Cheesy Potato & Cauliflower Casserole

This dish is so, so yummy. In fact, I would recommend doubling or tripling it, but I had to work with the ingredients that I had on hand! It combines some of my favorite flavors, and I have to admit the idea is not all my own. Last night, my brilliant, new-to-cooking younger sister made a cauliflower kugel that was so great, and I wanted to make something similar but cheesier. This combines parmesan cheese, caramelized onions, and roasted potatoes, cauliflower, and garlic. 


Cheesy Potato & Cauliflower Casserole

1 medium onion, thinly sliced

2 cups thinly sliced cauliflower

1 large red potato, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, unpeeled, with ends cut off
1/2 tbsp butter + 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tsp pesto
1/4 cup parmesan cheese, plus more to sprinkle on top
Freshly cracked pepper
Butter, to grease baking dish


Thinly slice 1 medium onion. Melt 1/2 tbsp butter + 1/2 tbsp olive oil in a skillet. When hot, add onions and sauté on medium for 3 minutes, stirring frequently. Then reduce heat to medium-low and let caramelize for about 15-18 minutes, until onions are golden brown. 
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Thinly slice cauliflower and potato. Reserve enough large potato slices to cover the top of your casserole, and cut the rest into ribbons. Mix cauliflower and potatoes with 2 tsp olive oil and freshly cracked pepper. Lay out on a greased baking sheet, along with the 5 garlic cloves (still unpeeled), and roast at 375 for 15 minutes. While they are roasting, in a bowl combine sour cream, pesto and 1/4 cup parmesan cheese. Set aside. When the cauliflower and potatoes are done, take the garlic cloves out of the papers and chop them up. 

Caramelized onions, cauliflower, potato & roasted garlic

In a glass bowl, mix together garlic, cauliflower and potatoes, caramelized onions and sour cream mixture. Grease a casserole dish (I used an 8" round one) with butter. Pour the mixture into the dish, layer on the thinly sliced potatoes, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese (however much you want- go crazy!). On a middle rack, bake covered, for 15 minutes. Then uncover and bake for 15 additional minutes, rotating half way through.

This dish smells so yummy when it is baking- I wish you all could be in my kitchen right now! I was really craving macaroni and cheese for dinner, but since it is passover this is a great alternative. I really think cauliflower is overlooked sometimes, which is unfortunate because it is so versatile. And seriously, its so yummy that I might eat the entire casserole! 

Splattered a little on the sides, but thats ok!