Cauliflower Gratin with Pecans and Caramelized Leeks

It’s true cauliflower can be anything you can think of. It is also perfect in this combination with cheese, caramelized leeks, and pecans. As this recipe was a request from my sister for her holiday preparations, it was made to be a delicious side dish for a festive meal.

Cauliflower gratin good enough to grace your holiday table

Firstly, this is one of my favorite ways to have cauliflower. It tastes really good, and it’s quite festive, even though for those of us following a low-carb lifestyle, cauliflower has become an everyday staple and a replacement for everything.

Secondly, is super simple to make even though the caramelized leeks require some presence and attention in the kitchen. It’s totally worth it as it elevates the dish by creating an umami layer.

Ingredients

• 1 big head cauliflower, washed, pat dried, and cut into big florets
• 2/3 – 1 cup organic heavy cream
• 3 oz grated Gruyere cheese
• 1/2 cup ground pecans (for more taste use dry roasted pecans)
• a handful of grated Parmigiano Reggiano (to sprinkle on top)
• 1 nutmeg, freshly grated (or a pinch of nutmeg powder)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 big leeks, sectioned in half, well cleaned and pat dried (you will use the white part and a little bit of the light green)
• avocado or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon good quality balsamic vinegar

How to make cauliflower gratin

• Preheat your oven to 375F.
• Boil the cauliflower first, for about 5-7 minutes (if your florets are smaller, maybe less, you still want the cauliflower to be firm). Drain the cauliflower and add it to a baking dish (a 9×9 inch or something similar in volume is perfect).
• Mix the heavy cream with Gruyere cheese and nutmeg, the pecans, and some salt and pepper to taste. Add the sauce on top of the cauliflower and sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on top (I added a handful, you can go crazy here if you want and don’t care for keeping the dairy moderate).
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cauliflower gets a golden brown color.
• While the cauliflower is in the oven, prepare the caramelized leeks. Finely slice the half sections (use the white part and a little bit of the light green, but not the leaves). Add a little bit of avocado oil to a sauteeing pan (I used a large one, so most of the leeks have contact with the pan) and heat on low to medium heat. Add the leeks and stir every time they get a little stuck to the pan. When you start to get brown spots on the pan, start adding just a tiny amount of water (about 1 teaspoon) and continue to stir and watch them (continue this until they are caramelized). They take about 25 minutes to be ready, but the time is worth it; they are so tasty. At the end, add one teaspoon of balsamic vinegar (used an aged, slightly thick one), stir some more, and take off heat.
• Add the caramelized leeks to your cauliflower and bake for 5 more minutes.
• Serve warm.

Since there is no flour in the sauce, it will not get thick if you prefer a thicker sauce, you can mix in about 2 teaspoons of arrowroot or tapioca flour, dissolved in a little bit of cold water first.

The caramelized leeks will be added at the end, so you can make them while the cauliflower is in the oven. Making them is easy, but you have to be there and watch them and stir them up often. These are some pictures of the process to help you visualize.

YOU WANT TO SHOP MY AWESOME ALL CLAD COPPER CORE SAUTE PAN? IT’S HERE. A LITTLE PRICEY BUT A LIFETIME PIECE AND ONE FOR SAFE COOKING

(I got the one without the long handle for storage purposes)

I hope you love this cauliflower gratin with pecans and caramelized leeks. For another easy recipe with cauliflower, you should try my Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Pesto.

*This post contains affiliated links, which means I get a small commission if you choose to purchase something via one of my links, at no extra cost to you.

Print Recipe

Cauliflower Gratin with Pecans and Caramelized Leeks

(7 votes, average: 4.57 out of 5)

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By Claudia Curici – Serves: 6

Prep Time: 20 minutes – Cooking Time: 40 minutes

It's true cauliflower can be anything you can think of. It is also perfect in this combination with cheese, caramelized leeks, and pecans. As this recipe was a request from my sister for her holiday preparations, it was made to be a delicious side dish for a festive meal.

Ingredients

• 1 big head cauliflower, washed, pat dried, and cut into big florets
• 2/3 - 1 cup organic heavy cream
• 3 oz grated Gruyere cheese
• 1/2 cup ground pecans (for more taste use dry roasted pecans)
• a handful of grated Parmigiano Reggiano (to sprinkle on top)
• 1 nutmeg, freshly grated (or a pinch of nutmeg powder)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 big leeks, sectioned in half, well cleaned and pat dried (you will use the white part and a little bit of the light green)
• avocado or olive oil
• 1 teaspoon good quality balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1

Preheat your oven to 375F.

2

Boil the cauliflower first, for about 5-7 minutes (if your florets are smaller, maybe less, you still want the cauliflower to be firm). Drain the cauliflower and add it to a baking dish (a 9x9 inch or something similar in volume is perfect).

3

Mix the heavy cream with Gruyere cheese and nutmeg, the pecans, and some salt and pepper to taste. Add the sauce on top of the cauliflower and sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on top (I added a handful, you can go crazy here if you want and don't care for keeping the dairy moderate).

4

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the cauliflower gets a golden brown color.

5

While the cauliflower is in the oven, prepare the caramelized leeks. Finely slice the half sections (use the white part and a little bit of the light green, but not the leaves). Add a little bit of avocado oil to a sauteeing pan (I used a large one, so most of the leeks have contact with the pan) and heat on low to medium heat. Add the leeks and stir every time they get a little stuck to the pan. When you start to get brown spots on the pan, start adding just a tiny amount of water (about 1 teaspoon) and continue to stir and watch them (continue this until they are caramelized). They take about 25 minutes to be ready, but the time is worth it; they are so tasty. At the end, add one teaspoon of balsamic vinegar (used an aged, slightly thick one), stir some more, and take off heat.

6

Add the caramelized leeks to your cauliflower and bake for 5 more minutes.

7

Serve warm.