Loaded Cauliflower Casserole puts the toppings of a loaded baked potato on a dish of tender cauliflower: crisp bacon, sour cream, sharp cheddar and fresh chives, all folded into a thick, creamy cream cheese and Monterey Jack mixture and baked until the cheese melts. It is a side dish for 12: the florets steam for about 10 minutes and the casserole bakes for 20 to 25, with the bacon cooked ahead.
How to make it: Steam the florets until fork tender and drain them well, stir them into the cheese mixture with half the bacon and most of the chives, then top with the rest of the bacon and bake uncovered at 425°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese melts and the center reaches 165°F.
Why You’ll Love It
- Loaded baked potato flavor: bacon, sour cream, cheddar and chives, with cauliflower where the potatoes would be.
- No stovetop sauce: the creamy base is stirred together in a bowl while the florets steam.
- Feeds a crowd: one 9×13-inch pan makes 12 servings.
- Two melty cheeses: sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack go right into the cream cheese and sour cream.
Ingredient Notes
Cauliflower: Weigh the florets rather than counting heads, since heads vary in size and the creamy base is sized for 2 pounds. Drain them well after steaming.
Cream cheese: Let it soften first, so it mixes creamy and smooth with the sour cream and cheese in a bowl, with no cooking.
Bacon: The recipe starts with bacon that is already cooked crisp. If yours is raw, cook it first (see the bacon tip below), and count that time on top of the steam and the bake.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cauliflower florets, cut into bite-size pieces
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened (1 box)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, finely shredded
- 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, finely shredded
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and coarsely chopped, divided
- 1/4 cup fresh chives, chopped (save 1 tablespoon for the top)
- Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
How to Make Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
1. Steam the cauliflower. Steam the cauliflower florets until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain them well in a colander.
2. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 425°F and grease a 9×13-inch baking dish.
3. Mix the cheese base. In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar, Monterey Jack, garlic powder and onion powder until creamy and smooth.
4. Fold in the cauliflower. Gently stir in the cauliflower, half of the bacon and the chives, keeping 1 tablespoon of chives for the top. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Bake. Spoon the mixture into the dish and scatter the rest of the bacon over the top. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the center reaches 165°F.
6. Garnish and serve. Sprinkle the saved chives over the top and serve.
What Makes a Cauliflower Casserole Loaded?
The name comes from the loaded baked potato. Its toppings are crisp bacon, sour cream, cheddar and chives or green onions. Here they go into a creamy cauliflower bake instead. The result tastes like loaded potatoes, with tender florets in place of the spuds.
Bacon and chives are split between the mix and the top; the sour cream and cheese go into the mix. Here is where each one goes:
| Topping | Into the creamy mix | On top |
|---|---|---|
| Bacon | Half, stirred in with the cauliflower | The other half, before baking |
| Chives | All but 1 tablespoon | The saved tablespoon, after baking |
| Sour cream | All of it, mixed with the cream cheese | None |
| Cheddar and Monterey Jack | All of it, or half | None, or the other half for a cheese-covered top |
If you go for the cheese-covered top, sprinkle the held-back cheese over the casserole together with the last of the bacon, then bake as usual.
Tips for Success
What’s the easiest way to cook the bacon?
Lay the slices flat on a sheet pan sprayed with nonstick spray and bake them in the 425°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until crispy. Move them to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then chop. A large skillet works too: fry the bacon until crispy and crumble it.
Why is my cauliflower casserole too salty?
It gets saltier as the cheese melts in the oven. Season the creamy mix lightly in step 4, and add more salt after baking if it needs it.
Variations
The amounts below come from smaller batches, made with one large head of cauliflower or about 6 cups of florets. For this 2-pound pan, start there, taste the creamy mix and add more if you want the flavor stronger.
- Ranch: stir 1 tablespoon of ranch seasoning into the creamy mixture.
- Smoky: add 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika with the garlic powder and onion powder.
- Fresh garlic: use 2 cloves of minced garlic in the creamy base instead of garlic powder.
Storage & Reheating
USDA FSIS says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow, covered containers and eat them within 3 to 4 days. Leftovers can be frozen for 3 to 4 months, but FSIS lists cream sauce among the foods that don’t freeze well and notes that cream can separate and look curdled after freezing. Thaw frozen casserole in the refrigerator. Reheat it covered in the oven or microwave until it reaches 165°F; in the microwave, cover it and rotate the dish so it heats evenly. Don’t reheat leftovers in a slow cooker.
What to Serve With It
This is a side dish, so set it next to a main like Parmesan meatloaf or smothered baked pork chops. For a bigger spread of sides, add easy creamy corn casserole, smothered green beans or a chilled marinated cauliflower salad. If you want the same loaded toppings on potatoes, try the slow cooker loaded potato bake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of sauce is best in cauliflower casserole?
For a loaded casserole, a creamy base that needs no cooking works well. Here it is cream cheese and sour cream with cheddar and Monterey Jack, sized for 2 pounds of florets in a 9×13-inch dish. Smaller batches, made with one large head of cauliflower or about 6 cups of florets, use other bases: 1/2 cup of mayonnaise with 1/2 cup of sour cream, 2/3 cup of sour cream whisked with 1/4 cup of heavy cream until smooth, or 1 cup of sour cream with 2 cups of cheddar and no cream cheese. Those amounts fit the smaller batch, not this full pan.
Should I steam or roast the cauliflower first?
Either works. The steps above steam the florets until fork tender. To roast instead, heat the oven to 450°F, toss the florets with 2 tablespoons of melted butter, salt and pepper, and roast them on a sheet pan for 15 to 20 minutes, until crisp-tender. Mix them with the cheese base, spoon it into the dish with the bacon on top, and bake only until the cheese melts and the center reaches 165°F, 5 to 10 minutes. Skip the 20- to 25-minute bake in step 5 when the florets are roasted.
Can I use different cheeses?
Yes. Sharp cheddar on its own works: swap the Monterey Jack for more sharp cheddar. Or stir the sharp cheddar into the mix and sprinkle a Colby and Monterey Jack blend over the top.
Can I use green onions instead of chives?
Yes. Use 1/4 cup of thinly sliced green onions (scallions) in place of the chives, and handle them the same way: most into the mix, a little over the top.
Final Notes
If you make this, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Easy Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
Want This Recipe Later?
We'll send this recipe straight to your inbox.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cauliflower florets cut into bite-size pieces
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened (1 box)
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 cups sharp cheddar cheese finely shredded
- 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese finely shredded
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 6 slices bacon cooked crisp and coarsely chopped, divided
- 1/4 cup chives fresh, chopped; save 1 tablespoon for the top
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Steam the cauliflower florets until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain them well in a colander.
- Heat the oven to 425°F and grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
- In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, cheddar, Monterey Jack, garlic powder and onion powder until creamy and smooth.
- Gently stir in the cauliflower, half of the bacon and the chives, keeping 1 tablespoon of chives for the top. Season with salt and pepper.
- Spoon the mixture into the dish and scatter the rest of the bacon over the top. Bake uncovered for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the center reaches 165°F.
- Sprinkle the saved chives over the top and serve.
