A delicious cauliflower cheese with added veg from a roast butternut squash cheese sauce. It’s gluten free too!
We’re always looking for ways to add extra veg to our meals, and this gluten free cauliflower cheese with butternut squash sauce is a perfect addition to our recipe stash. It’s especially quick and easy to make, too, using Schwartz Gluten Free Cheese Sauce as a base.
We love butternut squash, but they are quite a large vegetable, so for the two of us there is a bit of a question about how to deal with them. We solve this by peeling, and cubing the whole thing, and roasting the whole thing at once with some oil. We split the squash between some roasted with salt and pepper, and some with just a little or no salt, and no pepper.
The squash is then frozen, but it’s such a versatile ingredient that we use it very quickly, adding to sauces as we’ve done here, or some cubes into a salad, or even into a smoothie. Generally, it’s not long before the freezer is empty of it again, and it’s time for the next one.
The main secret to dealing with butternut squash is to make sure your peeler is a good and really sharp. Trying to peel off the skin with a blunt peeler is just misery. Cut the squash into smallish cubes of about 1cm on each side, so that it cooks faster. Transfer to a couple of roasting pans, coat with oil and add salt and pepper as required. If, like us, you add butternut squash to smoothies, cook half of the vegetable without seasoning.
Roast the squash in a medium hot oven – 180 degrees C/Gas Mark 4. It takes about 20 minutes or so, and is ready when soft through. Allow to cool before freezing.
By whizzing the roasted butternut squash into the cheese sauce it is an easy way to add more vegetables to your meal, it adds an extra layer of flavour, extra natural sweetness – particularly handy when cooking for children, and makes the cheese sauce a glorious rich golden colour. You could equally well use roasted pumpkin or carrot here too.
The base for this dish is Schwartz Gluten Free Cheese Sauce, part of their new gluten free range of easy to prepare sauces and recipe mixes. There are eight in all: Roast Beef Gravy, Cheddar Cheese Sauce, Chicken Casserole Recipe Mix, Chilli con Carne Recipe Mix. Cottage Pie Recipe Mix, Chicken Fajitas, Creamy Pepper Sauce, and Spaghetti Bolognese.
Schwartz challenged us to go gluten free for 7 days, and with a bit of thought and using sauces like the Schwartz Gluten Free Cheddar Cheese Sauce as we have here, it’s much easier than it has been in the past to cut gluten from our diets without losing out on flavour.
This cauliflower cheese dish is a perfect example of an easy gluten free dish. We were really impressed with the sauce, thick, creamy and very cheesy, and ideal to keep in the cupboard.
If you need to follow a gluten free diet, or cook for someone who is gluten free then you need to read all labels very very carefully – ingredients containing gluten can creep into everything. Wheat flour is a common thickener, and of course in the regular kitchen there is also a risk of cross contamination, especially if you make bread as we do and everything is covered in a fine layer of bread flour.
So, if you find that you feel better from following a gluten free diet, there are now even more ways for you to do this. Packet mixes like these are easy, make the process far easier and also offer comfort against any possibility of cross contamination from your kitchen ingredients.
Try our recipe for Gluten Free Cauliflower Cheese with Butternut Squash for a quick and easy side dish or main meal. Or if you’re not sure about going gluten free, then trying the Schwartz Go Gluten Free for 7 days challenge is a great way to give it a try!
Twists on Cauliflower Cheese
- Use a Romanesco instead of a regular cauliflower
- Ring the changes with different cheeses – blue or goats will make it a more sophisticated dish
- Cover a whole steamed cauliflower with sauce then bake for a more dramatic looking dish
- Add a can of rinsed beans or chickpeas for extra protein
- Add a few rashers of chopped fried bacon or leftover chicken
- Add more vegetables, peas and corn from the freezer work well, or steamed broccoli. Don’t throw away the cauliflower leaves, discard the thickest stems and add the leaves to the sauce
- Leftovers make a base for a delicious cauliflower cheese soup
Gluten Free Cauliflower Cheese with Butternut Squash Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 packet Schwartz Gluten Free Cheddar Cheese Sauce
- 300 ml semi-skimmed milk
- 1 cup roasted butternut squash
- 1 cauliflower (small)
- 1 cup hard cheese (e.g. Grana Padano or sharp cheddar)
- 8-12 cherry tomatoes (quartered)
Instructions
- Make the Schwartz Gluten Free Cheddar Cheese Sauce with the milk, according to packet instructions
- Blend the sauce and roasted butternut squash
- Preheat your grill
- Cut the florets off the cauliflower. Cook in the microwave until just soft; about 3 to 4 minutes.
