A cheesy, hearty, vegetarian recipe for any time of year that the thermometer dips. Leftovers are great sliced and added to a lunchbox with a wee pot of ketchup.
The weather is not playing ball. It is the last gasp of April and not only have I switched the heat back on, I’ve added a scarf, too. In the house.
So, it is temporarily out with the salads and in with chunky soups, stews and hearty savory bakes. Are you the same? (Please don’t tell me you are basking on a beach…) Today for work, when I should be pushing the raw stuff I made one of our favorite vegan stews, sweetly spicy West African Peanut Stew, augmented by my this kale salad, minus the goldenberries and rice, and with added butternut squash. Very wintry.
Today’s satisfying, cheesy and actually quite wholesome dish is perhaps a bit more transitional.
And it is more than palatable, it is flipping fantastic – just warning you. I’ve made it for my cancer and nutrition classes a couple of times, and everyone – including colleagues who poached the extras – asked for the recipe. So here it is. Too good to wait for properly cold comfort food weather.
Cauliflower is very seasonal and cheap, while the optional wild garlic may still be around in your neck of the woods. But despite its veneer of seasonality, this easy casserole-type recipe can be made any time of the year when the temperature falls and the desire for comfort rises.
I hope it isn’t too weird of me to offer two cauliflower cheese recipes (my Cauliflower Rarebit) in quick succession. But I pinky swear they are as different as night and day. Or winter and summer. Not that you can always tell the difference in Scotland. 😉
So, have you fallen back to soups, stews and savory bakes, or are you totally committed to the date on the calendar rather than the number on the thermometer? Maybe you are in Florida (my childhood home) or southern California, so this is a silly question…
Cheesy Cauliflower, Lentil and Buckwheat Bake
A cheesy, hearty, vegetarian recipe for any time of year that the thermometer dips. Leftovers are great sliced and added to a lunchbox with a wee pot of ketchup. xx
600ml light vegetable stock (I like low salt Marigold Swiss Vegetable Bouillon Powder)
100g roasted buckwheat/kasha, rinsed
100g urid dal (split black lentils) or red lentils, rinsed (soaked for a few hours if you like too)
2 tbsp olive oil, divided use
350g cauliflower, chopped (include the sweet, lovely stems too)
250g spinach, washed and roughly chopped
100g wild garlic leaves, washed and chopped – optional OR 1 clove garlic, chopped
6 spring onions OR 1 small onion, chopped
75g grated cheese, dairy or non-dairy (Note: I used vegan Violife, from Tesco, and it was okay but real cheese or just some nutritional yeast would be better)
50g breadcrumbs, gluten-free or not
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180C fan/200C/400F. Oil a ceramic or cast iron baking dish, approximately 32 cm x 24 cm.
2. Boil the stock and add the lentils and buckwheat. Bring back up to the boil then turn to simmer, add the lid and cook for 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
3. While the lentils and buckwheat are cooking, toss the cauliflower florets in 1 tablespoon of the oil and pop on a tray. Place the tray in the oven and roast for 15 minutes.
4. Pour the half of the remaining oil in a small saute pan and gently fry the onion until lightly golden – the garlic too if using. Remove to a bowl. Add the breadcrumbs to the pan along with the remaining oil and a few twists of black pepper. Mix well. No need to toast it.
5. When the buckwheat and lentils are cooked and the liquid is absorbed, – it should be about the consistency of porridge – add most of the cheese to the pan, followed by the spinach, and wild garlic if using. Mix well and spread into the oiled dish. Press the roasted cauliflower onto the top and sprinkle over the remaining cheese and follow with the oiled crumbs. Bake in the oven until the top is golden and the sides are beginning to pull away – about 20 minutes.
6. Serve warm with a green salad, and perhaps some roasted mini sweet peppers too. That’s how we like this high-fiber, nourishing dish.
Soft food diet: blend the roasted cauliflower and “marble” or mix into the cooked lentils and buckwheat.
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This looks so nutrient dense and delicious 🙂
That is is! thanks 🙂
Hi! What is the best cheese to use for this recipe?
Hi Kim. The cheese I tend to use is an extra mature uncoloured Cheddar. But really any cheese that is full of flavour will do. I hope you like this recipe..😊
It’s currently chilly here in Madrid and this bake is looking delicious. I love your combo of cauliflower, buckwheat, and cheese. I don’t tend to make bakes or casseroles but I should after seeing a few of your smart recipes!
