Real Recipes From Real Home Cooks ®

low-carb loaded baked cauliflower

(4 ratings)
Blue Ribbon Recipe by
Rhonda White
PORT ORANGE, FL

My meat-and-potato guys missed their baked potatoes when we started a low-carb lifestyle, so I whipped up this quick-and-easy replacement dish and we decided we like it even more than a boring baked potato! This dish serves four as a filling lunch or eight as a side dish. Let me know what you think of it!

Blue Ribbon Recipe

Need a low-carb side dish? Well, this is a fantastic cauliflower one. It's super hearty and creamy. The cheese sauce and bacon bits really do make this taste like a baked potato casserole. Crushed pork rinds on top cook until golden and adds nice texture. When hot out of the oven the cheese sauce is a little thin but thickens as it cools. This is a great low carb side dish for any occasion.

— The Test Kitchen @kitchencrew
(4 ratings)
yield 8 as a side dish; 4 for a hearty lunch
prep time 10 Min
cook time 20 Min
method Bake

Ingredients For low-carb loaded baked cauliflower

  • 1
    head of cauliflower, washed and cut into florets
  • 1 Tbsp
    butter
  • 1/2
    small onion, finely chopped
  • 1 tsp
    tangy Dijon mustard
  • 2 c
    shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 c
    heavy whipping cream
  • 1/2 jar
    Hormel real 50% less fat bacon bits (or pieces)
  • 1 tsp
    salt
  • 1/2 tsp
    black pepper
  • 3/4 c
    (more or less, to taste) finely crushed pork skins (pork rinds)
  • 1
    green onion, sliced, for garnish (optional)

How To Make low-carb loaded baked cauliflower

  • Steaming cauliflower in the microwave.
    1
    Steam cauliflower florets in about 1/2 inch of water in a covered dish in the microwave about 6 minutes or until slightly tender. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Sauteeing onion in butter on the stove.
    2
    While cauliflower steams, melt butter over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed 2-quart saucepot. Lightly saute onion for 1-2 minutes, until soft.
  • Slowly adding heavy cream.
    3
    Slowly pour in 1 cup heavy whipping cream.
  • Stirring in Dijon mustard.
    4
    Add Dijon mustard, stirring the mixture well. Reduce heat if necessary to prevent scorching.
  • Mixing in shredded cheddar cheese.
    5
    Stir in 2 cups shredded cheddar, stirring until melted and smooth. Remove from heat.
  • Stirring in bacon bits, salt, and pepper.
    6
    Stir in bacon pieces, salt, and pepper.
  • Mixing in cooked cauliflower.
    7
    Drain cauliflower. Add cauliflower and stir to coat.
  • Pouring cauliflower into baking dish.
    8
    Pour into a buttered or olive-oil coated 2-quart casserole dish.
  • Sprinkling top with crushed pork rinds.
    9
    Dust the top with crushed pork rinds. (No need to butter the pork rinds as their natural oils will brown and crisp them nicely.)
  • Baking the casserole in the oven.
    10
    Bake for 15-20 minutes, until bubbly. If the top begins to over-brown, you may cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
  • Low Carb Loaded Baked Cauliflower ready to serve.
    11
    If desired, garnish with chopped scallions (green onions). Serve hot.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT