Cheesy Keto Cauliflower Au Gratin

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 and 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 recipe is the one to try!

Try one of these many tasty cauliflower recipes.

Winter is coming.  And with winter weather approaching I’ve already started making casseroles and roasts and soups and stews. To me there is nothing better than a good cheesy casserole to warm your hearts and bellies on a cold winter day.

However since I like to keep the carbs down, I forgo the rice, pasta and potatoes and use substitutes. That means no milk or flour either in dishes like this au gratin dish.  

I still use the cream, butter and cheese though! Especially in this creamy, cheesy keto cauliflower au gratin. It’s the perfect side dish and one of my favorite recipes.

The 4 ingredients I used.

I only used 4 ingredients in this cheesy casserole: fresh cauliflower, gruyere cheese, heavy whipping cream and green onions.

I do not recommend using frozen cauliflower. The fresh sliced thin tastes much more like scalloped potatoes.

Note that I like to use Gruyere cheese in this au gratin dish. Aldi now has it almost all the time but if you can’t find it, try Swiss.

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.

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.

Make this casserole either 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.

Let’s make this cheesy keto cauliflower au gratin.

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray your casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.

Step 2: Next cut the head of cauliflower into thin pieces 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, green onions and cream) you start to layer them. Remember to spray your muffin tins or casserole dish first.

Step 4: Start with the cauliflower, then add half of the cheese, all of the green onions and then season with salt and pepper.

Step 5: Add another layer of cauliflower but on the last layer, add the cream before the cheese.

Step 6:  Cover with foil and 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 liquid will set up a bit more. 

Store leftovers in an airtight container. Please scroll down to view the printable recipe card.

Is This A Keto Casserole?

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 a  keto casserole as well as low carb.

This keto cauliflower gratin has amazing flavor but it has a very rich 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 if you are on a low carb diet and even if you are not.

We ate it as a cheesy low carb side dish with a nice pork roast and it was the perfect comfort food. So I would recommend eating this with just about any meat main dish.

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

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.

Keto Cauliflower Gratin FAQ

• Can you make this casserole ahead of time? Yes you can. I could make it the day before but I would not do it any more 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 cheesy would freeze well when uncooked.
• Can I use frozen cauliflower instead of fresh? do not recommend using frozen as it will have a lot of water in it which will effect the cheese sauce and you will have difficulty slicing it thin.
• 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 gratin. The sliced pieces are more like the potatoes than the rice or florets, but it would work.

Continue to Content

Cheesy Keto Cauliflower Au Gratin Casserole

Yield: 8

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Enjoy all the comforts of a cheesy au gratin potato dish using cauliflower instead! This cheesy low carb cauliflower au gratin casserole has only 1.8 net carbs and super easy to make.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower (or 4 cups), cut in slices
• 2 cups Gruyere cheese, shredded (can use Swiss too), shredded
• 4 green onions sliced
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 ½ cups heavy cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Spray baking dish with cooking spray and then add a layer of sliced cauliflower. This takes about 2 layers so use half of the cauliflower.
3. Next add half of the shredded Gruyere cheese.
4. Add all the green onions evenly on the cheese.
5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
6. Add the rest of the cauliflower evenly layered.
7. Pour the cream all over and then top with the rest of the cheese. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
8. Take off the foil and cook for 40 minutes until the cauliflower is fork tender and the cheese is golden brown.
9. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.

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 Gruyere cheese and Aldi now has it almost all the time but if you can’t find it, try 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.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 Servings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 280