Gratins are very flexible. They make great side dishes, or main courses – with or without a salad. For me, including a side salad depends on whether the gratin is already filled with lots of vegetables, or if it is a potato and cheese gratin that needs a lighter companion.
Last October, I posted a creamy, rich, and highly-addictive Goat Brie, Shiitake, and Potato Gratin — there were certainly no diets in the works for that evening (and there definitely was a salad)! This week’s recipe, however, is for an equally flavorful but healthier gratin that combines cauliflower, tomato, and chèvre. Using fresh goat cheese as the dairy for this dish really brings down the fat content considerably. Nothing is lacking in the flavor and texture profiles!
I served this as a vegetarian main course for four people using individual gratin dishes. It can easily be made in a larger pan, as well but – you know me – I want it to look its best when I present it at the table. This dish comes together very quickly, and is really pretty and quite colorful.
I served it with a 2020 Château Margüi rosé, which made for a delightful pairing. I was really thrilled that the combination was so good. To read more about the wine, please visit the Provence WineZine.
~ David
Cauliflower, Tomato, and Chèvre Gratin
To print the recipe, click the printer icon below.
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- kosher salt
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- large pinch Aleppo pepper, or other chile flakes
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large red onion, cut in half lengthwise, then thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 5 canned San Marzano tomatoes, with their juice
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, lightly toasted and crushed with a mortar and pestle
- 2 eggs
- 6 ounces chèvre (fresh goat cheese), softened
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Core the cauliflower and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices; because you have cored the beast, it will break apart into florets. If any of the slices remain together, remove more bits of core to make smaller individual florets. Toss the florets with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, salt, pepper and aleppo pepper. Spread the florets on a large baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes then transfer the golden-brown pieces to a large bowl. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F.
- While the cauliflower bakes, oil 4 individual gratin dishes (or one 8-inch by 12-inch casserole). Heat the remaining tablespoon oil in a large saucepan and add sliced onion. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, then season with salt and add the thyme leaves and crushed coriander seeds. Cook until thyme and coriander are fragrant, then add the five tomatoes, one at a time,squeezing each one as you add it to the pan followed by the juices. (Make sure to leave some juices for the remaining tomatoes in the can!) Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring often, over medium-low heat, for 15 minutes. Gently stir the tomato sauce into the cauliflower and divide the mixture among the gratin dishes or spread it uniformly in the larger casserole.
- Crumble and set aside half of the goat cheese. Whisk together the eggs with the other half of the cheese until smooth and creamy. Divide among the 4 gratin dishes (or pour over the cauliflower mixture in the larger baking dish) and sprinkle crumbled goat cheese on top along with the chives.
- Bake assembled ingredients 30 minutes then let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
- Serves 4 as main course portions, or 8-12 as a side dish.
© 2024 Copyright Cocoa & Lavender
Inspired by a recipe from The New York Times.
Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food Strange Bedfellows - Provence WineZine
July 2, 2022 at 4:11 am[…] or side dish. It’s also a dish that just tastes of summer. It’s worth making; please visit Cocoa & Lavender for my Cauliflower, Tomato, and Chèvre Gratin […]
Elena
September 4, 2022 at 4:21 pmMade it 2 times already, both times a success! My favorite cauliflower recipe.
Now I want to buy the individual dishes for it, with presentation it will be even better!
Thank you so much for this idea!
Cocoa & Lavender
September 4, 2022 at 9:53 pmThanks, Elena — I am so glad you love this recipe! And I love my individual gratin dishes. You can find some really nice ones out there!
Suzo
July 2, 2022 at 6:47 amWOW looks / sounds SO good. I love anything with cauliflower. Once we have a kitchen and all of our supplies again, I’m going to make this one!!!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:30 amThanks, Suzo! I’m now starting to think of variations — so many possibilities! Any news in a house?
Gerlinde
July 2, 2022 at 7:32 amA healthy tasty dish, thanks David. I love goat cheese.
David Scott Allen
July 15, 2022 at 9:00 pmHi Gerlinde — sorry I missed your comment! Goat cheeses are my favorites!
Cathy Hackert
July 2, 2022 at 8:12 amCan I substitute for goat cheese? What would you recommend? I really don’t like goat cheeses at all.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:32 amHi. Cathy — yes, there are several options for you: ricotta cheese, mozzarella, and cream cheese co,e to mind first. But any variety if melting cheese — probably grated — would work. Let me know what you use and how it works!
John / Kitchen Riffs
July 2, 2022 at 8:33 amOne can’t have too many gratin recipes! This looks good, and is exactly the sort of dish I like to make. So I need to make this! We do have some individual gratin dishes (they’re so useful for other things, too), so I think I’ll make this in those. Really nice — thanks.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:33 amThanks, John — I know presentation is big for you, too, so the individual gratin dishes are perfect for this.
Marcelle
July 2, 2022 at 2:16 pmDelicious!! I’ve just printed this one out, David… coming to my kitchen soon! 😍
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:33 amThanks, Marcelle — I hope you all like it!
Eha
July 2, 2022 at 3:51 pmHow delightful ! Love cauliflower and this is such a simple and delightful way to serve it to a few friends for lunch – in a pretty individual dish and with salad !! Or if some beautiful lamb cutlets tempt . . . may leave the salad but go hunt for an interesting bottle of wine “:) !!!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:34 amI love the ide of lamb cutlets with this, Eha!
