Cheesy Cauliflower Nests

Name: Cheesy Cauliflower Nests
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: Fine sea salt and black pepper; 2 medium cauliflowers (about 3 pounds total), stalk and leaves trimmed, each cut through the core into 3 even wedges; 5 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1/2 cup (lightly packed) fresh sage leaves; 8 ounces/235 grams phyllo pastry (about 6 sheets), thawed if frozen; 1 1/4 cups finely grated sharp white Cheddar (about 4 ounces); 3 large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks; 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream; 1 teaspoon cornstarch; 1 garlic clove, finely grated; 1/4 whole nutmeg, finely grated (about 1/2 teaspoon); 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

By Yotam Ottolenghi

Updated Nov. 28, 2025

Cheesy Cauliflower Nests — Linda Xiao for The New York Times. Food stylist: Monica Pierini. Prop stylist: Megan Hedgpeth.

Total Time: 1½ hours
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1¼ hours
Rating: 4(128)
Comments: Read comments

There’s something undeniably celebratory about a dish wrapped in crisp, golden phyllo, especially when it gives way to golden, roasted cauliflower and a rich, creamy custard. These cheesy cauliflower nests make for an excellent vegetarian centerpiece, offering comfort and elegance in equal measure. The cauliflower, cut into six individual wedges, gets tucked into phyllo nests, then a gently spiced custard, fragrant with nutmeg and cloves, seeps into the crevices and binds everything together. Much of the work can be done ahead — the phyllo nests can be assembled and refrigerated the day before, ready to bake when needed, and so can the custard — which makes this dish a stress-free option for festive gatherings.

Featured in: A Dish of One’s Own

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

Fine sea salt and black pepper
2medium cauliflowers (about 3 pounds total), stalk and leaves trimmed, each cut through the core into 3 even wedges
5tablespoons unsalted butter
2tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½cup (lightly packed) fresh sage leaves
8ounces/235 grams phyllo pastry (about 6 sheets), thawed if frozen
1¼cups finely grated sharp white Cheddar (about 4 ounces)
3large eggs plus 3 large egg yolks
1¼cups heavy whipping cream
1teaspoon cornstarch
1garlic clove, finely grated
¼whole nutmeg, finely grated (about ½ teaspoon)
¼teaspoon ground cloves

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

Step 1
Heat the oven to 425 degrees.
Step 2
Bring a large lidded pot of well-salted water to the boil over high heat. Add the cauliflower wedges and cook for 5 minutes, covering with a lid if necessary to maintain a rolling boil. Strain and transfer the cauliflower to a sieve or rack to dry for 5 minutes.
Step 3
Heat the butter with the oil in a small saucepan over medium just until melted, about 2 minutes. Add the sage leaves and cook, stirring, until dark green and crispy, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside, keeping the butter mixture.
Step 4
Keep your phyllo sheets under a damp tea towel to prevent them from drying out. Working with one sheet at a time, brush the top of the phyllo with the butter mixture. Place a cauliflower wedge in the center of the sheet, then gently scrunch the phyllo halfway up the sides of the cauliflower and transfer it to a 9-by-13-inch sheet pan. Leave a small gap approximately the width of your pinky-finger between the phyllo and the cauliflower all the way around, to hold the custard later. Repeat with the remaining sheets and cauliflower, nestling them snugly into the baking sheet. Brush the exposed tops of the cauliflower with the remaining butter mixture.
Step 5
Transfer the cauliflower nests to the oven, setting them in the top third of the oven near the heat source, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the phyllo is deeply golden and the cauliflower is lightly charred.
Step 6
Meanwhile, make the custard: Add 1 cup of the cheese to a medium bowl and whisk together with the whole eggs, egg yolks, cream, cornstarch, garlic, nutmeg, cloves, a good grind of pepper and ¾ teaspoon salt until combined.
Step 7
Spoon the custard into the cauliflower nests (don’t worry if a little spills out) then sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Return to the oven until the custard is set with a gentle wobble, 10 to 15 minutes. (If you’d like more browning, you can broil for about 1 minute.)
Step 8
Serve straight from the pan, with the sage leaves on top.

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Ratings

4 out of 5

128 user ratings

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Comments

Liz1 month ago

This recipe could use a video please

Dona1 month ago

@Jen moody I would say as long as you get a good chunk of cauliflower it should be fine- the concept of wedges with the core is to hold them together while blanching. You could easily just gather large florets together( use a spider or slotted spoon to get them out of the water). I don’t think it will make any difference in the final outcome. Sounds good!

Jen moody1 month ago

Intrigued but utterly hung up on how to cut 2 cauliflowers through the core into 3 even wedges. And the pic isn’t helping.

Leigh1 week ago

I had no trouble assembling this dish, but we were disappointed with the results. Despite the sharp cheddar and interesting spices, we thought it lacked flavor. Maybe some fresh rosemary or an assortment of assertively flavored cheeses would help?

Deb C2 weeks ago

I made this today. It’s very forgiving. I halved the recipe using one head of cauliflower split into four sections. I used 2 sheets of phyllo for each cauliflower section. Otherwise made the recipe as written. Absolutely delicious and a big hit.

Rob2 weeks ago

Don’t overthink the phyllo nests, it’s forgiving for sloppy execution, and comes out great!

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