Enjoy all the comforts of a cheesy au gratin or the flavor of a scalloped potato dish with this easy cheesy keto cauliflower au gratin. It has only 1.8g net carbs but 9.4 grams of protein. And it is super easy to make with only 4 ingredients. So if you are looking for a rich and delicious keto side dish for a holiday or weeknight dinner this scalloped cauliflower side dish recipe is the one to try!
Try one of these many tasty cauliflower recipes.
To me there is nothing better than a good cheesy casserole to warm your hearts and bellies on a cold winter day. And surprisingly there are a lot of cheesy, rich casserole recipes you can make while on a low carb or keto diet. Case in point is the cheesy, keto cauliflower au gratin.
It has all the flavor of potatoes au gratin or scalloped potatoes but it uses on of my favorite potato substitutes – cauliflower. This recipe doesn’t use high carb foods like potatoes, milk, all-purpose flour or bread crumbs. I just uses 4 simple ingredients to create a rich and decadent side dish that’s gluten free too.
I just use 4 keto friendly ingredients which are cauliflower, cream, green onions and cheese which together build tons of flavor in this dish. It’s the perfect side dish for holiday dinners and one of my favorite recipes on my blog.
Recipe ingredient and substitutions.
I only used 4 simple ingredients in this cheesy casserole: fresh cauliflower, Swiss Gruyere cheese, heavy whipping cream and green onions. I also use salt and ground black pepper to season a bit. There is no need for butter or oils because of the creamy and cheeses have plenty of fat which gives this dish tons of flavor.
Head Cauliflower and Green Onions
Of course the cauliflower is the star of this dish. I like to use fresh and not recommend using frozen cauliflower. The fresh tastes much more like scalloped potatoes especially if you slice it thinly like potatoes. Frozen is often in florets and you can slice them easily.
If you have to use frozen or cauliflower rice you can just make sure to thaw it and make sure to drain all the excess water from it. Understand that this will be more of a cheesy casserole rather than the au gratin texture that the sliced potatoes (or cauliflower in this recipe) would give you.
And the green onions really add extra flavor to the dish so I would not substitute those if you can.
Cheeses and Heavy Cream
I like to use a Swiss Gruyere cheese mixture to create the cheesy sauce in this au gratin dish. Aldi now has it all the time and you can see it pictured below. However if you can’t find it, you can substitute with just Swiss or just Gruyere shredded cheese.
Along with the heavy cream the Gruyere has a special taste that sets it apart from other casseroles. They bake up together to make a decadent creamy cheese sauce. I would not substitute the heavy cream unless it was with half and half. Note that it might make the dish a bit more watery.
And If you want to use other types of cheese you can try some sharp white cheddar cheese instead and it would work but again I’m a fan of the gruyere Swiss flavors.
Is this casserole keto friendly?
If you are following a keto diet as opposed to a low carb diet the macros for 1 serving of this casserole is: 81% fat / 14% protein / 5% carbs which I would consider this cauliflower casserole to be a keto casserole as well as low carb.
And even if you are not on a low carb or keto diet, I highly recommend this recipe because it’s simple and very flavorful.
How to make cauliflower au gratin (keto).
Step 1: Set the oven temperature to 375°F. Spray your casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Step 2: You don’t want to cut the cauliflower into florets but instead cut the head of cauliflower into thin slices to make it layer more easily. I used a mandoline like this. You can use fresh cauliflower florets if you want but I would still slice them into thin even pieces.
Step 3: Once you have your ingredients lined up (cauliflower, cheese, salt, black pepper, chopped green onions and heavy cream) the basic steps are to layer them in a certain order. Remember to spray your muffin tins or casserole dish first.
Step 4: Get the prepared baking dish and start with the cauliflower, then add half of the cheese, all of the green onions and then season with salt and ground pepper.
Step 5: Add another layer of cauliflower but on the last layer, add the heavy cream before the rest of the shredded cheese.
Step 6: Cover with foil and place in the preheated oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Then take off the foil and bake for 40 minutes until fork tender and golden brown on top. Let cool before serving and the creamy sauce will set up a bit more. Note baking time may vary.
You can freeze portions of this dish and they will reheat well in the microwave which you go to eat them. I often do this and add a bit of cooked chicken to make it more of a low carb lunch for myself.
Store leftovers of this delicious side dish in an airtight container. Please scroll down to view the printable recipe card.
This cheesy cauliflower au gratin has amazing flavor but it has a richer sauce so a large baking dish makes a lot. You only need a small amount to be satisfied. This will be great for the fall and winter months. It’s pure comfort food whether or not if you are on a low carb diet.
You can make this casserole in a muffin tin
or baking dish.
The first time I made this scalloped cauliflower recipe I did so in a muffin tin and they were soooo good. However they looked terrible and since I had enough time, I remade them in a baking dish.
They work great either way. The baking dish is easier to clean up but in the tins they get all brown and crusty around the sides and I personally find that part to be the tastiest.
So if you really want them more crispy try a muffin tin, however note they can be a real pain to clean.
