Craving carbs? Loaded French fries or macaroni and cheese might be going too far, but you can calm your appetite with this better-for-you “cheesy” cauliflower casserole. Coated in a vegan, nut-based cheese and sprinkled with hazelnuts, this baked cauliflower dish has a wonderful soft-but-crisp texture and crunchiness that you’ll want to gobble up by the forkful. Add diced jalapeno peppers to give it a kick!
Ingredients
2-3 heads cauliflower, chopped (stems and florets)
1/2 cup Nut “Cheese” Topping (Substitute for Grated Parmesan)
1/3 cup avocado oil or hazelnut oil, or more if needed
1/4 cup jalapeno peppers or green chili peppers, diced, optional
Black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
Sea salt, optional
1/3 cup hazelnuts, crushed or whole
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease large baking dish with oil.
- In large bowl, combine nut “cheese,” oil, salt, pepper and peppers, if using. Add cauliflower and mix until fully coated.
- Transfer into prepared baking dish and top with hazelnuts.
- Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes until cauliflower is a nice golden brown or until your desired crispiness is reached.
Note: Use purple or orange cauliflower to add a splash of color to this dish.