Susan Manfull
July 2, 2022 at 5:34 pmWe just made it. In a word: Phenomenal! And the wine, Château Margüi Rosé (2020), is a seamless partner! We can’t wait to serve the dish and wine to guests!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:35 amI’m so glad you liked it, Susan — such beautifully simple food can sometimes be the best. And the wine pairing? Really lucky with that one!
Ronit
July 2, 2022 at 8:01 pmI’m a big fan of gratin, but don’t recall one that has tomato sauce included. Looking at how tasty this one looks, I’m wondering why!
Will have to fix this soon! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:36 amThanks, Ronit — I have a couple of gratins with tomatoe sauce — I guess it depends on the veggies. I hope you like this!
John
July 3, 2022 at 2:34 amI don’t think I’ve ever had a dish where cauliflower and goat cheese unite. This I like the sound of, David! Great recipe!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:38 amThe combination of cauliflower and goat cheese is really wonderful, John. I have another casserole that uses it and the creaminess really works well.
Judee
July 3, 2022 at 4:09 amCauliflower is so versatile and looks delicious in this wonderful au gratin. I think it would make a perfect vegetarian lunch with soup or salad. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:46 amThanks, Judee. It’s definitely perfect as a main course, and I think a salad on the side is very nice. Thanks for your kind note!
Valentina
July 3, 2022 at 4:58 pmSounds dreamy, David. Rich and creamy while still on the healthier side. And I love your wooden mortar and pestle! Beautiful. 🙂 ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
July 4, 2022 at 5:48 amThanks, Valentina! I never once felt that I was missing anything by using lower fat ingredients. By the way, the mortar and pestle are from a reader in Canada.
Valentina
July 15, 2022 at 7:50 pmHow cool is that!? Love that you connect with so many people through your food. 🙂
Melissa
July 4, 2022 at 5:08 pmI just printed out the recipe. I’m going to make it for dinner tonight.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 5, 2022 at 7:28 amMissy — I hope you and Scott liked it! It’s simple, yet something about it truly grabs me.
Melissa
July 9, 2022 at 7:45 amWe did! We had it as a main course the first night and the leftovers made an excellent side dish the following night.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 9, 2022 at 9:50 amThat is exactly what we did with it, too. It will be a regular in our house!
Raymund
July 5, 2022 at 7:40 pmAlways loved a nice cheesy gratin! Like you said theyre very flexible, can throw any meats to enjoy it with
Cocoa & Lavender
July 6, 2022 at 9:40 amThanks Raymund – I keep thinking of all the things I could add to this. Black olives keep coming to the foreground!
Chef Mimi
July 6, 2022 at 5:12 amI do love me a gratin. I made a post once on how you can just make them on the fly. Just about anything goes. But I do love a bit of cheese to hold everything together, if necessary, or just for some great flavor and creaminess. Love your recipe.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 6, 2022 at 9:41 amYou are so right, Mimi – it’s like a frittata: the perfect way to clean out the refrigerator!
2pots2cook
July 8, 2022 at 12:34 amHumble cauliflower is such a great vegetable to work with! Love your choice of ingredients!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 9, 2022 at 9:47 amThanks, Davorka – I love how this humble ugly duckling of an ingredient becomes a beautiful swan in this dish!
sherry M
July 8, 2022 at 1:48 amyep who doesn’t love a gratin? but no tomatoes please 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
July 9, 2022 at 9:48 amYour “no” list is growing longer! 🙂
Kelly | Foodtasia
July 9, 2022 at 12:50 pmDavid, I’m still dreaming of your eggplant gratin that was so wonderful, and now this! It looks irresistible! I think I’ve been making more recipes of yours lately than my own!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 9, 2022 at 4:59 pmWell, I am completely honored and humbled, Kelly! Thank you! 🙂
Jeff the Chef
July 10, 2022 at 5:17 amMan! Could I move in next door and come over for dinner every night? This is just so lovely. I love cauliflower in any context, and goat cheese makes anything better as far as I’m concerned.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 13, 2022 at 9:00 amIt would be fun if you lived closer – but I am sure neither of us would lose any weight! And you are right, Jeff, goat cheese makes everything better.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
July 12, 2022 at 8:58 amI love gratins! Whether it is already filled with lots of vegetables or not, we always treat it as the main course. No salad is required. Even if it’s loaded with potatoes and cheese (My husband would disagree on “spoiling” his perfectly fine potato gratin with greens lol.) Anyway, loving all the flavours and textures here, especially the addition of chèvre.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 13, 2022 at 9:06 amWe usually try to get something green in there, Ben – but we always have salad after, as a separate course. Maybe that helps!
Christina Conte
July 20, 2022 at 6:18 pmI just did a cauliflower and gorgonzola gratin the other day, but my photos didn’t look nearly as nice as yours! YUM!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 23, 2022 at 7:53 amI have to say, dishes with Gorgonzola are tough to photograph! But your cauliflower dish sounds fabulous!
Pauline
July 22, 2022 at 7:20 pmI love a good gratin and goats cheese, and your healthy twist on a favourite is a winner. I also love those gratin dishes, I must look for some of those when I am in a shopping mood. Beautiful post, thanks David.
Cocoa & Lavender
July 23, 2022 at 7:42 amThanks so much. Pauline — I’m glad you like the recipe. Those gratin dishes were a gift from a friend — but I know she got that at a store called Cost Plus World Market. I, sad to say the chain doesn’t extend to Australia. But I know you will be able to find some gratin dishes love!
Brian
May 19, 2024 at 6:05 pmThis was excellent
Very easy to make and tastes delicious
Cocoa & Lavender
May 20, 2024 at 10:32 amThanks, Brian — I’m so happy that you liked it!