- Put the cauliflower in an oven proof serving dish. Cover with the butternut squash and cheese sauce.
- Top with quartered cherry tomatoes and cheese. Grill until the cheese has melted, and has started to colour brown.
Notes
Make in either a large serving dish, of individual serving dishes
Recipe for gluten free Cauliflower Cheese with Butternut Squash Sauce commissioned by Schwartz. All opinions our own.
Mummy Times Two
This looks so delicious, and what a great way of getting extra vegetables eaten by the children in a fun way.
Helen
Extra veg with everything is my motto.
Emma Raphael
Love the addition of the butternut squash, always on the look out for recipes with hidden veg for my three!
Helen
it is such a quick and easy way to add some extra vegetables.
Becca Talbot
I don’t normally like Cauliflower Cheese, but this recipe actually sounds delicious. My mum would probably like it too! x
Helen
thanks Becca, the cheese sauce is adaptable enough for anything.
Rhian Westbury
I am so bad with veg, but I don’t think I’ve ever had cauliflower cheese x
Helen
I love cauliflower – the trick is not to overcook it.
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes
I love the idea of a butternut squash sauce. I think I might also try that on some pasta too.
Helen
It is great with pasta too.
Stephanie Merry
Now this looks great and a fab way of adding in extra veggies x
Helen
I am all about the extra veggies.
Amy|The Cook Report
This sounds so good! I love the idea of adding butternut squash as well
Helen
Extra veg whenever I can here.
Bintu - Recipes From A Pantry
Roasting vegetables just adds so much flavour to them. Interesting that this is a gluten free sauce as in the past I would have made the sauce with normal plain flour. Good to know gluten free white sauces exist
Helen
I generally make from scratch, but these products are great if you don’t really cook and need to be gluten free.
Jagruti
I think this dish is calling my name, beautiful and tempting dish!
Helen
thank you – so easy too.
Emily Leary
Such a great idea for keeping everything healthy but without having to alter the beautiful colours!
Helen
I love my butternut squash sauce.
melissa major
It has been years since I last had cauliflower cheese! This looks amazing, I need to make this recipe soon
Helen
I always add roasted butternut to any white or cheese sauce now.
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
This is such a great idea for introducing vegetables to picky eaters! I mean, I love butternut squash, but I know some people, I’m not mentioning names, who would squirm if it just showed up on the table.
Helen
Squash is just great and it is so adaptable and versatile
Journa Ramirez
You’re making me hungry. Cauliflower is my favorite vegetable. I want to make some for my family!
Helen
I love cauliflower – it is SO adaptable.
The London Mum
How clever that Schwartz now do a gluten free range. They sound just as delicious too!
Helen
They are really quick and easy mixes – I love the reassurance that there is no risk of cross contamination
Baby Isabella
What a great recipe! We love cauliflower cheese and it’s fantastic you’ve done a gluten free version!
Helen
I love cauliflower in all its forms. Such an adaptable recipe.
Gareth Torrance
Butternut squash is something I’ve never had, and honestly, never really understood what it was… But from reading this recipe, I might give it a go…
Helen
I love butternut squash, peel, cut into cubes and roast – so delicious.
Stephanie Usher
I absolutely LOVE cauliflower cheese, I love that this a gluten-friendly version! xx
Helen
I love cauliflower and cheese in all its forms!
Jenni
This sounds so tasty! I will have to make some. I love that it’s gluten free too. I can whip some up for my friend and I (she’s gluten free) :)
Helen
The sauce was very impressive for a packet mix. So cheesy.
Ashleigh Dougherty
Yum, this looks so good! I’ll have to pick some of these Schwartz packets up.
Helen
We were very impressed with them.
Helen
I didn’t realise Schwartz had gluten free sauces, my mum has coeliac disease so I’ll definitely pick some up ready for next time she comes for dinner. I love the idea of adding butternut squash to cheese sauce. I bet it taste delicious!
Helen
They will be perfect then, and also so reassuring as there is no risk of cross contamination.