Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetables & Aromatics
- 1 cauliflower head, cut into medium florets
- 2 garlic, smashed
- 2 fresh thyme, sprigs
Dairy
- 300 ml heavy cream
- 150 g gruyère cheese, freshly grated
- 15 g unsalted butter, room temperature
Seasoning
- 5 g salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
- 1 g ground nutmeg
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 499 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 15 g
- Fat
- 43 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 7 g
- Sodium
- 841 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 27 g
- Trans Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 12 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 134 mg
- Potassium
- 794 mg
- Calcium
- 487 mg
- Iron
- 1.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 55 mg
- Phosphorus
- 375 mg
- Zinc
- 2.3 mg
- Vitamin A
- 437 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 110 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.4 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 39 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.16 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.39 mg
- Niacin
- 1.3 mg
- Folate
- 136 mcg
- Water
- 265 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat your broiler (grill) to high heat. Generously butter your baking dish.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets and boil for 4-5 minutes until just fork-tender but not mushy.
While cauliflower cooks, combine heavy cream, smashed garlic cloves, thyme sprigs, nutmeg, salt, and pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and steep for 5 minutes. Remove garlic and thyme before using.
Drain the cauliflower thoroughly in a colander. Let it steam dry for 1-2 minutes to remove excess moisture.
Arrange the cauliflower in the prepared baking dish. Pour the warm infused cream evenly over the florets.
Cover the dish with the grated Gruyère cheese. Place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, watching closely, until the cheese is melted, bubbling, and golden brown with spots of char.
Let the dish rest for 5 minutes before serving to allow the cream sauce to thicken slightly.
Chef's Notes
- Always grate your own Gruyère rather than buying pre-shredded; pre-shredded cheese contains anti-caking agents that prevent smooth melting.
- If you want a thicker sauce without using flour (keeping it gluten-free), allow the cream to reduce by half in step 3 before pouring over the vegetables.
- For a crunchier texture, mix 30g of almond flour or crushed pork rinds with the cheese if keeping keto, or breadcrumbs if not.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Sauce may thicken significantly when chilled.
Freezer: 1 month — Texture may become slightly grainy upon thawing due to the high dairy content.
Reheating: Reheat in a 175°C (350°F) oven until bubbling, or gently microwave.
Troubleshooting
Dish is watery
Cause: Cauliflower was not drained well enough after blanching
Fix: Carefully tilt the dish and spoon out excess liquid from the corner before serving.
Prevention: Allow cauliflower to steam dry in the colander for a few minutes; do not rush this step.
Cultural Context
While vegetable gratins originate in French cuisine (Gratin de Chou-fleur), this richer, cream-heavy adaptation is a staple of American holiday tables and steakhouses. It highlights the sweeter, nutty profile of fall cauliflower paired with the alpine depth of Gruyère.
