Golden Cauliflower Gratin with Hazelnuts
The earthy turmeric gives this gratin a distinctive golden glow, and the hazelnuts offer a fantastic crunch – a great textural contrast to all that creaminess. I like to sneak a little sour cream into this gratin as well. The flavor and creaminess that just a little bit adds is fantastic here. This is a quick bake time, compared to many gratins, because everything is cooked before the pan even goes into the oven.
- Yield: Serves 4 to 6 1x
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more as needed
- 1 small sweet onion, diced
- 1 large head cauliflower cut into bite-sized florets, about 3 cups
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1.5 to 2 cups milk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 2.5 cups freshly shredded Swiss or Gruyere cheese, plus extra for topping
- 1/3 cup chopped toasted hazelnuts (see note for toasting tip)
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
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Place a large, oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. When it’s hot, add the onion and cauliflower and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until the veggies are tender; about 8 to 10 minutes.
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Add 2 more tablespoons of oil to the pan and sprinkle over the flour. Stir to combine and to cook for about a minute more. Add the milk, stirring/whisking constantly as you do, and allow the mixture to gently bubble and to prevent lumps. Please feel free to add more milk if it looks/feels dry. You want the mixture to be thick and creamy – think mac and cheese. Reduce the heat after it bubbles for you (it should thicken significantly). Â
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Add the sour cream, nutmeg, turmeric, and cheese. Stir very well to combine everything. Taste for seasoning and add more salt/pepper, as needed.
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Top the skillet with a little more cheese and place in the oven. Bake the gratin until hot and bubbly, and the cauliflower is lightly golden on top about 15 minutes.
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Serve the gratin with the chopped hazelnuts sprinkled over top.
Notes
To toast your hazelnuts, just put them on a sheet pan in a 350-degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes (sometimes a little longer, depending on size). If they happen to have skins, remove those as best you can before toasting.