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Slow Cooker Loaded Cauliflower Casserole Recipe

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Enjoy a comforting and flavorful dish with this slow cooker casserole easy recipe. 


With tender cauliflower florets, a creamy sauce, crumbled bacon, and lots of cheese, this casserole is the ultimate comfort food!

There is a gray bowl with pieces of cauliflower, melted cheese, pieces of bacon mixed together. There is shredded cheese and slices of green onion on top. There is a dark spoon handle resting inside the bowl . The bowl is on a dark gray surface.

The best part is that it is so easy to make in a slow cooker, which makes this cheesy cauliflower casserole the perfect fuss free dish for busy weeknights dinners or a gathering with friends and family.

Simple Ingredients For Cheesy Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

There is a head of cauliflower, four white bowls, one has shredded cheddar cheese in it, one has cheese soup in it, one has sour cream in it and the last one has crumbled cooked bacon in it. There is a light wood cylinder with salt in it. There is a clear ramekin with ground pepper in it. There is also 3 cloves of garlic and 3 green onion stalks. Items are on a dark gray surface.

What You Will Need

  • Fresh cauliflower
  • Cheddar cheese soup
  • Sharp cheddar cheese
  • Sour cream
  • Garlic cloves
  • Sea salt
  • Black pepper
  • Green onions
  • Non stick cooking spray

Equipment And Helpful Tools

  •  Slow cooker / crock pot – 6 quart
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Wooden spoon  
  • Cutting board
  • Large sharp kitchen knife
  • Measuring cups
  • Measuring spoons
  • Paper towels

Slow Cooker Cauliflower Casserole Recipe

There is a black slow cooker pot with pieces of raw cauliflower in it. Slow cooker is on a dark gray surface.
  • Cut the cauliflower heads into florets. (see FAQ’s
  • Lightly coat the inside of the slow cooker with non stick cooking spray and place the cauliflower florets in it.
There is a large white bowl with shredded cheddar cheese, small pieces of bacon, sour cream, cheese soup, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper in it, waiting to be mixed together. Bowl is on a dark gray surface.
  • Pour the cheddar soup, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, minced garlic, bacon bits, salt, and pepper into a large bowl. 
There is a large white bowl with a creamy cheese with bacon sauce in it. There is a wooden spoon resting in the bowl. The bowl is on a dark gray surface.
  •  Stir well until throughly combined.
There is a black slow cooker pot with a creamy cheese sauce spread over the top of cauliflower pieces. Slow cooker is on a dark gray surface.
  • Pour the cheese mixture over the cauliflower florets in the slow cooker making sure they are evenly covered.
  • Cover and cook for 3 to 4 hours. 
There is a large white bowl with cauliflower pieces, melted cheese, and bacon bits in it. There are sliced green onions on top it. There is a dark spoon handle resting inside the bowl. The bowl is on a dark gray surface.
  • Once cooked, gently stir the cauliflower casserole to mix the yummy cheese sauce and cauliflower evenly.
  • Serve hot topped with a little shredded cheese and sliced green onions.

See recipe card below for complete details.

Let’s Talk Ingredients – Variations and Substitutions

Key Ingredients


Cauliflower – I love fresh cauliflower any time I can. For convenience purposes, frozen cauliflower florets can be used.

Cheddar soup – This is what gives the casserole it’s cheesy goodness!  If you have condensed cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken in your pantry, you can definitely substitute it for the cheddar soup.

Sharp cheddar cheese – I like the convenience of the pre shredded packages that grocery stores carry however, freshly shredded cheese is always delicious! Other popular cheeses used in this yummy dish are Mozzarella and Pepper Jack.

Sour cream – There are cauliflower casseroles that call for cream cheese or heavy cream which are perfectly fine. I just love the tang that sour cream adds to the dish.

Seasonings

Minced garlic cloves – Fresh or jarred is best. Garlic powder is pretty easy to substitute it for fresh cloves. Just a reminder, one clove of garlic equals about 1/8 of a teaspoon of garlic powder.

Sea salt – Any salt that doesn’t contain iodine is best.

Black pepper – Pepper adds a little depth and spice to food.

Optional Toppings

  • Shredded cheese
  • Sliced green onions
  • French fried onions
  • Bacon bits
  • Buffalo sauce
  • Bread crumbs – After slow cooking, put in a casserole dish under a broiler with bread crumbs and butter for a crispy crunchy topping.
There is a small white plate with a scoop of cauliflower pieces mixed with bacon bits and melted cheese. There are sliced green onions on top of the cauliflower mixture. There is a fork laying next to the plate. In the background there is a large white bowl with the same cauliflower cheese mixture in it. There is also two small whit bowls in the background. One has shredded cheddar cheese, the other has sliced green onions in it. Items are on a dark gray surface.

