Cauliflower Au Gratin with Ham and Béchamel Sauce

This creamy cauliflower au gratin is made with tender cauliflower, savory ham, plenty of silky homemade béchamel sauce, and a golden layer of melted cheese. It's cozy, comforting, very French and, most importantly, one of those rare vegetable dinners my five kids actually ask for again.

If you are looking for a clever way to feed your kids vegetables in a dish that tastes amazing and, more importantly, does not result in a 20-minute negotiation over one lonely cauliflower floret, you HAVE to make this cauliflower au gratin.

Seriously. I have five kids, and not only do they eat it, they actually ask for seconds.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, they are half French and have been fed by a French mother since conception, so I may have had a slight advantage. They were introduced to butter, cheese, and the idea that vegetables deserve a proper sauce at a very young age. 😂 But they are also half American through their dad, we've been back in the U.S. for several years, and trust me: they are perfectly capable of requesting pizza and mac and cheese like seasoned professionals.

And yet... the cauliflower gratin still wins.

Jump to:

• I Have a Béchamel Problem
• Ingredients You'll Need
• How to Make Cauliflower Au Gratin
• Cauliflower Au Gratin with Ham and Béchamel Sauce

I Have a Béchamel Problem

I should probably admit something before we go any further.

I have a béchamel problem.

I cannot stop making it. I cannot stop eating it. I cannot stop looking at perfectly innocent ingredients and wondering, "Yes, but what if I covered this in béchamel?"

It is, quite simply, one of the greatest things France has ever contributed to civilization. Béchamel turns everything it touches into soft, creamy, elegant gold.

Case in point: my quenelles with béchamel sauce, which may very well be the most comforting recipe on Earth. No big deal. And if one béchamel-covered dinner is not enough for you, my endive and ham gratin is another very French example of what happens when vegetables are given the treatment they deserve.

At this point, it is too late for me. The condition is incurable, and I am absolutely not seeking treatment.

Which brings us beautifully back to this cauliflower au gratin recipe: tender cauliflower, pieces of ham, plenty of silky béchamel sauce, and melted cheese baked together until bubbling and golden.

You can also replace the ham with sliced turkey if you prefer. The béchamel will welcome it with open arms. Béchamel does not discriminate.

Ingredients You'll Need

One of the reasons I love this French cauliflower gratin is that the ingredient list is wonderfully simple:

• Cauliflower - One large head, cut into florets.
• Ham - Use about 8 slices of American deli-style ham, cut into pieces. The original French recipe uses four slices, but French ham slices are generally much larger and thicker, so four little American deli slices would leave the ham seriously underrepresented. I strongly prefer unsweetened ham here, and I often even give it a quick rinse because American ham can taste surprisingly sweet to me - yes, even the ones that are not labeled sweet. If you have ever eaten classic French jambon blanc, you probably know exactly what I mean. Sliced turkey also works very well.
• Butter and flour - These form the base of the béchamel sauce.
• Whole milk - Whole milk gives you the creamiest sauce, although another milk can work if needed.
• Salt, pepper and nutmeg - Do not be shy with the seasoning, especially the salt. Cauliflower has many qualities; bringing excitement to a dinner party without assistance is not one of them.
• Shredded cheese - For that golden, bubbling gratin topping. Use your favorite good melting cheese.

How to Make Cauliflower Au Gratin

1. Blanch the cauliflower

Cut the cauliflower into florets. Cook them in boiling water for 4 to 5 minutes, then drain very well. Preheat the oven.

2. Make the béchamel sauce

Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. Let the mixture thicken, but do not allow it to brown.

Gradually add the milk, stirring continuously. Keep stirring until the béchamel begins to thicken but is still quite fluid. It will continue to thicken while the cauliflower gratin bakes.

Remove from the heat and season generously with salt, pepper and nutmeg.

3. Assemble and bake

Place the blanched cauliflower in a baking dish and scatter the pieces of ham over it. Pour the béchamel sauce over everything, then sprinkle generously with shredded cheese.

Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 30 minutes.

And that is how you turn a head of cauliflower into something my children voluntarily request more of - which, frankly, feels like one of béchamel's greatest achievements.

Creamy, cheesy, cozy and very French, this cauliflower au gratin is exactly the kind of dinner that makes vegetables considerably more exciting than vegetables have any right to be.