Sausage, Sprout & Cauliflower Cheese | One Pot One Portion
Name a cosier winter warmer than a single-serve cauliflower cheese. If you’ve been around for a while you might remember my viral sausage, leek and cauliflower cheese and this is its festive sibling. We’re swapping leek for sprouts and adding in ALL the christmas cheese you can find.
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Sausage, sprout and cauliflower cheese is a single-serve baked winter warmer made entirely in one ovenproof pan. It combines crisp, savoury sausage pieces with tender cauliflower and Brussels sprouts, all coated in a rich, mustardy cheese sauce. The cooking method keeps everything contained in one pot, making it ideal for cooking for one. The flavour is deeply comforting, cheesy, and gently spiced, with festive notes from nutmeg and fennel seeds. It’s a practical, indulgent one-portion meal that feels special without being complicated.
Why You’ll Want to Make This Recipe
Perfectly Portioned for One
This recipe is scaled specifically for a single serving, so you get all the joy of cauliflower cheese without leftovers or waste. Ideal for solo dinners during the festive season.
Quick & Easy
Everything is cooked in one pan, from sausage to sauce, before going straight into the oven. No juggling multiple pans or complicated steps.
One Pot Cooking
The cheese sauce is made directly in the same pan as the sausage, keeping washing up to an absolute minimum.
Festive Comfort Food
With sprouts, nutmeg, fennel seeds, and plenty of cheese, this feels like a cosy Christmas dinner side turned into a satisfying main.
Eleanor’s Top Tips for the Perfect Sausage, Sprout & Cauliflower Cheese
- Use a small ovenproof pan or dish (18–20cm) for the best sauce-to-veg ratio.
- Brown the sausage well — deep colour means deeper flavour.
- Add the milk gradually to avoid lumps in the cheese sauce.
- Grate your own cheese for smoother melting.
- A mix of Christmas cheeses works brilliantly, but keep at least half as a good melting cheese.
- Cut cauliflower florets small so they cook through evenly.
- Rest for 5 minutes after baking so the sauce thickens slightly.
Ingredients and Tools You’ll Need
Essential Ingredients
- Sausages: Provide savoury depth and richness.
- Olive oil: For browning the sausage.
- Butter: Adds richness to the cheese sauce.
- Fennel seeds: Subtle warmth and festive flavour.
- Nutmeg: Classic pairing with cheese sauce.
- Plain flour: Thickens the sauce.
- Whole milk: Creates a smooth, creamy base.
- Wholegrain mustard: Adds gentle sharpness.
- Cheese: The star — use festive leftovers or strong cheddar.
- Cauliflower: The comforting base vegetable.
- Brussels sprouts: Add festive flavour and texture.
- Salt & black pepper: Essential seasoning.
Essential Tools
- Small ovenproof pan or dish (18–20cm)
- Wooden spoon or spatula
- Grater
- Knife and chopping board
Dietary Variations
Vegetarian
Use vegetarian sausages and vegetarian cheese.
Gluten-Free
Swap the plain flour for gluten-free flour and ensure sausages are gluten-free.
Dairy-Free
Use dairy-free butter, milk, and cheese alternatives.
Different Vegetables
Broccoli, leeks, or kale can be used instead of sprouts depending on what you have.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can I make this without an ovenproof pan?
A: Yes — make everything in a frying pan, then transfer to a small baking dish before baking.
Q: What size pan is best for cooking for one?
A: An 18–20cm ovenproof pan gives the best balance of sauce and vegetables.
Q: Can I prepare this ahead of time?
A: You can assemble it a few hours ahead, refrigerate, and bake when ready.
Q: How do I know when it’s cooked?
A: The cauliflower should be tender and the cheese bubbling and golden on top.
Q: Can I use frozen cauliflower or sprouts?
A: Fresh works best, but frozen can be used — just expect a slightly softer texture.
Cosy, cheesy, and unapologetically festive, this one-pot cauliflower cheese proves that cooking for one can still feel like a celebration.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C.
- Heat a little olive oil in a small oven-proof pan over a medium high heat.
- Take the sausages out of their casing then break off pieces into the oil. Fry the sausages until they start to go dark brown and crisp.
- Add the butter and the fennel seeds and nutmeg and cook for 2 minutes.
- Add the plain flour and cook off for another 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the milk, around 75ml at a time, mixing together until the sauce is smooth.
- Add in the mustard and cheese, leaving some to sprinkle over the top, and mix until melted.
- Add the cauliflower and sprouts and mix until coated.
- Top with the leftover cheese and bake for 20-30 minutes until the cauliflower is soft and the cheese is golden and bubbling.
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I buy a lot of cook books and this is genuinely one of the best l've ever bought. I've tried 6 or 7 recipes so far and they're all winners. I'm well used to scaling recipes down to one portion, but not having to calculate measurements as l go along feels like a little luxury. One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up! Highly recommended.
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If you love eating good home cooked food but can't be bothered to cook just for yourself, then this is the book for you. Using ingredients that are easy to find, then mixing, cooking and eating from the same pan or dish means a minimum of washing up. Every recipe I have tried so far has been delicious and have all turned out well which isn't always the case with many cookery books. Definitely recommend!
Following Eleanor on Instagram and seeing her recipes come to life is one thing but then having them in my own kitchen is quite another. Not only are the recipes easy to follow and delicious she also help you not to waste food. This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?
Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This is perfect, as far as influencer chefs go, I find this book refreshing in what has become a cohort of lauded influencers who really aren't doing much more than the bog standard meals most people make anyway, or making googled recipes and adding their own "flair". This book is different as it's your normal fare you'd likely make yourself, given a little bit of a twist to speed up the process / use less utensils / ingredients / food waste, in really creative and tasty ways, all perfectly portioned for one.
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you eating!
Great present! Bought this for my sister who cooks for one. She absolutely loved it finding it inspiring! So many great recipes to motivate and keep you cooking when it's just you
Follow Eleanor on socials and knew I NEEDED this book immediately! SO glad I paid extra and had it shipped from the UK (to US). Eleanor's voice is loud and clear in every recipe. The pictures are beautiful, the instructions are perfectly clear, and I want to make EVERYTHING. I cannot recommend this book enough!
This recipe book is stunning and fulfils its role brilliantly in catering for individuals who want to eat delicious meals, but don't want to prepare family sized portions or devote their entire evening to cooking. Who'd believe you could make an entire roast for one person and only use one pan in the process! She is a genius and I couldn't recommend this book any more highly.
One of the best things about the book is that all the recipes are actually cooked in one pot - in a lot of other so-called books you still have to make your side dish in a separate pot. With these recipes, even if they include rice or pasta, it's all cooked together. No mountains of washing up!
This is the book I've been waiting for! I (very happily!) live alone, love to cook and read cookery books, but every recipe is for two people or more. This gorgeous book contains recipes perfectly proportioned for one person (and I'm always a very hungry one person!) which ensures more variety, less food waste, and pure, gluttonous joy.
It's so nice to finally have a recipe book that I can go to if I want a quick easy meal with minimal cleaning up required! Everything l've tried so far is delicious. And I salivate at the thought of everything in there!
Totally reignited my cooking mojo which had been MIA for a while. I'm going to buy my daughter a copy to take back to Uni too as everything is simple and delicious - perfect for a student!
Best cookbook for somebody single!
The fact I know I won't have loads to wash up really feels motivating and l've earmarked so many of the recipes already.
This book is like having all your favourite foods in one place with the added bonus of an old friend showing you the ropes. Congratulations Eleanor when can I pre-order the next one?