An easy healthy cauliflower cheese recipe that's so creamy and cheesy without butter or traditional flour. Using oat flour, it's high in protein, low in fat, and the perfect side dish for weight loss!
I've had this easy cauliflower cheese recipe floating around my head ever since I created a similar almost traditional roux for my Unofficial Slimming World Fish Pie.
And I'm very happy to confirm I had no complaints when I sneakily served this no butter cheesy cauliflower recipe to my family alongside roast beef with our Sunday dinner.
In fact, it was creamier than ever before, which is just the way we like it.
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✔️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
If you love cauliflower cheese, here are a few reasons why we think you'll enjoy it without butter!
- It's comforting
- Naturally gluten free
- It's really easy to make
- Has fewer calories per serving
- Unofficially Slimming World friendly
- High in fibre and protein to keep you fuller for longer
- A truly delicious side for a roast dinner or main course
- It's ideal if you find milled flours don't keep in your cupboard for very long
🛒 Ingredient Notes
Please see the printable recipe card with exact ingredient quantities and preparation instructions at the bottom of this post.
Cauliflower - broken into florets, or you could use broccoli instead
Oats - blended into oat flour, or use store bought. You can use blend any oats, whether they're quick oats or jumbo old fashioned rolled oats.
Milk - whole milk or skimmed/semi if following a slimming club
Cheddar cheese - grated. I use low fat, but you could use full fat if preferred
Dijon mustard sauce - to deepen the flavour
Seasoning - sea salt and ground black pepper to taste
📋 Instructions
Here are some step-by-step instructions on how to make cauliflower cheese:
1. First, pre heat your oven to 220c fan degrees,
Then parboil your cauliflower florets for 10 minutes.
2. Blend oats in a good blender or mini food processor.
3. Transfer the oat flour to a 1-litre microwavable jug.
Then mix in the milk, and a generous amount of seasoning to taste.
Now microwave in 1 minute bursts for 3 minutes - possibly 4 if you want it thicker.
4. Stir in 70g of the grated cheese and mustard.
5. Drain your cauliflower and place it in a baking dish.
6. Pour over the cheese sauce and top with the remaining cheese.
Bake for 20 minutes until the cheese is golden brown and serve!
Tip: avoid using a smaller jug to prevent the milk from boiling over the top in the microwave and spilling.
👩🍳 Substitutions
Depending on your dietary needs, here are a few simple swaps you can make to this cauliflower & cheese:
- Cauliflower - you could make an easy cauliflower and broccoli bake by swapping some of the florets for more nutrition
- Oats - swap for cornflour instead of blended oats to thicken the sauce if more accessible
- Milk - swap for full fat, or plant based if wanting to make vegan cauliflower cheese
- Dijon mustard - swap for English mustard or wholegrain mustard, or try nutritional yeast flakes for extra flavour
- Cheddar cheese - you can use any good melty cheese
⚖️ Variations
Here are some different ways you can take this simple cauliflower cheese to another level:
- Spicy - add some spices such as cayenne pepper, curry powder or smoked paprika to the sauce for a kick of heat
- Deluxe - for a luxury cauliflower cheese, try a good vintage cheddar, parmesan, or gruyére for a stronger taste
- Meaty - add some crispy bacon, ham, or cooked diced gammon to the cauliflower cheese for a meaty twist
You might also like this roasted cauliflower cheese bake that requires no boiling whatsoever.
🔪 Equipment
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- Measuring jug
- Measuring spoons
- Weighing scales
- Cheese grater
- blender
- Salt and pepper grinder
- Baking dish*
*Or use ramekin dishes to serve individual cauliflower cheese portions
❄️ Storage
Storing - we prefer eating this recipe fresh, but it can be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Freezing - cool to room temperature and again, store in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Reheating - If you want to eat the next day, defrost in the fridge if required and microwave until piping hot throughout, or reheat while covered with tin foil in the oven,
💡Pro Tips
- I recommend blitzing the oats while dry first unless you have a really powerful vacuum blender, then you could blend the milk and oats together
- If thickening the sauce in a pan, use a whisk to make the cheese sauce smooth and lump-free, and cook it over a gentle heat to avoid scorching and overboiling
- Add some mustard to the cheese sauce for a tangy kick and to balance the richness of the cheese
- Use a mature cheddar cheese for a stronger and cheesier flavour, and grate it coarsely for better melting
- Sprinkle some bread crumbs or dry stuffing for a bit of crunch
- Add some other vegetables such as broccoli, green beans or cherry tomatoes to the dish for extra colour and nutrition
- Roast the cauliflower florets instead of boiling if preferred to enhance their flavour and prevent them from becoming too soggy
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Here are some ideas on what to serve with cauliflower cheese:
Roast meats: serve as a saucy side with meats such as beef, gammon steaks, sausagess or roast chicken with gravy, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce
Potatoes: enjoy as a vegetarian main on jacket potatoes with butter and salt
Vegetables: it's perfect with roasted vegetables such as onion, peppers, courgette, beetroot, carrots, and sweet potatoes with garlic and lemon that need a sauce
Salad: use it as a dressing with a leafy green salad with tomatoes or shredded brussels sprout salad with balsamic vinegar and olive oil
Breads: mop up the cheese sauce with herby garlic bread or warm crusty bread
Stews: add a dollop alongside a hearty and flavourful stew with a extra indulgent taste
❓ FAQ
Cauliflower cheese is perfect for making in advance, then stored in the freezer. After cooking, simply defrost overnight and bake in the oven again while covered with foil.
