This Cauliflower Bread with Gruyère is a gluten-free, healthy and delicious, low-carb bread. It’s perfect to toast for breakfast, to serve as a side dish or for sandwiches.
This Cauliflower bread is unlike typical sandwich bread. The texture is soft, somewhat dense and a tiny bit crumbly.
It more or less behaves like a loaf of short bread. Some cauliflower bread recipes might include yeast, but this is a great recipe -- not only because it's delicious -- but because it comes together without any kneading or rising time.
Pizza crusts made with cauliflower are easy to find these days, but I always love creating recipes for things you can't find in grocery stores, and I've never seen anything like this before.
This bread bursts with the savory flavors of fresh thyme and garlic, and it’s so tasty that you will want slice after slice.
What Ingredients are in this recipe?
- cauliflower
- avocado oil
- fresh thyme
- garlic
- salt
- sugar
- eggs
- almond flour
- baking powder
- Gruyère
How to Make Cauliflower Bread
- Rice the head of cauliflower (which will be a small one or about half of a larger one) with a food processor, and then steam it until it's tender. Cauliflower florets break apart effortlessly, making it easy to add to the machine.
- With a clean kitchen towel, wring out the cauliflower to remove any excess liquid. (Paper towels are too thin for this. The cauliflower should be as dry as possible.) You can see the difference between the riced cauliflower before and after wringing it out in the above and below images.
- In a large bowl, mix the cauliflower, oil, thyme, garlic, salt, sugar and egg yolks. Then add the almond flour and baking powder and set aside.
- In another mixing bowl, whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, and immediately fold them into the cauliflower mixture. This is what makes the cauliflower bread rise in the oven, and it's one of my favorite ways to make a gluten-free bread work well. (Be sure to use a rubber spatula to scrape off any remaining egg whites from the bowl.)
- Quickly pour the batter into a parchment paper-lined, prepared loaf pan and evenly sprinkle the grated Gruyère on top. (Using parchment paper is a great, easy way to lift the bread out of the pan once it's cool.)
- Place the pan in a 375°F oven. Bake until the bread no longer jiggles and is golden on top, about 40 minutes. Let it cool before removing it from the pan.
(More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- There are two keys to the success of this recipe: 1) It’s very important to drain as much liquid as possible out of the cauliflower after it’s been riced and steamed. It’s quick and easy to do this (see photos above, and instruction no. 2 below in the recipe). 2) The egg whites must be whipped until stiff and then immediately folded into the batter gently so you don’t remove too much air.
- To save time you can purchase pre-riced cauliflower, which is readily available as there are so many cauliflower rice recipes out there. (you will need 1½ cups).
- You can also use garlic powder to save a bit of time. Use about 1½ teaspoons.
- I use avocado oil in this cauliflower bread recipe. It’s healthy and has a mild flavor that's barely detectable. You can also use olive oil, bearing in mind the flavor is slightly stronger).
- Use any fresh herbs you like! Italian seasoning is especially delicious with the cauliflower, and the thyme is delicious — rosemary, oregano or dill would also add great flavor.
- This recipe calls for super fine almond flour. I’ve also made it with coconut flour — it’s a bit more dry, but also works.
- What can you substitute for Gruyère? You can use almost any grated hard cheese you like on top of the bread. I love the nut-like flavor of Gruyère with cauliflower — Swiss, Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese would also be lovely. Or feel free to skip the cheese if you’d like.
- Since this bread is soft, if you want to toast it, it might be easiest on a baking sheet in a hot oven. To use a toaster, be sure it’s been out of the oven for at least a few hours.
Can you make Cauliflower Bread ahead?
This bread is best the day it comes out of the oven, but can still be great if it’s stored properly.
Room temperature. Cauliflower bread will keep for one day in a tightly sealed container at room temperature.
Refrigerator. It will keep well for about four days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
Freezer. This recipe will keep well for a month in a heavy-duty zip-lock bag with all of the air removed in the freezer.
This cauliflower cheese bread is great to make for friends with a special diet (gluten-free, low carb, etc.). I didn't create it with that intention. It just inherently works this way.
I hope you enjoy this Cauliflower Bread with Gruyère as much as we do!
More delicious cauliflower recipes:
- Mushroom Cauliflower Risotto
- Citrus Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- Cream of Jalapeño Cauliflower Soup
- Fioretto Cauliflower Salad with Lemon
- Cauliflower Steaks with Orange-Basil Butter
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
Cauliflower Bread with Gruyère
Ingredients
- about ¾ pound cauliflower (about ½ small cauliflower), washed and dried
- ⅓ cup avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, washed and dried, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs
- 1 cup super fine almond flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ⅓ cup Gruyère cheese, grated
Instructions
- Set the oven and prepare the pan. Preheat the oven to 375°F and adjust a rack to the center of the oven. Line an 8½ x 4½ x 3-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
- Prepare the cauliflower. Remove the greens and cut out the core of the cauliflower. Use a food processor with the grater attachment to “rice” the cauliflower. (You can also use a hand grater.) You need 1½ cups riced cauliflower. Place a steamer rack into a pot with the water level just below it. Over high heat, bring the water to a boil and then add the cauliflower to the rack, turn the heat to low and cover. Please note that if the holes in the rack are larger than the bits of cauliflower, you’ll need to first place a piece of cheesecloth inside to line it. Alternately, you can use a fine mesh strainer instead of the rack. Steam until the cauliflower is tender, about 15 minutes. Then pour it onto a kitchen towel, wrap it tightly and wring it out to remove as much moisture as possible (there should be a lot). Do this a few times until you no longer see any liquid dripping from the cloth. The cauliflower has to be as dry as possible. Once you’ve removed all of the liquid, it should only measure about ½ packed cup.
