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Original poster

The Cauliflower Cheese Conundrum

390 replies

Speckly · 27/10/2025 22:09

Earlier a friend I was out with asked me what we were having for dinner tonight. When I replied “Cauliflower cheese and crusty bread”, she said “With what?” When I told her that was our dinner she looked horrified and told me cauliflower cheese is a side dish. As kids we often had cauliflower cheese for our dinner (I’m early 50s) but I’m interested to know, is that weird? Husband and I usually have this as a main about once a month (not vegetarian btw). When I asked DH his views on the subject tonight, he said he enjoys it but that his family never really had it when he was young so he couldn’t comment. If it’s relevant at all, we live in Kent. So is it ok to eat cauliflower cheese as a main or should it only ever be served as a side dish?

YABU - Cauliflower cheese is a side dish. You need to jazz it up with some other stuff!

YANBU - Cauliflower cheese is a decent main course - ignore the haters.

OP posts:
DeanElderberry · 30/10/2025 08:34

Not even one vegetable in a cheese sauce? What about if you serve it with mashed or sautéed potato? How many vegetables do you need?

Is a tomato omelette a meal? If not why not?

Ocelotfeet27 · 30/10/2025 00:04

Wow 50/50 I'm shocked! One vegetable does not a meal make.

MamaorBruh · 30/10/2025 00:02

Have not read the full thread, just the first page but I absolutely LOVE cauliflower cheese and have never thought to have it as a main dish - this is a total game changer for me! Thank you to for bringing an new (yet simple) meal to my table! 🤣

PigletJohn · 29/10/2025 23:58

I was gratified and a bit surprised to find that if you trim the rind off, for example, stilton or brie, you can stir it into a cheese sauce or a soup and it will just melt in and deepen the flavour.

ErrolTheDragon · 29/10/2025 17:31

BiddyPopthe2nd · 29/10/2025 15:44

I love Cornish Cruncher or properly natured Hegarty’s for eating on crackers..lovely and crumbly.

But I agree, that’s wasted on cheese sauce - Kilmeadan do both a mature and a fully mature version which both work well for melting/sauces (I prefer the fully mature and use less of it) and it was 2 blocks of fully mature in my suitcase this morning….

Belgium has good cheese and access to lots of good French and Italian cheese - but doesn’t tend to have much cheddar at all 😭

My next trip home - I plan on getting a proper crumbly one as I’m all out of that since July. At the end of November, I hope.

Show quote history

Gruyère and/or Parmesan are good in cheese sauces and for grating on top if you don’t have decent cheddar

BiddyPopthe2nd · 29/10/2025 15:44

PigletJohn · 29/10/2025 14:18

I like vintage cheddar preferably with lactic crystals and a crumbly texture, but somebody told me it is wasted if you use it for cooking and melt away the best points. So I keep a large block of Mature for cooking. I don't know if there's any downside.

Show quote history

I love Cornish Cruncher or properly natured Hegarty’s for eating on crackers..lovely and crumbly.

But I agree, that’s wasted on cheese sauce - Kilmeadan do both a mature and a fully mature version which both work well for melting/sauces (I prefer the fully mature and use less of it) and it was 2 blocks of fully mature in my suitcase this morning….

Belgium has good cheese and access to lots of good French and Italian cheese - but doesn’t tend to have much cheddar at all 😭

My next trip home - I plan on getting a proper crumbly one as I’m all out of that since July. At the end of November, I hope.

coldiris · 29/10/2025 14:50

I think it's a preference really. I would happily have it as a main meal with nothing else but I am sure there are plenty of those who think it's a side dish and needs something to go with it.

PigletJohn · 29/10/2025 14:18

BiddyPopthe2nd · 29/10/2025 08:22

I brought back 2 blocks of vintage cheddar with me (they don’t sell it locally) so I can enjoy it a few times now cauliflower is in season.