More comforting keto casseroles to try.
I have quite a few keto casserole recipes on the blog and here are few of my favorites for days when you need a little comfort but want to stick to your low carb diet.
- keto cheeseburger or spaghetti casserole
- keto chicken bacon ranch, buffalo chicken or Mexican chicken casserole
- keto cheesy zucchini squash or cheesy spinach broccoli casserole (tasty side dishes)
We ate this keto cauliflower au gratin as a cheesy low carb side dish with a nice pork roast and it was the perfect comfort food. The rich flavors went great with the lean pork.
So I would recommend eating this with just about any meat main dish. And remember it would be a great holiday side dish whether you are on a low carb diet or not.
Here is the nutrition info per serving: 280 calories /
fat 24g / carbs 3.6g / fiber 1.8g / protein 9.4g = 1.8g net carbs per serving
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can you make this casserole ahead of time? Yes you can. I would make it the day before but I would not do it any more ahead of time than that.
- What if I don’t have Gruyere cheese? I prefer gruyere because it has a great taste but you can substitute with Swiss cheese.
- How long do I bake this if I use a muffin tin? Cover them with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Then take off the foil and cook for 20-30 minutes until brown and bubbly.
- Can you freeze this cauliflower au gratin? I have frozen cooked portions of this dish with no problem. I don’t think the cream and cheese would freeze well when uncooked so I don’t suggest this.
- Can I use frozen cauliflower florets instead of fresh? I do not recommend using frozen as it will have a lot of water in it which will affect the cheese sauce and you will have difficulty slicing it thin. If you do use it, make sure to thaw and drain as much liquid as you can before adding to the dish.
- Can I used cauliflower rice or florets? You can use either however it will be more of a casserole than a scalloped or a cauliflower au gratin. The sliced pieces are more like the scalloped potatoes than the rice or florets, but it would work and still taste great. Note it will probably take less time to cook if you use riced cauliflower.
- Can I add any other flavors? You can add crispy bacon on top if you want or add some fresh garlic to mix but I really think the simplicity of this cauliflower casserole has all the flavor you could want.
Cauliflower Au Gratin Recipe (keto casserole)
Enjoy all the comforts of a cheesy au gratin potato dish using cauliflower instead! This cheesy low carb cauliflower au gratin recipe has only 1.8 net carbs and 9.4 grams of protein. Plus it's super easy to make.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower (or 4 cups), cut in slices
- 2 cups Swiss Gruyere cheese, shredded (can also use just Swiss cheese)**
- 4 green onions sliced
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and set aside. I used an 8x10 inch casserole dish.
- Slice the cauliflower into thin slices then add a layer in the preparedd baking dish. This takes about 2 layers so use half of the cauliflower.
- Next add half of the shredded Gruyere cheese and top that with all the green onions sprinnkled evenly on the cheese. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add the rest of the cauliflower evenly layered.
- Pour the cream all over and then top with the rest of the cheese. Cover with foil and place in the preheated oven to bake for 30 minutes.
- Take off the foil and cook for 40 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork tender and the cheese is golden brown. Note baking time may vary so check it periodically.
- Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Notes
Here is the nutritional information per serving: calories 280 / fat 24g / carbs 3.6g / fiber 1.8g / protein 9.4g - net carbs = 1.8g per serving
** Note that I like to use a shredded Swiss Gruyere cheese that I can find at Aldi but if you can’t find it, substitute with just Swiss. Together with the heavy cream the Gruyere bakes up to make a decadent creamy cheese sauce.If you want to use other types of cheese you can try some sharp cheddar cheese instead and it would work but again I'm a fan of the gruyere/swiss flavors.
One reader felt this was too soupy so I have made it with 1 cup of cream and it still works though I liked it better with a bit more cream. Try using at least an 8x10 inch baking dish. Also if you use half and half or frozen cauliflower these will have more water and may effect the consistency of the sauce but not the taste of the dish.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 ServingsAmount Per Serving: Calories: 280
And for a tasty low carb appetizer or snack, check out my friend Lauren at Delicious Little Bites’ loaded cauliflower bites. They are the perfect decadent dish to snack on.
Tom Potter says
Tastes great bout the sauce never thickens up for me.
Denise Wright says
Hi Tom, I’m sorry the sauce didn’t thicken up for you.
The only things I can think of might be if there was water with the cauliflower. Like if you used frozen cauliflower or cauliflower rice.
Also I used an 8×10 include dish. If you used a smaller dish the liquid in the pan would not evaporate as easily while baking.
Or maybe it was the cream. If you used half and half that would have more water in it.
Lastly you could use a bit less cream if you make it again and that might help. Hope that helps a bit.
Michelle says
I wanted to try this recipe so much and since our oven is out of commission at the moment, I decided to try it in my air fryer. I used an oven safe dish and followed the same instructions except used Gouda cheese since that’s what I had. The recipe turned out awesome and was big hit! I cooked covered in tinfoil for about 15 min on 400. I then took the tinfoil off and put back in for another 5-6 minutes or so to brown up the cheese! Was so yummy I will make this again for sure!!!!