Why We Love Slow Cooker Loaded Cauliflower Casserole

Versatility – This casserole is versatile and can be customized to please different taste preferences. It can be an easy flavor-filled side dish or served as a main dish.

Convenience – Using a slow cooker makes this dish very fuss free. You simply add all the ingredients, set the time and temperature. 

A Healthier Option – Cauliflower is high in fiber and vitamin C. It’s lower in calories than a loaded baked potato while still having wonder flavor and texture.

Crowd-Pleaser – This creamy cheese casserole is loved by many people. It’s the perfect dish next time you have a potluck dinner and a delicious addition to your holiday table!

Here are more tasty easy casseroles recipes you have to try!

Easy Cheesy Tater Tot Casserole With Sour Cream – Kids love this casserole!

Corn Casserole With Green Chilies And Cream Cheese

Broccoli Cheese Casserole Better Than Cheddars

Easy Hatch Green Chile Relleno Casserole Recipe – Talk about a great Tex-Mex dish! Yum!!

Hash Brown Casserole With Cream Of Chicken Soup And Sour Cream – Great brunch dish!

Easy Company Chicken Casserole With Wine Sauce

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do You Cut A Head Of Cauliflower?

You first start by removing the outer leaves of the cauliflower head. Rinse under running water and pat dry.

Next, you cut the head in half vertically and then slice into smaller florets.

For complete details, check out How to Cut and Core Cauliflower.

How Do You Reheat Crock Pot Cauliflower Casserole?

The best way to reheat cauliflower casserole is in the oven. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place the cauliflower in a casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil, and reheat until warm.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Slow Cooker Loaded Cauliflower Casserole Recipe

There is a gray bowl with pieces of cauliflower, melted cheese, pieces of bacon mixed together. There is shredded cheese and slices of green onion on top. There is a dark spoon handle resting inside the bowl . The bowl is on a dark gray surface.

Enjoy a comforting and flavorful dish with this slow cooker casserole easy recipe. 

With tender cauliflower florets, a creamy sauce, crumbled bacon, and lots of cheese, this casserole is the ultimate comfort food!

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 medium head cauliflower (or 1 very large head) cut into florets - approximately 6 cups
  • 10.5 ounces cheddar cheese soup (1 can)
  • 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese (shredded) and a little bit extra to serve on the side
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 3 garlic cloves- minced
  • 6 strips cooked bacon crumbles - approximately 6 tablespoons
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 -4 green onions (thinly sliced) - optional topping
  • Non stick cooking spray

Instructions

Prepare the cauliflower by removing the outer leaves of the cauliflower.

Rinse the cauliflower head under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Cut the head in half vertically and carefully slice it into smaller florets. (see FAQ's) 

  1. Lightly spray the inside of the slow cooker with non stick cooking spray. Place the cauliflower florets in the slow cooker.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cheddar soup, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, minced garlic, bacon bits, salt, and pepper. Stir well until throughly combined.
  3. Pour the cheese mixture over the cauliflower florets in the slow cooker making sure they are evenly covered.
  4. Cover the slow cooker and cook on the low setting for 3 to 4 hours. The cooking time may vary, so start to check cauliflower after 3 hours for tenderness and adjust time accordingly.
  5. Once cooked, gently stir the cauliflower casserole to mix the yummy cheese sauce and cauliflower evenly.
  6. Serve hot topped with a little shredded cheese and sliced green onions.

Notes

Equipment And Helpful Tools

Slow cooker / crock pot - 6 quart

Large mixing bowl

Wooden spoon  

Cutting board

Large sharp kitchen knife

Measuring cups

Measuring spoons

Paper towels

Let's Talk Ingredients - Variations and Substitutions

Key Ingredients

Cauliflower - I love fresh cauliflower any time I can. For convenience purposes, frozen cauliflower florets can be used.

Cheddar soup - This is what gives the casserole it's cheesy goodness!  If you have condensed cream of mushroom soup or cream of chicken in your pantry, you can definitely substitute it for the cheddar soup.

Sharp cheddar cheese - I like the convenience of the pre shredded packages that grocery stores carry however, freshly shredded cheese is always delicious! Other popular cheeses used in this yummy dish are Mozzarella and Pepper Jack.

Sour cream - There are cauliflower casseroles that call for cream cheese or heavy cream which are perfectly fine. I just love the tang that sour cream adds to the dish.

Seasonings

Minced garlic cloves - Fresh or jarred is best. Garlic powder is pretty easy to substitute it for fresh cloves. Just a reminder, one clove of garlic equals about 1/8 of a teaspoon of garlic powder.

Sea salt - Any salt that doesn't contain iodine is best.

Black pepper - Pepper adds a little depth and spice to food.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest


Cody Buchholtz

Sunday 16th of July 2023

So yummy and easy to make! Highly recommend

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