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Martha Stewart's easy cauliflower gratin recipe is the perfect 'lazy girl' side for Thanksgiving

Martha Stewart's easy cauliflower gratin recipe is the perfect 'lazy girl' side for Thanksgiving

Jordan Parker Erb

The cauliflower dish requires just a few ingredients, and is pretty tasty.Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

I'm a lazy cook, so I need lazy sides to make for Thanksgiving.
I tried out Martha Stewart's insanely easy cauliflower gratin.

Since entering my mid-20s, I've been blessed with the gift of self-awareness. Whereas I used to tell people I loved cooking (even though I rarely did it and hardly ever tried new recipes), I've since learned that I don't really like it that much.

The kinds of things I like to cook, as it turns out, are quick and easy. I typically don't have the energy to do anything too involved and often fail when I do. I am, you might say, a "lazy girl" chef.

So, when it comes to Thanksgiving, I need something I can whip up quickly with minimal stress. Enter Martha Stewart's cauliflower gratin.

Will anyone mistake you for a Michelin-starred chef when you arrive with this side? Probably not. But it's quick, easy, and tasty enough to satisfy a crowd.

Here's how to make it.

The recipe only requires seven ingredients, and takes less than an hour.

The gratin ingredients: cauliflower, parmesan, bread crumbs, flour, and heavy cream. Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

For the uninitiated — ahem, me — a gratin is, according to Martha Stewart, "a dish of layered vegetables." Easy enough.

This recipe requires seven ingredients:

1 large head cauliflower, cored and cut into florets
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup grated Parmesan
Coarse salt and ground pepper
½ cup fresh breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For this recipe, you'll need a large bowl, spatula, and a two-quart baking dish.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine cauliflower, heavy cream, flour, and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan in a large bowl.

The cauliflower mixture. Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

I seasoned the mixture with salt and pepper after transferring it into the baking dish to make sure each cauliflower got enough flavor.

Transfer the mixture to a two-quart baking dish, cover with foil, and bake 30 minutes.

Once the mixture is spread into the baking dish, cover it tightly with foil. Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

I only had a three-quart baking dish, but it seemed to do the trick just fine.

In a bowl, combine the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs. When the 30 minutes are up, sprinkle over the cauliflower.

The Parmesan and bread crumb mixture. Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

Finally, add small pieces of butter throughout the dish, then bake it uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes. The top should be golden, and the cauliflower should be tender when pierced with a knife.

Let the dish cool for five minutes before eating.

Voila: Enjoy your cauliflower gratin.

The cauliflower gratin is easy and tasty, but isn't the best thing Insider's reporter has ever eaten. Jordan Parker Erb/Insider

This cauliflower gratin is the kind of dish where, when you get the perfect bite, it's delicious: tender on the inside but crispy on the outside, with just enough cheese.

However, I thought some of the other bites were lacking and could have used something more — garlic or paprika, maybe — to liven them up.

The gratin is tasty, even if it is slightly imperfect. Still, it's so easy, quick, and seems impossible to mess up, making it a great side to bring to Thanksgiving if you're in a pinch — or, like me, just don't want to cook that much.