This super simple cauliflower and potato bake is a great prep-ahead recipe that pairs well with just about anything. Melted cheddar cheese coats layers of cooked cauliflower and potatoes seasoned with chives, salt, and pepper. It makes a wonderful side dish for St. Patrick’s Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, or a weeknight meal with the family.
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, see my affiliate disclosure.
I’m really crushing on this cauliflower and potato bake for two reasons. One, it was the first recipe I made in the beautiful vintage Pyrex baking dish that my friend Alli got me for by birthday last weekend!! You’ll be seeing it a lot around here.
Two, this dish is SO easy. It’s not groundbreaking in any way, but there’s something about the simplicity of a veggie casserole that never disappoints.
Cauliflower and potatoes proved to be a delicious pair. They only need a little cheese and a few seasonings to shine, and together they’re a source of healthy carbohydrates and non-starchy vegetables.
On a related note, who says you need to avoid all “white foods”?! This narrow-minded nutrition advice has unfortunately been repeated time and time again. Cauliflower and potatoes both fall into the white foods category…and they are powerhouses of nutrients!
But I digress, ha! Back to the recipe. Round out the meal with a source of protein, like Easter ham, St. Paddy’s Day corned beef, or lenten Friday fish, to make a balanced dinner. That’s a pretty good deal, huh? Even better, this dish makes enough to feed the whole family and can be prepped ahead of time.
How to Make Cauliflower and Potato Bake
- Choose your baking dish. I used a 2.5 quart round Pyrex baking dish, but you can also use a 9×13 rectangular baking dish. Grease your dish with butter and set aside.
- Clean and slice your potatoes into ½-inch rounds. Place them in a large pot, cover with salted water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the cauliflower florets. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.
- Make layers of cauliflower and potatoes in the baking dish. Season each one with salt, pepper, and chopped chives, and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Pour in some veggie broth.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the veggies are golden brown.
Expert Tips
- Seasonings and flavor: For a little extra flavor, you can add pats of butter or drizzles of olive oil to the layers of this cauliflower and potato bake. Don’t forget to generously season each layer with salt and pepper. I also added freshly chopped chives for color and flavor, both before and after baking. Fresh thyme, rosemary, or parsley would also work. Finally, I prefer to keep the cheese light in this dish (I used about 1.5 cups total), but you can increase the amount or use a couple different kinds of cheese if desired. This dish is highly customizable, so feel free to take advantage of that.
- Baking dish size and broth: You can cook this recipe in a round or rectangular baking dish. I added some broth to the casserole in my round dish before putting it in the oven, and it did not get fully absorbed. This isn’t really an issue though; I’d encourage you to spoon some of the broth from the bottom of the dish onto each serving for some more moisture and flavor. However, I suspect it would be more evenly dispersed (and any excess broth would steam off) in a rectangular dish, if that’s what you are looking for.
- Make ahead tips: Cauliflower and potato bake is very easy to prep ahead of time to pop in the oven when you’re ready to bake it. Just follow the instructions up until you put the dish in the oven, then cover the uncooked bake with a lid, foil, or plastic wrap. Keep it in the fridge for up to a day before baking.
- Leftovers: For large portions of leftovers, keep them in the dish and reheat in the oven at 300 degrees F for about 10 minutes. Add a few dashes of broth if needed to prevent the bake from drying out.
More Healthy Cauliflower and Potato Recipes
If you like this cheesy cauliflower and potato bake, check out the Vegan Potato Salad Recipe with Fresh Dill, Healthy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes with Arugula, and Baked Whole Cauliflower with Cheese. You may also enjoy the Turnip and Beet Gratin with Gruyere, another cheesy layered vegetable bake.
I’d love to hear how you like this recipe! Rate/review using the stars on the recipe card or in the comments, and follow the Veg World on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Looking for something totally different? Browse the recipe library.
📖 Recipe
Easy Cheesy Cauliflower and Potato Bake
Ingredients
- 1 pound Yukon gold potatoes - washed and sliced into ½-inch rounds
- 1 small head cauliflower - cut into florets
- 1.5 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese - more to taste
- ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
- Salt - to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper - to taste
- Olive oil or butter - as desired
- ½ cup vegetable broth
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 2.5 quart round baking dish or 9×13 rectangular baking dish and set aside. If using a round baking dish, the broth may not get as evenly absorbed as it would in a flatter, rectangular dish. This is not a problem when it comes to taste, but keep it in mind when choosing how you want to bake the casserole.
- Place the sliced potatoes in a large pot and cover with salted water. Make sure you cover the potatoes by at least a couple of inches, so that there is room in the pot for the cauliflower to cook too. Bring the pot with the potatoes to a boil, add in the cauliflower florets, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
- When the veggies are cool enough to handle, make a base layer of the veggies in the greased dish. Sprinkle with some of the cheese and chives, and season generously with salt and pepper. Repeat with another layer or two until all of the ingredients have been used. For a little extra flavor, consider adding pats of butter or drizzles of olive oil to each layer. Pour the vegetable broth into the dish.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is bubbling and the veggies are golden brown. Remove from the oven and garnish with more fresh chives as desired.
Notes
- I prefer to go light on the cheese, but feel free to add more cheese or even use two different kinds depending on how cheesy you want the dish to be.
- Swap rosemary, parsley, or thyme for the chives if you have those on hand.
- Add spoonfuls of broth from the bottom of the dish when serving for maximum flavor.
- To make ahead of time, follow the instructions until putting the dish in the oven. Cover the uncooked dish with a lid, foil, or plastic wrap, and keep in the fridge for up to a day until you are ready to bake it.
- Reheat leftovers in a baking dish at 300 degrees F for about 10 to 15 minutes until warmed through. Add additional broth if needed to prevent the veggies from drying out.
Nutrition
Have a great weekend! – Lizzie
Comments
No Comments