Cauliflower and broccoli cheese

Baked cauliflower and broccoli cheese with a crunchy topping makes the perfect side dish to serve with a roast, or you could even eat it on its own for a light meal. The secret to a perfect cauliflower and broccoli cheese is baking the vegetables in the oven so they are guaranteed not to be soggy.

📝 Ingredients

• 2 cups cauliflower (about 300 grams) (broken into florets)
• 2 cups broccoli (about 200 grams) (broken into florets)
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 2 cups / 480 ml milk (full-fat or semi-skimmed)
• 2 ounces / 60 grams butter
• 4 tablespoons / 40 grams plain all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (or more to taste)
• 1 cup / 125 grams grated cheddar cheese
• salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup / 60 grams grated cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup / 60 grams Panko breadcrumbs (or normal breadcrumbs)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1--- Vegetables ---
2. 2Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F
3. 3Break the cauliflower and broccoli into florets and put them into a mixing bowl with the oil, salt and black pepper.
4. 4Mix well to combine, then spread the vegetables on a baking tray lined with baking parchment.
5. 5Bake the vegetables in a preheated oven (200C / 400F) for 12 to 15 minutes until they start to brown.
6. 6--- Cheese sauce ---
7. 7Melt the butter in a saucepan and then stir in the flour. Take care to remove any lumps of flour.
8. 8Add the milk and the mustard and stir over a gentle heat until the mixture thickens. It should pour slowly from the spoon.
9. 9Stir in the cheese and continue to heat until the cheese has melted.
10. 10Taste the sauce and season with salt and black pepper to taste.
11. 11--- Assemble and bake ---
12. 12Transfer the roasted cauliflower and broccoli into a baking dish.
13. 13Pour the cheese sauce over the vegetables.
14. 14Combine grated cheese with Panko breadcrumbs in a small dish and then sprinkle it over the cheese sauce.
15. 15Bake the cauliflower and broccoli cheese for 15 minutes (200C / 400F) until the cheese is melted and the breadcrumbs are golden.
16. 16Serve hot as a side dish with a roast.