“On weeknights when I’m lacking inspiration, this cauliflower and ham gratin saves dinner.”
In the evening, when fatigue sets in and the fridge seems devoid of ideas, one dish often makes the difference between a snack and a proper, substantial meal.
This family-style dish ticks all the boxes for those uninspired weeknight dinners: few ingredients, almost no dishes to wash, and a result that's both meltingly tender and crispy. The key that makes all the difference compared to those rather sad school cafeteria gratins lies in one simple but crucial idea: treat the cauliflower like a vegetable to roast, not boil.
The game-changing trick: roast the cauliflower before the gratin
To avoid the dreaded soggy gratin, the cauliflower florets are broken into small pieces, tossed with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper, then spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated oven at 210°C (410°F) for about 15 minutes. They brown around the edges, release their excess water, and concentrate their flavor, as detailed by the women's website Aufeminin, which also describes a tender texture that still holds its shape when pierced with a fork. This oven roasting replaces boiling and makes all the difference in the final dish.
The key ingredients for cauliflower and ham gratin (and how to adapt them)
Cauliflower gratin with ham is a complete oven-baked dish that combines roasted cauliflower florets, a Comté cheese béchamel sauce, and diced ham. The suggested base recipe serves 4:
- 1 large cauliflower
- 250 to 300 g of cooked ham, cut into large cubes
- 50g butter, 50g flour, 600ml milk for the béchamel sauce
- 200g of grated Comté cheese in total (120g in the sauce, 80g for gratinating)
- 30g of breadcrumbs
- 1 teaspoon of mustard, nutmeg, salt, pepper, olive oil
If an ingredient is missing, the dish can easily be adapted. Comté cheese can be replaced with Emmental or Cantal, and ham with cooked chicken or some sautéed bacon. According to the nutritional information website Isis Diabète, a lighter version is possible by replacing the butter-flour roux with a mixture of skimmed milk and cornstarch, resulting in a gratin with around 220 kcal per serving while maintaining its creamy texture.
Quick steps for a meltingly tender and crispy cauliflower gratin with ham
While the cauliflower roasts, the béchamel sauce is prepared in a saucepan: the butter melts, the flour is added and stirred for a minute to form a roux. The milk is then gradually poured in, whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth and coats the back of a spoon. Once it's not boiling vigorously, a spoonful of mustard, a pinch of nutmeg, salt, and pepper are added, followed by 120g of grated Comté cheese, all stirred in over low heat to maintain a soft and creamy texture.
The oven is then lowered to 200°C (400°F). In a baking dish, the roasted florets and diced ham are evenly arranged before being completely covered with the sauce. A mixture of 80g (3 oz) of grated Comté cheese and 30g (1 oz) of breadcrumbs is sprinkled on top to create a golden-brown crust after about 20 minutes of baking. Letting it rest for 5 minutes after removing it from the oven allows the sauce to settle and makes it easier to cut into clean slices. Served piping hot with a salad of lamb's lettuce, baby greens, or endives with a tangy vinaigrette, this gratin will keep for 2 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container and is ideally reheated in the oven at 160°C (325°F) to achieve a crispy surface without drying out the center.
