Vegan ‘Call Me Fancy’ Cauliflower and Potato Gratin Pots
‘Oooooh fancy!’ said a friend of mine years ago when I first made this.
Ever since I’ve called this my ‘call me fancy’ cauliflower and potato gratin pots.
It looks real fancy, but it’s a total cheat and takes less than 30 minutes to get from pan to plate.
You aren’t cooking a breadcrumb mixture on slow heat like a casserole, you are just toasting the breadcrumbs and adding them after – so it’s super quick and no less delicious.
It saves me the fatigue of trying to think what side dish to prepare for a main meal because it goes with pretty much anything, and it’s always a crowd-pleaser for vegans and non-vegans alike.
The real pleasure though is having it in a pot for one. Then I pile on the chili flakes and nutritional yeast to satisfy my spice and cheese fix – perfect on a cold day!
You can personalize this as much as you like for flavor, but what makes this so lovely is the al dente cauliflower and the crunchy herby breadcrumbs.
While 3 tablespoons of breadcrumbs may sound a lot, it means you’ll definitely have enough to add as much or little as you like to get that soft-crunch balance just right with the cauliflower. Let’s face it, no one likes breadcrumb-regret on a gratin!
I hope you enjoy these perfect little cauliflower and potato gratin pots.
Let me know if you love them as much as I do!
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1/2 tsp salt (or more depending on taste)
- 1/2 green chili chopped
- 1 tsp chili flakes (optional)
- 1 cup onion chopped
- 5 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 2 cups cauliflower from small-medium florets
- 1 cup potato cut into dice
- 2 cups chard and spinach chopped
- 1 cup cashew cream 1/4 cup cashews + 1 cup water blended
- 1 1/2 tsp maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp cumin (or mix of cumin and garam masala)
- 1 tsp dried herbs thyme, sage or oregano
- 3 tbsp breadcrumbs of choice (ie Pankos)
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Heat oil in a shallow-medium deep cooking pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chili and a pinch of salt and cook until soft and translucent.
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Add cauliflower, potatoes, water and 1/4 tsp salt to the pan. Cover and cook for 6 to 7 minutes.
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Meanwhile make the breadcrumb topping. Heat breadcrumbs, touch of olive oil, salt, garlic and pepper flakes in a small skillet or pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally until golden and toasted (about 3-4 minutes). Put aside.
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Back to the cooking pot. Add greens and mix in then cover and cook until wilted (around 3 minutes) and cauliflower is al dente.
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Take the cover off the pot and add cashew cream, salt and pepper to season, your sweetener of sugar or maple syrup, spices and herbs. If desired, add 1 tbsp nutritional yeast for cheesiness. Stir in.
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Add 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce or soy sauce or 1/2 tsp prepared mustard or additional depth in flavor. Stir in as before.
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As soon as you see bubbles reduce to a simmer and simmer until it has thickened to preference.
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Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Adjust the consistency if too thick with water.
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Sprinkle breadcrumbs over the cauliflower and take off heat. Serve hot with optional chili flakes for heat if desired.
