Would you consider cauliflower cheese a meal?

[dudsville]

So, I'm steaming veg (cauliflower, carrots and brocolli) and sauteing mushrooms, and I'll add some frozen peas and spinach. But this is just veg in a cheese sauce. WOuld you consider this a meal in itself?

I have similar but with a baked potatoes kids and hubby have it on/with chips

Yes I'd consider it dinner.

Yes with sausages, crusty baguette and baked tomatoes

I sometimes eat cauliflower cheese without those extra veg as a dinner on its own.

Or a Welsh rarebit (basically cheese with extra flavour) with part baked bread I've baked alongside it.

Or mushrooms sautéed with some garlic, thyme (and a slug of white wine and/or cream if I have them) served on brown toast or over pasta.

But I'm just as capable of tucking into steak and chips ...so it's not just a veggie thing.

My mum used to do cauliflower cheese as a main meal served with crusty bread/garlic bread and maybe cold ham.

Yes, I would. It's only a side dish if you don't make enough of it, and only then if you don't add thick cut chips for a total cheesy carb fest (add Jalapenos and mustard for the ultimate vegetarian post dinner slumber).

Yes! Maybe not when I was younger, but now, definitely yes.....and I'm a meat eater.

I'd serve with freshly baked bread and watercress as an accompaniment

Definitely.

I would because I love my veg, but DH would be incredulous 😂

Yes a big portion with ketchup would be perfect meal - a small portion with some type of meat a side

We’d have it with fried mushrooms and chips.

I would consider that a lovely dinner if it’s a big enough portion. DC wouldn’t be thrilled but the don’t like cauliflower; they would be fine if it was eg broccoli. I find all these “soup is not dinner” type threads on MN really weird.

My dad's mum put cauliflower cheese in pastry, put extra cheese on top and called it dinner. My dad asked my mum if she'd do the same and I've grown up with cauliflower cheese being a dinner all my life. It wasn't until about 10 years ago that I found out people eat it alongside roast dinners and the like. Needless to say it's been an absolute revelation for me and I bloody love it

I would! What time shall I come round?!

There is proteom in the meal OP described... cheese and mushrooms.

For many people including growing children a carb source would be needed. Then its a meal.

I would but I'm not keen on meat so for me it's definitely a meal on its own though I do love it with Sunday dinner .

I make this with just cauliflower and a white sauce with cheese added. Bread on the side.

Yes. Cauliflower cheese was one of our staples growing up. Cauliflower, new potatoes, fried onion, bacon and sweetcorn all smothered in cheese sauce with some cherry tomato halves on top and served with garlic bread. I had the leftovers for breakfast - happy days!!

Who cares, if you like it then it's a meal.

Yep. I wouldn't add all those other veg though, cauliflower cheese is just cauliflower imo.
In fact I'm adding it to my regular menu as a filling, low carb meal.

I guess the teens might want some sausages and/or garlic bread with it.

I often make a cauliflower/macaroni combo - plenty of pasta, breadcrumbs and extra cheese on top, whack under the grill.

Cauliflower cheese is food of the gods if done properly - very disappointing if not.

Somehow in all my many years the concept of "vegetable gratin" passed me by. Clearly that's what this was! And it was delicious.

I've been enjoying focusing meals around loads of a variety of veg, so I've now gone down the rabbit hole that is a Buddha Bowl.

No
That would be my food hell
I'd rather just have my veggies steamed with meat or fish

No