Low carb roasted or baked cauliflower with cheese and bacon is the ultimate keto crowd pleaser. This loaded cauliflower casserole is easy to make, nutritious, and packed full of flavor. Plus, it’s only 9 net carbs per serving!
Cauliflower (of course!), sour cream, green onions, bacon, and cheesy cheddar cheese! Deceptively easy to make and wonderfully decadent. The freshness of the green onions really helps to lift the flavor.
Really? More Cauliflower?!?
Yes! Really! I know, I know, most ketoers eventually get sick of cauliflower, but it really is an important component of the diet. So, when you just can’t face another big dollop of mashed cauliflower pretending to be mashed potato and just not doing a good job of it, turn to this loaded cauliflower casserole dish with its crunchy cauliflower, crispy top, and zingy onion and sour cream topping.
Keto Cauliflower Casserole Ingredient Substitutions
This is just a base recipe and, while it’s utterly delicious as-is, you can always tweak it to make it your own. Here are a few options for making your own unique keto cauliflower recipes.
Type of cauliflower
The recipe calls for fresh cauliflower florets, but you can just as easily use frozen cauliflower. Just cook the frozen cauliflower for 10 to 15 minutes longer.
Switching out the cauliflower
If you want to mix things up a little, or you’ve just hit that keto “I can’t face anymore cauliflower this week” wall, then switch out half the cauliflower florets for broccoli or Romanesco. You’ll still have a stunning keto casserole dish, but it’ll have more color, and you can convince yourself that it’s really not cauliflower at all!
Add more veg
If you have the carbs available, you can make this dish even more tasty, boost the nutritional value, and improve the fiber content by adding more veggies. Just choose sensible ones like kale or other leafy greens. You could even throw in a little celeriac.
Play with seasoning
Don’t be afraid to mix up the seasoning! Add some smoky zing with some smoked paprika and chili flakes. Or up the spice with a good dash of cayenne pepper. Go for salty goodness with some soy sauce, or give the whole thing an Italian twist with lots of garlic powder, onion powder, and mixed herbs.
Fat choices
You don’t have to stick to olive oil. If you prefer, go for butter, bacon grease, coconut oil, avocado oil, or a nut oil of your choice.
The bacon
Choose from smoked or unsmoked bacon, back bacon, or streaky. There’s no right or wrong – choose whichever type of bacon you favor. If you don’t want to use fresh, you can even switch them for pre-cooked bacon lardons or bacon crumbles.
The dairy
Unfortunately, I don’t see how you’d make this recipe dairy-free and still keep it low carb. The dairy plays such a huge role in this recipe, I’m doubtful it’d work without it.
Can I Roast the Cauliflower In Advance?
Yes, you can bake the cauliflower in advance. It’ll save you time on the day. Once cool, store it in the fridge for up to three days. Then, when it’s time, pop it back into a pre-heated oven for around 25 minutes before you add the cheese, onions, and bacon. Then, you’ve essentially created twice-baked cauliflower casserole. Yum!
Can I Serve This Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole as a Main Course?
Yes, you can definitely serve this dish as a main course, just like you’d serve a loaded baked potato. If you want to beef it up a little more, add more bacon or bake some ham chunks in with the cauliflower. Alternatively, serve it as a side with a lovely steak or pork chop.
Can You Reheat This Keto Cauliflower Bake?
Yes, you can reheat this dish in the oven or the microwave. Just make absolutely certain that it’s piping hot throughout before you serve. A good trick to speed up the reheating process without compromising too much on crispiness is to reheat a serving in the microwave for around three minutes, then finish it off in a hot oven (around 425F or 220C) for 10 minutes to recrisp the topping.
Roasted Loaded Cauliflower Casserole
A keto cauliflower delight, this cheesy cauliflower casserole is the perfect keto substitute for a loaded baked potato. It's rich, creamy, and delightfully smoky and tangy thanks to sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, bacon, green onions, and seasoning.
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon, cooked and chopped
- 2 heads of cauliflower, cut up into bite size pieces
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 green onions,
- 1/4 cup soft cream cheese
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- Salt to taste
Instructions
1. Cook the bacon until crisp. I use my favorite skillet, but you can use an air fryer or the oven. Once browned and crispy, remove the bacon and place on a paper towel lined plate.
2. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Prepare a baking sheet or roasting pan by lightly coating the bottom with olive oil or butter to prevent sticking.
3. In a large bowl, mix the cauliflower, garlic powder, black pepper and olive oil. Stir to combine and coat the cauliflower.
4. Stir through the cream cheese, evenly coating the cauliflower.
5. Spread the cauliflower onto the baking sheet and then bake for 20-25 minutes (increase this to 30 to 35 minutes if you're using frozen cauli). Using a spatula, flip the cauliflower about halfway through.
6. After the cauliflower florets have cooked, remove from the oven and sprinkle the cheese, bacon, and chopped green onions on top and cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling.
7. Remove the cauliflower casserole from the oven and add the sour cream, sprinkle over a few more green onions, and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 425Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 748mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 7gSugar: 7gProtein: 19g
