Twice-Baked Potatoes With Cauliflower and Cheese

Name: Twice-Baked Potatoes With Cauliflower and Cheese
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 large baking potatoes, like russets; 1 teaspoon olive oil; Kosher salt; 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into florets; 3 cups milk; 2 bay leaves; 4 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese.

By Sam Sifton

Updated Oct. 7, 2022

Twice-Baked Potatoes With Cauliflower and Cheese — Christina Holmes for The New York Times. Food stylist: Maggie Ruggiero. Prop stylist: Penelope Bouklas.

Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
Rating: 4(618)
Comments: Read comments

This is a recipe that nods at a lesson taught by the British writer Nigel Slater, which is to poach the cauliflower in bay-leaf scented milk while the potatoes bake. The soft florets are then mashed in with the potato flesh and a healthy splash of the cooked milk. Add butter. Top with cheese.

Featured in: The Baked Potato, Three Ways

or to save this recipe.
Subscriber benefit: give recipes to anyone
As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.
Subscribe
Share
Print Options
Include recipe photo

Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

4large baking potatoes, like russets
1teaspoon olive oil
Kosher salt
1small head of cauliflower, cut into florets
3cups milk
2bay leaves
4tablespoons unsalted butter
1cup grated Parmesan cheese.

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Opt out or contact us anytime. See our Privacy Policy.

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat oven to 450.
Step 2
Scrub potatoes under running water; dry them, and rub the skin of each with the oil and a little salt. Pierce the skin of each in three or four places with the tines of a fork.
Step 3
Place the potatoes in the oven, and roast for 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the potatoes, until they offer no resistance when a knife is inserted in their centers.
Step 4
While the potatoes are baking, put the cauliflower into a saucepan set over medium-high heat, and add the milk and bay leaves. Heat until almost boiling, then reduce flame to low, and simmer until tender, approximately 20 minutes.
Step 5
When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven, slice them open down the middle and use a spoon to scrape out their flesh into a bowl. Add the butter, the cauliflower and a healthy splash of the milk, and mash to combine. Spoon the mixture back into the empty jackets, place on a baking sheet and shower with cheese. Return to the oven for approximately 15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden.

Ratings

4 out of 5

618 user ratings

Have you cooked this?

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Comments

Smith7 years ago

This was delicious, but very rich. I served it along with pork schnitzel and a salad, but next time I will serve this as the main with a green salad. I also added more flavor to the milk: garlic cloves, shallots, thyme sprigs, peppercorns.

Suzanne7 years ago

I frequently freeze twice-baked potatoes because they're ready to go anytime.

Patricia7 years ago

Use the leftover milk in a nice soup like mushroom or clam chowder.

emm3 months ago

def needs more flavor. would add more spice and garlic next time. But a good base.

Wink O.5 months ago

I used salted instead of unsalted butter, and combined with the sharpness of the Parmesan, it nearly overwhelmed the subtle sweetness of the cauliflower/milk combination. I did use less milk as suggested by others (and have saved it for soup) but adding garlic, cheddar, truffle oil...that might also be tasty, but a different flavor profile. Save your bay leaves for something else if you're going to do that, they won't hold up to those strong flavors.

Spencer6 months ago

I added 5 tbsp of butter, seasoned the filling, and used a full head of cauliflower. Also put some cheese in the shells and put them back in the oven like others to crisp them up before filling them.

Private comments are only visible to you.