YES, this spinach, bacon and cauliflower gratin does have veggies in it. NO, it is not healthy. Let’s be real, here. But it is damn good. And I’ve been playing around with the Keto diet, and this dish totally fits the bill for that. And satisfies my constant craving for macaroni and cheese without quite being macaroni and cheese. Can anyone else relate to this? Must. have. all. the. mac. and. cheese.
This cauliflower gratin is super simple: cauliflower, bacon, and spinach baked in a sauce that’s made of just cream, cheese, and pepper. You really can’t go wrong with any of these ingredients. The cheese sauce for this cauliflower gratin has no flour in it. I know, you think this can’t be done. But it can. How do we achieve this? Extra cheese. Yep. Ooey, gooey, melty cheese thickens this sauce right up.
My favorite way to eat this cauliflower gratin is right alongside sous vide tri tip steak. Decadent and wonderful, but not that bad for you. Perfect for a mid-week quasi-cheat night to carry me over until Friday, when Husband and I traditionally split a pizza.
This cauliflower gratin is amazing as leftovers, so make a really big batch. It’s just one of those rare dishes that’s even better the next day. The cheese sauce gets even thicker and more delicious.
You can also view this recipe as a step-by-step web story here.
Get the Recipe:
No Carb Spinach, Bacon, and Cauliflower Gratin
Ingredients
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
- 3 cups spinach
- 10 pieces cooked bacon, torn into chunks
- Chopped green onions and extra shredded cheese to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a cold, large, oven-safe skillet, pour in the heavy cream. Turn the heat to medium low. Stir in the pepper.
- Once the cream is warm, add the cheese one half cup at a time, stirring for about 15 seconds between additions. Continue to stir until cheese is completely melted through. You may need to turn the heat up a bit.
- Once melted, add the florets, spinach, and bacon. Stir until the veggies are completely coated in the sauce.
- Transfer skillet to preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes, until cauliflower is tender.
- Optional: top with additional cheese and broil until golden brown. Garnish with chopped green onions.
Love this recipe! I’ll definite try this one! Thank you so much for sharing!
This looks so good! I can’t wait to try this on the weekend! Thanks for sharing!
I love this recipe! Thank you for sharing.
I so love cauliflower dishes and this recipe is definitely worth trying. Thanks a lot for sharing this recipe!
I was looking for another keto way to cook the cauliflower and found this recipe. I have done it twice so far and will do it again for sure. It is great comfort food.
Yay! So glad it worked for you!
I am SO excited to try this recipe!! Once I do, I will try to post the results.
Do you need to cook bacon beforehand?
Yes! I’ll update the recipe to reflect this.
First time exact using precooked , diced bacon. Excellent
Second time switched spinach for power greens (baby chard, baby spinach and baby kale.
Haven’t tried it – still cooling before it goes into 8 section container to freeze and enjoy during the fall
is spinach fresh or previously cooked and drained?
I use fresh! Previously cooked and drained may break down a little more than you’d like. If you end up trying that instead, I’d love to hear how it turns out!
i used half fresh and half drained steamed. worked fine. It is a great recipe and as you said better the next day! Will try all fresh next time.
Peter