Creamy Cauliflower Bake with Vegan Roasted Garlic Sauce and Crunchy Popcorner Topping
I’ve been working on this recipe for some time now and I am so stoked to get it out to you guys! This is one of those meals that is totally vegan and not shy about it.
The sauce is what makes this dish. It is so rich and full of flavor from the addition of roasted garlic, and it is velvety smooth from the soaked cashews. It holds its creaminess even after being baked which can sometimes be a challenge when baking dairy like one might encounter when baking mac and cheese. Just note- it is important that you have a high speed blender to achieve the smoothness of the sauce. A regular blender will of course work, but you might find it to be just a touch gritty.
I also chose to roast the cauliflower in the oven instead of steaming it, which gives the cauliflower another boost of flavor and cuts down on the added moisture so the sauce doesn’t get watered down. Roasting the garlic along with the cauliflower helps to cut down on the galicky-bite that garlic can have when it is raw. Just make sure to remember how many you added to the pan and make sure to remove them all when it comes out of the oven. The garlic really adds to the flavor and body of the sauce and it is totally essential.
If for some reason you have an extra large head of cauliflower and you find yourself with too little sauce, the nice thing about this recipe is that you can just scoop up some of the cauliflower and the sauce you’ve already made and blend it until it is smooth and add it back in with the rest. So it is kind of foolproof in that way!
I’ve been partnering with Popcorners for a little bit now and their original chips just work so well as a breading or crust, and I’m not just saying that (you know I wouldn’t). They truly make this dish excellent with a crusty, crunchy layer on the top of the smooth sauce and roasted cauliflower.
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 2-3 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 6 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 1 1/2 cups raw cashews
- 1-1 1/2 cups almond milk, unflavored and unsweetened
- 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- pinch of cayenne
- roasted garlic (from above)
- 2-3 cups popcorners (any flavor)
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil
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Soak cashews overnight in room temp water, or about 2-3 hours in hot water.
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Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and spray a 9 by 9 casserole dish with coconut oil spray.
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Combine cauliflower ingredients from list above on the baking sheet and toss together with you hands. Roast for 15 minutes.
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After 15 minutes give the cauliflower a little mix with a spatula and cook it for 10 more minutes. Meanwhile work on preparing the sauce.
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In a high powered blender (like a vitamix) combine the cashews, almond milk (add 1 cup to start, and add more if the sauce needs to be thinned down), nutritional yeast, salt, mustard powder, turmeric, black pepper, and cayenne. Set aside to wait for the garlic to come out of the oven.
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When the cauliflower comes out of the oven reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Find the garlic cloves and remove them from their papery coating. They should be nice and soft and roasty. Once the garlic is all removed, place the roasted cauliflower in the prepared casserole dish and set it aside.
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Add the garlic to the sauce and blend it starting on low and increasing the speed until it is on high power and the sauce is smooth and lightened in color. Add more milk if necessary. Pour over the cauliflower.
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Pulse the popcorners in the food processor until small crumbs and add the coconut oil at the end while the processor is running to make sure it is all incorporated. Sprinkle all over the top of the cauliflower and sauce. Bake for ten minutes on the middle rack of the oven, and serve immediately.