I like vintage cheddar preferably with lactic crystals and a crumbly texture, but somebody told me it is wasted if you use it for cooking and melt away the best points. So I keep a large block of Mature for cooking. I don't know if there's any downside.

CusionFort · 29/10/2025 09:00

I'm in my 30s and we always had it as a main meal growing up.

I think what makes it more "main meal" is that my mum would put hard boiled eggs in it.

Really nice dinner, had it last week!

BiddyPopthe2nd · 29/10/2025 08:22

I brought back 2 blocks of vintage cheddar with me (they don’t sell it locally) so I can enjoy it a few times now cauliflower is in season.

DeanElderberry · 29/10/2025 08:02

It's an excellent main. I've bought my cauliflower and have a left-over summer leek in the garden that I can dig up.

Natsku · 29/10/2025 07:38

I really want it as a main now!

liveforsummer · 29/10/2025 06:24

Definitely a side dish here. My veggie parents used to cook a pasta and cauliflower cheese bake, sometimes with carrots in too, when we were kids but we’d have a green veg on the side as well

Calliopespa · 29/10/2025 05:51

SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 29/10/2025 05:40

It’s usually a side dish but I think it would be delicious and sufficient as a main. Really good for you.

I wish it was good for you, but I think if I'm being brutally honest with myself, that much cheese probably isn't ideal in one sitting - and a white flour based sauce is not exactly top drawer nutrition BUT not so bad that I'm not going to make it fairly soon after this thread has revived my hankerings!

Adding leeks is a good nutritional tweak.

SugarPlumpFairyCakes · 29/10/2025 05:40

It’s usually a side dish but I think it would be delicious and sufficient as a main. Really good for you.

sashh · 29/10/2025 05:22

HeddaGarbled · 28/10/2025 09:19

All of you saying it’s a main meal but then saying “with bacon” etc 😃

If you need to have it with meat or eggs or whatever to it, it’s not a main, is it?

Of course it is. Like you might have pigs in blankets with turkey or put lardons in a chicken casserole.

notacooldad · 28/10/2025 20:44

I am completely amazed how many responses I’ve received but I’m still no nearer an answer!
You have though! Its whatever you want it to be!
I have it as both sometimes a side, sometimes a main.

Original poster
Speckly · 28/10/2025 20:42

I am completely amazed how many responses I’ve received but I’m still no nearer an answer! 🤣🤣🤣

OP posts:
letshavetea · 28/10/2025 20:10

Love cauli cheese, served with a side of herb and garlic oven roasted tomatoes and baguette. Yummy!

Bluebunnylover · 28/10/2025 19:56

I grew up having cauliflower cheese as a side dish with roast dinner but now I eat more veg/vegan dinners I’ll definitely do it as a main. Thinking leeks as well with bread crumbs on top then grilled!

GoodTwoShoes · 28/10/2025 19:39

I only ever had it as a main dish for school dinners. Never ate it at home and I've never cooked it.

Original poster
Speckly · 28/10/2025 19:38

MouseCheese87 · 28/10/2025 05:03

Side dish. It's not a well rounded meal, no protein. It's just cauliflower.

Cheese is the protein! Lots of cheese 🤣

OP posts:
jackadoo · 28/10/2025 19:19

How can it be a main? That’s like having a bowl of broccoli or potatoes gratin.I know I’m in the minority here btw and also love cauliflower cheese.

EleanorReally · 28/10/2025 18:50

i always make it with slivers of bacon, topped with tomatoes, baked in the oven, serve with fried potatoes or curly chips.
then family members are vegetarian so no bacon, but leek in its place and mozzarella on top - main meal - no way would i be bothered to make it to accompany a roast but if pressed, i would as i quite like a cheese sauce with gravy!

ShinyAppleDreamingOfTheSea · 28/10/2025 18:42

manineed · 27/10/2025 23:00

my mum used to always do jacket potato, cauliflower cheese and peas as a meal.

I love it but I read an article by a pathologist that put me off it!

What did the article say ?

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