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Gratin (/ˈgrätn/): In the culinary arts, the term gratin refers to a dish that is baked with a topping of seasoned breadcrumbs and cheese. The gratin topping should be golden brown, which can be achieved by baking or by placing the dish under a broiler.
Now you would think that 12+ years of french class (I was in french immersion) would have taught me that but no…the late great Julia Child is responsible for introducing me to this french word. I have a serious obsession with Julia Child. I’ve read her biography “My Life In France” multiple times, paid way too much for an original copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking (which I then proceeded to lose gah!) and Julie & Julia might be my favourite movie of all time.
Julia is famous for her Potatoes au Gratin recipe which I’ll be honest, I have yet to try. I’m a crispy potato kind of gal. But no surprise, the recipe consists of butter, cheese, potatoes and more butter!!! She is known for saying “if you’re afraid of butter, use cream!” While I wish I could live life this way my stomach would probably rebel against me. I figured this recipe could use a makeover…even if it does make Julia roll over in her grave.
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For my version I swapped in cauliflower for potatoes, kept things dairy-free and used my favourite chili flavoured Simply Chips to up the protein and lower the guilt. It doesn’t exactly taste like 5-year aged Gouda, but for being entirely dairy-free this is good. Plus I am proud of my kitchen creations, even if they don’t exactly compare to the original. I think Julia would be proud too 🙂
Dairy-Free Cauliflower Gratin
- Yield: 4 sides 1x
Ingredients
- 1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk (warmed)
- 3 T tapioca starch (any starch or flour will work)
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1/2 cup crumbled Simply Chips or Bread Crumbs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place cauliflower florets on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.
- Roast for 15 mins. Remove from oven and flip florets. Roast for another 10 mins until golden brown.
- Meanwhile, cook onion on stovetop with 1 tsp olive oil over medium heat for about 5 mins.
- Combine warmed almond milk with tapioca starch.
- Turn stove down to low and mix almond milk with onions.
- Stir until mixture has thickened.
- Add in nutritional yeast and salt and pepper.
- Combine stovetop mixture with cauliflower and add to an 8 x 8 baking dish.
- Crumble Simply Chips or breadcrumbs on top.
- Bake in 425 degree F oven for another 20 mins.
Haha, that picture of Julia Child is hilarious! I love that quote- I always try to look at my recipe failures as a learning experience. It’s the only thing that keeps me going!
I love this gratin- it sounds amazing and your pictures look great!
I know right??? She was hilarious! Sometimes I like to watch old youtube videos of her to cheer me up 🙂
This looks so good. I love nutritional yeast, it’s SUCH a staple in my kitchen. Cheesy overload!!
Me too!!! I love but my stomach hates cheese so it’s been a godsend!
Julia Child is such an inspiration 🙂 love you idea of using cauliflower.
Thank you!!! She was such a beautiful person.
YES I think I do love Julia Child as much as you do!! 🙂 I love her biography “My Life in France,” and I agree that Julie and Julia might be one of the best movies of all time (among many of course 😉 ). Unfortunately I don’t have her cookbook just because I think there’s a lot of meat dishes in it and I’m vegetarian, but I also don’t feel like my cookbook collection could ever be complete without it… someday I’ll have to get it! But in the meantime, I think recipes like this will have to suffice. This really does look wonderful. I love the taste of nutritional yeast, and you also snuck a veggie in which is awesome!
Yay!!! Should we start a fan club??? I’ve actually thought about doing a Julia & Davida type spin-off where I recreate Julia’s recipe with a healthier twist! It’s true though, it’s definitely more geared towards the carnivore. She has some great veggie side dishes though.
Love nutritional yeast too 🙂 Just ran out though, gotta pick more up!
Love this!! and i was actually a french major in college, lived there for about a year, etc- and i thought that gratin simply meant it involved cheese, i didnt know the part about the breadcrumbs! you learn something every day!!
No way! That’s so cool! I did an exchange there in high school and my partner was legit crazy!!! But I had Paris to keep me distracted. I’ve been back a few times. Probably my favourite country to visit! Let’s just drop everything and move to Paris cool?
That looks interesting and delish!
I love Julia Child too!
I think I may have to read her book!!!
Yay! Another Julia Child fan! Love finding out new things about my “blends”
This looks so good! I definitely think Julia Child is awesome. Such enthusiasm. I have lots of idols, but right now I’d say its Dean Karnazes (ultrarunner) and Gwyneth Paltrow (obsessed with her new cookbook)! 🙂
Gp’s cookbook is so good right??? I’ve never heard of Dean Karnazes…googling him now 🙂
Thanks for that tip about gratin – I’ve never made it before, especially not cauliflower. I’ve always been intimidated by Julia’s cookbooks but I did love the movie.
Her recipes can definitely be intimidating. I find that even when I deviate or substitute they always turn out well anyway. Now I want to re-watch the movie!
I’ve never made a gratin but NOW I want to. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for stopping by Madison 🙂
Oh my gosh. I most definitely should NOT read blogs this early in the morning before I eat breakfast because I am tempted to skip work and immediately make this. I have been LOOKING for a way to make cauliflower taste like potatoes, and while that may never happen, I never even thought to make them au gratin! This is a great idea, and I will be making it as soon as I can get my hands on some cauliflower.
P.S. I like my potatoes crispy, too, but potatoes au gratin are so flipping delicious that I suggest you try them at least once. I’ll make them when you come to visit. Maybe by the time you get here, I’ll figure out how to make them dairy free 😉
I’ll bring dessert! But actually if the invite is there I’m coming to visit! I try yours (and Julia’s) judgement so I expect some Potatoes au Gratin waiting for me upon arrival!
Hope you’re feeling better!!!