Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

2024-11-03 /Posted byYoga Pit / 43

Enjoy the comfort of mac and cheese while cutting carbs and eating more veggies!

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For most of us, it’s a good idea to add more vegetables to our diet while also trying to reduce our carbs. Of course, that makes it a little more difficult to enjoy classic comfort foods like mac and cheese. Who among us can resist a tasty bowl of mac and cheese? This is precisely why making cauliflower mac and cheese is a great idea. This dish still has the cheesy goodness of mac and cheese but uses roasted cauliflower instead of pasta, giving you the best of both worlds.

If you think about it, substituting pasta for cauliflower is no big deal. Roasted cauliflower has a mild, slightly sweet flavor, and tends to take on the taste of seasonings and other ingredients it’s combined with. You can add any type of cheese you want and even play around with various seasonings to get the mac and cheese to taste exactly as you like it, while also having the benefit of eating cauliflower instead of pasta.

Is Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Healthy?

One of the advantages of this recipe is that it has fewer carbs than traditional mac and cheese. Cauliflower is a nutrient-dense vegetable that contains vitamins C, K, and B6, among others. It’s also a good source of fiber. Just keep in mind that while the cheese provides calcium, it also contributes to a high amount of fat in this dish. There are around 30 grams of fat and 16 grams of saturated fat per serving, so if you’re watching your fat intake, this may not be the ideal recipe.

Finely Chopped Florets

When you make cauliflower mac and cheese, don’t forget that the cauliflower is the most important ingredient. Try to find a fresh head of cauliflower that’s at least 2 pounds in weight. Make sure you cut the florets into small pieces. Cutting each piece into roughly the same size will also help ensure the pieces cook evenly.

INGREDIENTS

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1 pinch nutmeg
Black pepper to taste
Salt to taste
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Panko bread crumbs for topping, optional

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

Roast seasoned cauliflower florets.

Mix

Simmer cream and cheese to make sauce.

Bake

Combine cauliflower with sauce and bake.

Devour!

FAQs & Tips

How to Make Ahead and Store

If you’re making this ahead of time, combine the cheese sauce and roasted cauliflower in the baking dish; cover it and store in the fridge until you’re ready to put it in the oven. With cooked leftovers, let them cool before placing them in an airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Why did this come out watery?

This dish can come out watery if you overcook the cauliflower. When it’s cooked, cauliflower naturally releases water, so overcooking it can make your cheese sauce too runny.

What types of cheese should I use?

Sharp cheddar is usually the best choice for mac and cheese. This recipe also calls for Monterey Jack. But you can add or substitute your favorite types of cheese too, including pepper jack, Gruyère, mozzarella, and smoked Gouda

Serving Suggestions

More often than not, cauliflower mac and cheese is just a side dish. Of course, it’s a versatile one, so you can pair it with a wide array of main courses. One option I love is Firecracker Chicken, because its spicy nature is a nice complement for gooey cheese. I’m also a big fan of having mac and cheese with hot dogs and burgers, including Chili Dogs or Bacon-Wrapped Hot Dogs. Finally, you can make this a vegetarian-friendly meal by pairing cauliflower mac and cheese with a Falafel Burger instead of a burger made of meat.