Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese
Servings: 2 or 4 if served as a side
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer 5.7L/6quart
- 1 Casserole dish 26cm x 20 cm. Ensure yours fits in your air fryer basket
- 1 Colander to drain the cauliflower and allow to steam dry
Ingredients
- 1 Cauliflower (You can use frozen cauliflower florets too which will require blanching the same way as fresh.)
Cauliflower Cheese Sauce
- 4 oz (100g) Cheddar cheese grated for topping and adding to sauce
- 2 cups (500ml) Whole milk
- 1 White onion (optional but infuses the milk with savoury flavour)
- 5 Cloves
- 1 Bay leaf
- ½ tsp Nutmeg powder
- 1 tsp English mustard (optional)
- 3½ Tbsp (~⅓ stick) (50g) Butter (alternatively, use olive oil)
- 6 Tbsp (50g) All-purpose flour
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- Breadcrumbs (optional)
Instructions
How to Make Air Fryer Cauliflower Cheese
- Slice the cauliflower head into smaller florets with a sharp knife. Trim the thick stem. Wash thoroughly to remove any dirt.
- Steam or blanch the cauliflower florets until they are tender but still firm. Drain them and set aside.
- Prepare the cheese sauce (See below)
- Place the cauliflower florets in a casserole dish, and pour the cheese sauce over them.
- Sprinkle over the remaining cheese
- If you want an extra crispy topping, you can sprinkle some breadcrumbs over the cauliflower.
- Preheat your air fryer to 360°F (180°C), and air fry the cauliflower cheese for about 10 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the cauliflower is heated through.
- Serve the air fryer cauliflower cheese hot with your favourite side
How to Make Cauliflower Cheese Sauce
- In a saucepan, gently heat milk with a bay leaf and clove studded white onion until just simmering.Switch off the heat and allow the flavours to infuse for a few minutes, then remove the spices and onion.
- In a different saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Add the flour and whisk constantly to create a roux. Cook the roux for a couple of minutes until it's lightly golden in colour.
- Slowly pour in the warm milk while continuing to whisk, ensuring there are no lumps. Cook and whisk the sauce until it thickens and becomes smooth.
- Stir in the grated cheddar cheese until fully melted into the sauce. Season with salt, pepper, mustard and nutmeg.
Notes
Variations
- Mix in broccoli instead of half of the cauliflower to make broccoli cauliflower cheese
- Add in sauteed leeks with the cauliflower for extra flavour
- Add in white kidney beans or butterbeans to add texture and flavours.
- You could also use bread sauce and grate in a little extra cheese instead of making a cheese sauce
- Add in chunks of roasted butternut squash
- To make it gluten-free - use a gluten-free flour such as a gluten-free flour blend or tapioca starch or rice flour to make the roux sauce.
Cauliflower tips
- Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets for even cooking.
- Allow the cauliflower to drain and steam dry for at least 1 hour before cooking to prevent too much moisture from being released into the sauce during air frying.
- Make sure the cauliflower florets are fork tender but still hold their shape. The cauliflower cheese is only cooking in the air fryer for a few minutes so the cauliflower must be fully cooked before adding into the dish.
- Do not forget that the cauliflower will still be cooking after draining due to the steam.
Cheese sauce tips
- A good ratio for a roux sauce is to use equal quantities of butter and flour
- Add warm milk to a hot roux reduces the risk of clumps.
- Add the milk gradually to start and mixing well between each addition.
- Whisking rather than stirring the sauce prevents lumps
- The cheese sauce tastes best when full fat ingredients are used
- You may need to adjust the timing and temperature as air fryer models work a bit differently.
- Garnish with fresh herbs or your choice of toppings before serving for extra flavour and flair.
- If you want to make a quick cheese sauce, skip the step where the milk is infused with flavour and directly add warm milk to the butter flour mixture