soon as it’s baked, but you can prep it ahead of time. You can boil the cauliflower and potatoes, place them in the dish with the milk and cheese, then keep covered until you are ready to cook them later in the day.
If you do have leftovers, they will keep well in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and can be reheated in the oven at 350F until warmed through.
Loved this recipe! ( even cauliflower dislikers gave it 👍)
Thanks!!
Thank you! That’s amazing to hear!
Love your soup recipes!
Thank you so much!
Delicious, quick an easy recipe
Yummy and easy!
So happy to hear that!! Thank you!
do you have to peel the potatoes?
No, you don’t have to peel the potatoes 🙂