This delicious cauliflower cheese lasagne from Jamie Oliver is a creamy, hearty dish perfect for family dinners. With layers of homemade pasta, rich white sauce, and tender roasted cauliflower, it’s a comforting meal that’s easy to make and full of flavor. You can even swap the cheese for your favorites!
Ingredients Needed
- 4 large leeks (white part only)
- 4 cloves of garlic
- ½ a fresh red chilli
- ½ a bunch (15g / 0.5 oz) of fresh thyme
- 1 cauliflower
- 1 romanesco cauliflower
- 125ml (½ cup) dry white wine
- 1 small knob of unsalted butter
White Sauce:
- 2 litres (8 cups) whole milk
- 1 bunch of mixed herbs (e.g., rosemary, sage, bay, thyme – 20g / 0.7 oz)
- 75g (⅓ cup) plain flour, plus extra for dusting
- 75g (⅓ cup) butter
- 150g (1 ½ cups) Cheddar cheese, plus extra for grating
- 150g (1 ½ cups) Lancashire cheese (e.g., Mrs Kirkham’s)
- 30g (1 oz) blue cheese (e.g., Stichelton)
Pasta:
- 500g (4 cups) Tipo ‘00’ flour
- 5 free-range eggs
Anchovy Crumb:
- 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
- 100g (3 ½ oz) stale bread
- 8 anchovies in oil
How To Make Cauliflower Cheese Lasagne
- Make the Pasta Dough: To make the pasta dough, place 500g (4 cups) of Tipo ‘00’ flour on a board or in a bowl. Make a well in the center and crack 5 eggs into it. Beat the eggs with a fork until smooth, then mix with the flour using your fingertips until everything is combined. Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes until smooth and pliable, then cover with a cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the Leeks & Veg: Trim and wash 4 large leeks (white part only) and slice them. Peel and finely slice 4 cloves of garlic and ½ a red chilli. Heat 4 tbsp (¼ cup) olive oil in a large casserole pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chilli, and most of the thyme leaves. Stir in the leeks, and season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Cook the Cauliflower: Break 1 cauliflower and 1 romanesco cauliflower into florets, chopping the stalks and some leaves. Add the stalks to the pan with 125ml (½ cup) dry white wine and 1 small knob of unsalted butter. Cook for 10-15 minutes until softened and starting to caramelize. Add the florets and leaves, then pour in 300ml (1 ¼ cups) water, reduce the heat, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Make the White Sauce: In a medium pan, heat 2 litres (8 cups) whole milk. Tie a bunch of mixed herbs (rosemary, sage, bay, thyme) into a bouquet garni and add to the pan. Simmer for a few minutes, then rub 75g (⅓ cup) butter and 75g (⅓ cup) plain flour together. Whisk the mixture into the milk until smooth. Simmer until thickened, then remove from heat. Stir in 150g (1 ½ cups) Cheddar cheese, 150g (1 ½ cups) Lancashire cheese, and 30g (1 oz) blue cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and leave to cool.
- Prepare the Anchovy Crumb: In a blender, combine 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 100g (3 ½ oz) stale bread, and 8 anchovies. Blend into fine breadcrumbs.
- Roll Out the Pasta: Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll out each piece through a pasta machine, gradually decreasing the thickness until you have 2mm-thick sheets. Dust with flour as needed. Repeat for all dough pieces.
- Assemble the Lasagne: Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F). Place 2 pasta sheets in the bottom of a deep baking dish (roughly 25cm x 35cm / 10 x 14 inches), letting the excess hang over the sides. Cut the remaining sheets into 7cm x 15cm (2.75 x 6 inches) rectangles. Add a layer of the vegetable mixture, 4 generous spoonfuls of white sauce, a crumbling of blue cheese, and a layer of pasta. Repeat the layers, topping with the remaining vegetables and most of the white sauce. Fold over the overhanging pasta, then top with the remaining sauce and a grating of Cheddar.
- Bake the Lasagne: Sprinkle the anchovy crumb on top and bake at the bottom of the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
Recipe Tips
- Rest the dough: After making the pasta dough, let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This makes it easier to roll out and ensures the pasta is smooth and elastic.
- Don’t overcook the cauliflower: When cooking the cauliflower, keep an eye on it to avoid overcooking. You want it soft but still with some texture to hold up in the lasagne layers.
- Season each layer: Be sure to season each layer of vegetables and sauce. This adds flavor to every bite and prevents the dish from being bland.
- Grate cheese for extra creaminess: Grating your cheese, rather than using chunks, helps it melt more evenly into the sauce, giving your lasagne a smooth and creamy texture.
- Bake at the bottom of the oven: For a perfectly golden top and crispy edges, place your lasagne on the bottom rack of the oven. This ensures it cooks evenly and gets that delicious, bubbling crust.
How To Store And Reheat Leftovers?