- Begin making the batter. Add the cauliflower, oil, thyme, garlic, salt and sugar to a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Blend until smooth. Now separate the eggs and add the yolks to the food processor and the whites to a clean mixing bowl. Set the whites aside. Blend the yolks into the cauliflower mixture and then spoon the batter into a large mixing bowl. Use a large spoon to mix the almond flour and baking powder into the batter. Set aside.
- Whip the egg whites and finish the batter. Use an electric mixer to whip the whites until stiff peaks form. Immediately add the whites to the bowl with the batter and mix just until it’s well incorporated. Very quickly pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Evenly sprinkle the grated Gruyère on top.
- Bake. Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet and into the preheated 375°F oven. Bake until the bread no longer jiggles and is golden on top, about 40 minutes.
- Cool. Let it cool in the pan for at least 5 minutes. Then use the edges of the parchment to very gently lift it out and onto a cooling rack. (The bread will sink a little in the center.) Wait for it to be completely cooled before slicing.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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Angie@angiesrecipes (@angiesrecipess)
Yummy! I haven't baked one in a long while...love that extra cheesy topping!
valentina
Thanks, Angie. Enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
What a fun idea, Valentina! And because there's cauliflower in there, I don't mind eating an extra slice or two 😉 Seriously delicious and love the pairing with the cheese!
valentina
Thanks, Dawn. Yes, you can eat the whole loaf and feel good about it. Have a great weekend! 😀 ~Valentina
Eha Carr
I have never seen a recipe like this ! And I do not usually bake 'bread' ! But this looks and sounds SO much like something I would like to try - both try to make and eat . . . I cannot imagine what cauliflower added to almond flour and flavoured with thyme would taste like . . . shall try and share the recipe with friends . . .
valentina
Hi Eha, I hope you love it! It's indeed interesting. The flavors work well together. Enjoy and have a lovely weekend (which for you has already begun). 🙂 ~Valentina
Marissa
I've been wanting to try cauliflower bread for ages, Valentina! Yours look just delicious - love the gruyere for extra flavor!
valentina
Thank you, Marissa. There can never be too much Gruyère. 😉 ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!
So I'm not quite sure if you're saying you'd serve this with sandwiches, or if you'd use it as a sandwich bread ... but I'm having a fantasy of making a ham sandwich out of this bread! There's a Polish easter bread that is almost like a cross between coffee cake and bread ... it's clearly not a sandwich bread (it's too soft), but every Polish person I know makes sandwiches out of it with leftover Easter ham and lots of mayo. It's totally wrong, and yet oh so right. I'm wondering if this bread would work like that.
valentina
Hey Jeff! Yes, I was saying it can be used for sandwiches (bearing in mind it's not a typical sandwich bread texture). Sounds like it would work for the Polish sandwich. And oh my goodness . . . YUM! I will definitely have to try that. So not wrong in my book! Thanks! 🙂 ~Valentina
Liz
Wow! I love everything about this bread! They thyme, the cheese, the cauliflower! Now why aren't you my neigbor??? I'd be over with an empty plate to beg for a slice!
David @ Spiced
Interesting! I've never heard about making bread with riced cauliflower - what a fun concept! I do love baking breads, so I definitely need to put this one on the agenda to try. And the addition of gruyere? Perfect for a loaf of homemade bread! Yum!
David Scott Allen
I love this recipe, Valentina. Anything with cauliflower gets me going these days. And with the Parmesan? Absolutely!
valentina
Hope you like it, David. Thank you! 🙂 ~Valentina
Ron
Valentina, I read lots of food blogs but, it's not often a recipe lands in my inbox that is different, intriguing, and yummy sounding all in one post. This one will be made and eaten, hopefully, toasted with a lot of mayo and a big slice of ham...
Colette
OMG cauliflower and Gruyere. I'm so gonna make this!
valentina
Yay! Hope you love it, and thank you. 🙂 ~Valentina
Susan Burton
Would it be okay to substitute the avocado oil with canola oil?
valentina
Hi Susan. Thanks for writing in. Yes, you can use canola oil, though if you have olive oil, that might be a tad better. Enjoy either way. Hope you love it. 🙂 ~Valentina
Susan Burton
Thanks