Funnily enough the only time I was in Madrid it was so chilly I had to buy a thicker coat! Nad I can recommend this recipe. I only post what we actually like and make more than once 🙂
Looking forward to trying this recipe. I too need hot comfort food when the temperature dips 🙂
It’s trying to warm up again, but for now…:-)
Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try it.
Thanks! Let me know if you do make it and how it was. 🙂
Wonderful dish, love spinach and cauliflower 🙂
Thanks! I kind of added the spinach to boost the colour but it really adds a mineral flavour to the whole too 🙂
I agree, sounds lovely!
Believe or not, I eat buckwheat as I read your post right now 🙂 I love buckwheat and I really like the sound of your recipe, I always look for the new ways of cooking with this wonderful grain and I can not wait to try this version. Thank you 🙂
Thanks so much Yana. It looks a bit “worthy” but it tastes a lot nicer than it looks! 🙂 Btw, what is your favourite buckwheat recipe?
Sorry for rather late reply..
I came from the country where buckwheat is so popular that it’s almost everyday staple. When we were growing up, buckwheat with milk it was our typical ‘cornflakes’ alternative for breakfast 🙂
I like it as a side dish to some meatballs or mixed in with plenty of roasted or slightly fried vegetables like, carrots, courgettes, a bit of bell peppers and finish with some spinach. And especially good with mushrooms! 🙂
Thanks for your wonderful ideas and inspiration 🙂
What a delicious no guilt dish. Love the cheese and cauliflower baked with healthier lentils for a hearty dinner. This would disappear fast at my table.
Love the combination of ingredients in this dish! Cauliflower is one of my favorite veggies so I’ve got to try this. Have to admit I am sitting close to the beach – in Bali, Indonesia, but I have to say it’s about 10 degrees too hot for me here so I could go for a breeze of cold cold air! That African stew sounds fabulous too – would love to try that!
Oh nice it’s with split urad dal! I just bought a bag full today. 😀 Ironically, cauliflower and cheese is my secrete combo food weakness. This is going on my to try list.
Spring has not made up its mind up here yet either – sometimes we’re in thick jackets, sometimes no jacket at all! This looks amazing regardless of the temperature. And yay for ketchup, we put it on everything lol.
This looks divine Kellie, you really should open up a restaurant one day:-)
Yeah, the weather has been so bonkers lately… one day I am dying from the heat and two days later it rains so much that I have to get the heater back on! And there are people still saying global warming is a hoax! I’ve never used buckwheat or garlic leaves but this recipe gives me cause to go hunting for them right now!
It’s been frightfully cold, hasn’t it. I’m sitting here with the heating on AND a blanket. This veggie bake will help me warm up in no time!
Ahhh, yes, the weather has been up and down here as well. Full of rainy days just perfect for some hot and delicious comfort food and this looks like just the thing!
Cauliflower is one of my favourite veggies so I will definitely give this a try, it’s perfect for these chilly days! A cheesy bake sounds just great, with loads of extra goodness.
This looks and sounds delicious. Cauliflower, lentils, spinach….all ingredients that I love. I can’t wait to try this out!
Man Kellie, this looks so good!! I don’t mind two cauli/cheese recipes back to back., in fact, keep ’em coming! Winter has returned to Chicago too. Supposed to only be in the 40s(!) this weekend. Uggh! -Kat
Looks so good!
This is a must try for sure 🙂
Your gorgeous bake inspired my cooking a few days ago when it was cold and rainy. I used leftover chickpeas in place of lentils and buckwheat. Also added leftover crushed tomatoes with smoked paprika and chili stirred in. Because my husband thinks everything needs to be spicy. 😉 Anyways, it was delicious and I’m enjoying leftovers. Thanks so much Kellie!
I have some dried lentils without a purpose so thank you. And while we are in “spring” the weather certainly doesn’t feel like it so a hearty, warm dish is perfect.
This looks really good. Im going to have to try this
Hey! I’ve been experimenting with veganism for the last 4 days, and have started to run out of ideas! Thank you for sharing and providing some inspiration. Your photography is gorgeous! Stunning recipe!
nice! looks like it turned out really well! Was this the first time you made it? I respect your morals and would appreciate any feedback on my blog/ recipes as well!