The only fats used in this recipe are milk and cheese. As long as you count them or use them as part of your allowance, I don't see why you can't eat this as part of your Slimming club. Also, the same goes for milled oats which are used instead of flour
Yes, absolutely! Simply place all your cold milk and blended oats in a saucepan and very slowly simmer and stir to thicken. Then continue with the rest of the method.
I personally think its porridge taste is extremely subtle. But so subtle, my family didn't know it was there. I do suggest though to use plenty of sea salt and ground black pepper with a dash of mustard. Note, I've used oats to thicken many of my healthy beef stews for example where you can't taste them at all! It makes them so comforting and healthy on Slimming plans.
Yes, you can use lighter milk and the great thing is, it has more calcium than full fat. However, for a truly creamy tasty, I do prefer whole milk in all of my cauliflower cheeses, but it has more calories.
But at around 200 calories per person, I think this recipe for cauliflower cheese is relatively low anyway.
Yes, you can make cauliflower cheese in a slow cooker as I do here on low heat for 2 hours without stirring.
Cauliflower cheese is perfect for baking in an air fryer! All you need to do is find a big enough dish to fit in your machine.
I would bake it at 180c fan/200c/400F and reduce the time to 10 minutes.
➕ More Oat Flour Recipes
If you fancy trying some new recipes using oat flour, then why not tuck into these?
- Oat Flour Gnocchi with Low Fat Green Pesto
- Oat Flour Banana Bread (Gluten Free)
- Vegan Oatmeal Pancakes {No Banana + Gluten Free}
- The Best Easy Healthy Lasagne Recipe
- Unofficial Slimming World Pancakes {Syn Free}
- 3 Ingredient Cottage Cheese Pancakes
- Cheese and Onion Mashed Potato Muffins
- Unofficial Slimming World Yorkshire Pudding Recipe
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📖 Recipe
Healthy Cauliflower Cheese Recipe Without Butter
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower broken into florets
- 32 g oats blended
- 500 ml whole milk *or skimmed/semi if following a slimming club
- 100 g low fat cheese grated
- 1 teaspoon mustard
- Sea salt To your taste
- Ground Black pepper To your taste
Instructions
- Pre heat your oven at 220 degrees.
- Meanwhile, par boil your cauliflower florets for about 10 minutes.
- Blend the oats in a good blender or mini food processor. Note: if you prefer to use flour, feel free to use it.
- Transfer the oats into a 1 litre microwavable jug. Note: if you have a smaller one, you'll need to watch carefully that it doesn't boil over. OR you continue with a saucepan.
- Mix in the milk and generous amount of seasoning.
- Then microwave in 1 minute bursts for 3 minutes to prevent spilling - possibly 4 minutes if you want it thicker.
- Stir in 70g of the grated cheese and mustard.
- Now drain your cauliflower and place in a baking dish.
- Pour over the slimming cheese sauce, top with the remaining cheese and season again.
- Bake for 20 minutes, top with fresh herbs and serve!
Disclaimer
*This is an unofficial page and has no affiliation or endorsement from Slimming World. Slimming World's website can be found at https://www.slimmingworld.co.uk/. Any syn values are personal estimates and not verified by Slimming World.
Video
Notes
- I recommend blitzing the oats while dry first unless you have a really powerful vacuum blender, then you could blend the milk and oats together
- If thickening the sauce in a pan, use a whisk to make the cheese sauce smooth and lump-free, and cook it over a gentle heat to avoid scorching and overboiling
- Add some mustard to the cheese sauce for a tangy kick and to balance the richness of the cheese
- Use a mature cheddar cheese for a stronger and cheesier flavour, and grate it coarsely for better melting
- Sprinkle some bread crumbs or dry stuffing for a bit of crunch
- Add some other vegetables such as broccoli, green beans or cherry tomatoes to the dish for extra colour and nutrition
- Roast the cauliflower florets instead of boiling if preferred to enhance their flavour and prevent them from becoming too soggy
Adene Hall
Sounds good. Can it be frozen?
Choclette
Ooh yes, I like this idea. I haven't made oat flour in my blender for such a long time. Great reminder. You've also now made me crave cauliflower cheese. It looks so delicious.