- Refrigerate: Let the leftover cauliflower cheese lasagne cool to room temperature. Then, cover it and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: You can freeze the lasagne for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool, then wrap it tightly in foil or plastic wrap before freezing. To serve, thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Reheat: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Cover the lasagne with foil and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until it’s hot all the way through. For a crispy top, remove the foil for the last 5 minutes.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 serving (based on 10 servings per recipe)
- Calories: 718
- Total Fat: 35.8g
- Saturated Fat: 18g
- Total Carbohydrate: 66.2g
- Dietary Fiber: 5g
- Sugars: 15.6g
- Protein: 32.2g
Try More Jamie Oliver Recipes:
- Jamie Oliver Chestnut Brussels Sprouts Pie
- Jamie Oliver Festive Porchetta & All the Trimmings
- Jamie Oliver Slow-Cooker Beef Curry
- Jamie Oliver Slow-Cooker Beef
Jamie Oliver Cauliflower Cheese Lasagne
Description
This delicious cauliflower cheese lasagne from Jamie Oliver is a creamy, hearty dish perfect for family dinners. With layers of homemade pasta, rich white sauce, and tender roasted cauliflower, it’s a comforting meal that’s easy to make and full of flavor. You can even swap the cheese for your favorites!
Ingredients
White Sauce:
Pasta:
Anchovy Crumb:
Instructions
- Make the Pasta Dough: To make the pasta dough, place 500g (4 cups) of Tipo ‘00’ flour on a board or in a bowl. Make a well in the center and crack 5 eggs into it. Beat the eggs with a fork until smooth, then mix with the flour using your fingertips until everything is combined. Knead the dough for 3-4 minutes until smooth and pliable, then cover with a cloth and rest for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the Leeks & Veg: Trim and wash 4 large leeks (white part only) and slice them. Peel and finely slice 4 cloves of garlic and ½ a red chilli. Heat 4 tbsp (¼ cup) olive oil in a large casserole pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, chilli, and most of the thyme leaves. Stir in the leeks, and season with sea salt and black pepper.
- Cook the Cauliflower: Break 1 cauliflower and 1 romanesco cauliflower into florets, chopping the stalks and some leaves. Add the stalks to the pan with 125ml (½ cup) dry white wine and 1 small knob of unsalted butter. Cook for 10-15 minutes until softened and starting to caramelize. Add the florets and leaves, then pour in 300ml (1 ¼ cups) water, reduce the heat, and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Make the White Sauce: In a medium pan, heat 2 litres (8 cups) whole milk. Tie a bunch of mixed herbs (rosemary, sage, bay, thyme) into a bouquet garni and add to the pan. Simmer for a few minutes, then rub 75g (⅓ cup) butter and 75g (⅓ cup) plain flour together. Whisk the mixture into the milk until smooth. Simmer until thickened, then remove from heat. Stir in 150g (1 ½ cups) Cheddar cheese, 150g (1 ½ cups) Lancashire cheese, and 30g (1 oz) blue cheese. Season with salt and pepper, and leave to cool.
- Prepare the Anchovy Crumb: In a blender, combine 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 100g (3 ½ oz) stale bread, and 8 anchovies. Blend into fine breadcrumbs.
- Roll Out the Pasta: Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Roll out each piece through a pasta machine, gradually decreasing the thickness until you have 2mm-thick sheets. Dust with flour as needed. Repeat for all dough pieces.
- Assemble the Lasagne: Preheat the oven to 170°C (325°F). Place 2 pasta sheets in the bottom of a deep baking dish (roughly 25cm x 35cm / 10 x 14 inches), letting the excess hang over the sides. Cut the remaining sheets into 7cm x 15cm (2.75 x 6 inches) rectangles. Add a layer of the vegetable mixture, 4 generous spoonfuls of white sauce, a crumbling of blue cheese, and a layer of pasta. Repeat the layers, topping with the remaining vegetables and most of the white sauce. Fold over the overhanging pasta, then top with the remaining sauce and a grating of Cheddar.
- Bake the Lasagne: Sprinkle the anchovy crumb on top and bake at the bottom of the oven for 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.
Notes
- Rest the dough: After making the pasta dough, let it rest for at least 30 minutes. This makes it easier to roll out and ensures the pasta is smooth and elastic.
- Don’t overcook the cauliflower: When cooking the cauliflower, keep an eye on it to avoid overcooking. You want it soft but still with some texture to hold up in the lasagne layers.
- Season each layer: Be sure to season each layer of vegetables and sauce. This adds flavor to every bite and prevents the dish from being bland.
- Grate cheese for extra creaminess: Grating your cheese, rather than using chunks, helps it melt more evenly into the sauce, giving your lasagne a smooth and creamy texture.
- Bake at the bottom of the oven: For a perfectly golden top and crispy edges, place your lasagne on the bottom rack of the oven. This ensures it cooks evenly and gets that delicious, bubbling crust.
Jamie Oliver Cauliflower Cheese Lasagne