When you read the title of this post you might envision two pieces of bread sandwiching cheese with big cauliflower florets around it. But this Cauliflower Crusted Grilled Cheese is so majorly delicious and not what you would expect from a traditional sandwich at all!
A few months ago the Dr Oz show put me to the challenge of coming up with No-bread sandwiches. Isn’t the point of a sandwich to have the bread? Trust me when I say this is no easy feat, but fun trying to come up with ideas that are filling and exciting at the same time. I offered up Cucumber Stackers and Apple Ring PB&J’s, but they really loved these Cauliflower Crust Grilled Cheese developed by The Iron You. I was a little dubious when I first read the recipe, but was game to try them as they looked as good as the real thing in the pictures.
Not only was it a ton of fun making them and watching a head of cauliflower turn into slices of bread, but we totally devoured them. Trust me when I say you don’t need to be gluten free to enjoy the no-bread sandwiches. They’re made with nothing but whole ingredients and taste like something really special.
You can watch my quick segment on the Dr Oz show here and hopefully make a batch for you and your family to enjoy!
Although it’s perfect for anyone on a gluten-free diet, you don’t have to be avoiding flour to enjoy it. I’m betting that any grilled cheese lover will be immediately smitten after the first crispy bite.
Cauliflower Crusted Grilled Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 small heads cauliflower, cut into florets
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup shredded cheese or 4 slices cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450F and move the rack to the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and liberally grease it with olive oil. Set aside.
- Place the cauliflower florets in the food processor and pulse until it is about the size of rice. It should be finely chopped but not pulverized.
- Transfer the cauliflower to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high for 8 minutes, until cooked and soft.
- Allow the cauliflower rice to cool so that it is easier to handle. Place in a tea towel and squeeze out as much moisture as you can. This is a very important step as the cauliflower rice needs to be dry to form into bread slices.
- Place the dry cauliflower in a mixing bowl, add the eggs, mozzarella and salt and mix well.
- Divide the mixture into 8 equal sections, and shape each into a square on the parchment lined baking sheet.
- Place in the oven and bake for about 16 minutes, until golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before removing from the parchment paper.
- To make the grilled cheese sandwiches: heat the butter in a pan over medium heat.
- Place one slice of the cauliflower bread into the pan, top with cheese, and another slice of bread.
- Cook for 2-4 minutes on each side, until the cheese is melted and the bread is golden brown.
Yum!