Denise Wright says
Hi Michelle, so glad you liked it! Thanks for coming back to share your air fryer tip….I can’t wait to try it myself!
Aimee says
This was really delicious, but far too watery. I’ll make it again with half the cream. This feels like it was maybe meant to be a potato recipe and just swapped in the cauliflower without accounting for it not being as absorbent? Not sure, but it was phenomenal. We poured off about 3/4 cup of liquid at the bottom, and saved it to use as a soup base because it was really tasty. Also we didn’t need to spray the pan at all (I forgot!) because it was like a cheesy (delicious) soup!
Denise Wright says
Hi Aimee, I’m sorry it was to watery for you. I don’t remember it having that much liquid but I’ll try to make it again this week and trouble shoot this problem. I’m glad you did like the flavor of it though. Thanks for coming back and sharing your experience!
Denise Wright says
Hi Aimee, I remade this yesterday and used only 1 cup of cream instead of 1 1/2 cups. It worked but I feel it was better with a bit more. So I’m wondering if you had a lot of liquid from your cauliflower? Did you possibly use frozen cauliflower? I’ll make a note in the recipe card about using less cream if people wish to do that. Thanks for sharing your experience regardless.
Laura Daniels says
This is the best recipe for cauliflower. I made this exactly as the recipe stated served it with pork chops and salad. It is really good left over too. Definitely a keeper for the dinner rotation recipes. Thank you for sharing
Denise says
Hi Laura, I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for coming back to share your experience. I really appreciate it!
Traci says
Is this an 8 x 8 baking dish?
Making this now, can’t wait to taste it.
Denise says
Hi Traci,
It’s an oval dish but it’s close to an 8×8 baking dish. I hope you like it!
Christi says
This was every bit as good as potato gratin! I made it but didn’t save the recipe. I searched and searched to find it! Thank you for this recipe!
Denise says
so glad you liked it!
Samantha says
Can you substitute Cauliflower for the Cauliflower Rice for this? I have almost all of these!
Denise Wright says
Hi Samantha, I guess you could it just won’t taste like a potatoes au gratin because of the texture. However it should taste quite good otherwise. Hope that helps.
Lee Wurtenberger says
How much riced cauliflower)
Denise Wright says
Hi Lee, I like using sliced fresh cauliflower to get that potato texture so cauliflower rice won’t be the same. But you can use it and you can use 4+cups of riced cauliflower. It’s a forgiving recipe so you could probably use more cauliflower if you want, but I would not use less than 4 cups. Hope you like it!
Kimberly says
Would you be able to freeze this casserole? For single serving?
Denise says
Hi Kimberly, I think it would work better in single servings. It might get a little watery but it should work fine. Hope that helps!
Barb Downing says
This is a new favorite. I do leave out the green onions as my husband does care for them. We have this at least 3 times a month.
Denise says
Hi Barb, I’m so glad you like them! Thanks for coming back to comment!
T2 says
The first time I made it, it was very watery, but delicious. The second time I made it, I roasted the cauliflower for 10 min at 400 and it steamed some of the water out of the cauliflower. I let the cauli sit and cool for an hour before I assembled the casserole and also only baked 30 min uncovered at the end. I broiled the cheese to crisp it up. It was perfect.
Denise says
Hi, thanks so much for coming back and sharing your tips! I have not made this for awhile but I’ll try some of your suggestions. Glad you liked it!
Maria Guerra says
I made it and it came out very milky.
Denise says
Hi Maria, I haven’t made this in awhile but perhaps there was water that released from the cauliflower. I will try it again today and let you know if I have any tips or suggestions. Sorry it didn’t come out how you expected. I’ll get back to you by the end of the day.
Janna says
Mine did to but after sitting on a buffet for awhile it thickened up…. A lot.
Denise says
Hi Janna, Thanks for commenting and letting us know. I made it again and it was a bit watery but I thought maybe if I cooked it longer it would thicken it up. Anyway, I appreciate your input!
Gloria says
Can you substitute half and half for the heavy cream?
Denise says
Yes I think you can Gloria. Sometimes it’s not always a good substitute but I think it should be fine of this dish. I hope you like it!
Gemma says
This isn’t paleo.
[email protected] says
Hi Gemma,
You are right. This recipe is not Paleo. I’ve been following Primal / Paleo diets for more than 5 years now and I’ve slipped down the slippery slope of eat dairy products. While that is not Paleo it has become more accepted in Primal eating if you are tolerant to dairy. (http://www.marksdailyapple.com/dairy-fat-healthy-paleo-primal/#axzz3ml4S1vTe). Thank you for bringing this to my attention.
Cat says
Yes it is. There isn’t one, all-encompassing rigid set of paleo rules. If you don’t tolerate dairy, don’t consume dairy.
Denise says
I agree Cat!
Gourmet Getaways says
This dish looks delicious, I will have to try it!
Thanks so much for sharing.
Julie
Gourmet Getaways
Carlee says
That looks delicious!