Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Cauliflower is totally the “it” vegetable this year. And I feel it’s about time this awesome vegetable was in the spotlight. It’s amazing what you can do with it! I often make pizza crusts from it, creamy sauces, soups, and in some cases as a pasta substitute. Which of course you all know by now, I am all about pasta substitutions! 😉
Cauliflower is packed with fiber, choline aka brain food, vitamin B, anti-inflammatory, and overall a healthy veggie you can feel good about!
And when you treat it as the comfort food that is mac n’ cheese, it becomes something much more. No longer will you feel guilty for wanting mac n’ cheese. Put down that card board box, make this quick cheese sauce and toss in the roasted cauliflower. And man, you won’t miss the box stuff after all this ooey gooey goodness.
I absolutely LOVE cauliflower. However, Jake won’t touch the stuff. So, because I love him. I usually make normal mac n’ cheese alongside this version for him. I don’t mind 😉
And this weekend is all about the love right? And not to get gushy or anything. But I absolutely love love love my husband. Who knew that I would run into him in the cafeteria at our college? That he would make me dinner for our first date while we watched October Sky? That he would become my best friend, soul mate, rock, and my husband? All I know is I am the luckiest girl in the world and can’t wait for what the future holds for us. “I’ll be 87 you’ll be 89. I still look at you like the stars that shine, in the sky, oh my my my..” – Taylor Swift
Enough of my cheesiness, let’s get to the real deal:
Serves 4: Calories: 230, Fat: 10g, Sodium: 290mg, Carbs: 19g, Fiber: 6g, Protein: 14.5g
You need:
1 head of cauliflower, remove stem and core (keep florets)
2 tbs of unsalted butter, melted
1 ¼ cup fat free half and half or coconut milk
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbs unsalted butter, not melted
1 tbs flour
2 cups reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon cayenne
Directions:
Preheat oven to 435
Get those florets off that cauliflower!
Toss florets with the butter and roast in the oven in a greased ( cooking spray) baking pan ( or casserole dish) for 15-20 minutes (you can the garlic too, if you want the boost in garlic flavor!)
While the florets bake, make the cheese sauce
In a sauce pan, melt 1 tbs of unsalted butter and swirl to cover the base of the pan
Add the garlic, flour, and cayenne; make sure it absorbs all the buttery goodness!
Pour in the half and half and stir frequently until it thickens (about 5 minutes)
Stir in the cheese until smooth
Take cauliflower out of over, and lower the oven temp. to 350
Pour cheese sauce over top and toss to combine
Bake in oven for another 20 minutes
Enjoy!
jvkom says
Oh my yum. I want to grab this from the computer screen and eat it right now. It's looks so delish. I love cauliflower too! And like yours, my husband does not. I so wish he knew what he was missing out on! I'm pinning this right now!
[email protected] says
Thank you! It's definitely a new favorite of mine! Lol our husbands are missing out!
Sweet Tea Sweetie says
This looks soooo yummy! Cauliflower is delish and mac and cheese is my fav.....so great combo!
Kari
http://www.sweetteasweetie.com
Liz @ I Heart Vegetables says
I've been making a lot of mac n cheese lately (it's cold out and I'm craving comfort foods!) so this would be a great way to lighten things up!
kudoskitchen says
I've always loved cauliflower (even before it was trendy). This recipe looks like a winner. I'll have to try it.
[email protected] says
Thank you Renee! It's a new favorite of mine!
Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez | girlichef.com says
I love cheesiness - both kinds! This sounds amazing, I've always been a huge cauliflower fan....so this is a given.
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
I keep noticing that Cauliflower is popping up all over the place! Love the idea of turning it into "mac and cheese"!
savoryexperiments says
That is so sweet of you to make him regular mac and cheese! I'm not sure I'd be so nice...LOL. All kidding aside, this looks amazing and I can't wait to try!
Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet says
I haven't had cauliflower in at least a year. Now I am am definitely going to have to try this!
Phillip || SouthernFATTY.com says
THIS looks like perfect comfort food for this weather. Trying to cut my carbs a bit, and have been incorporating cauliflower into just about everything that I can. Def trying this out soon!
Marjory (@dinnermom) says
I'm cauliflower obsessed too! This looks wonderful and might even get one of my picky eaters to enjoy more veges!
Marie Osborne says
Oh my goodness. Can't wait to trick my cauliflower-hater into eating this!
Alex @ DelishKnowledge says
Yum!! This is totally my kind of pasta! I love cauliflower cream sauce and love the idea of using it in Mac and cheese! Can't wait to make this one!
Cher @ Paleo + Life says
So glad you came up with a recipe, so I don't have to! I've wanted to make this for ages...
Didi Paterno-Magpali (@didipaterno) says
If Im babysitting again this summer, I'd definitely try this 🙂 Kids love mac and cheese! And so do I!
Lora @cakeduchess says
I just love cauliflower. It's so funny how it's become so hip this year (I heard it's replacing kale!!) and I just can't get enough of it. Love this recipe inspiration!!
Anna says
Looks great, anything with cheese I am in!
Amy (Savory Moments) says
I absolutely love cauliflower - it's easily one of my favorite vegetables. This dish looks super delicious!
Ashley @ Wishes & Dishes says
Cauliflower is actually one of the few vegetables that I don't despise LOL Love it!
Natalie @ Obsessive Cooking Disorder says
I really hated cauliflower as a kid, but now, I love it. Funny how our tastebuds mature with age. This mac and cheese version looks great - on my to do list (along with cauliflower pizza crust!)
Camille K says
Yum!!! This looks amazing and your heart shaped le creusets are so dreamy!
Ali A says
I. LOVE. CAULIFLOWER. I ALSO happen to love cheese. This looks SO good & I need to try it stat!
The Food Hunter says
I've got to try this...such a wonderful idea. I honestly never think of cauliflower yet I love it.
Cookin Canuck says
It's so true that cauliflower has been so popular this year. I've been roasting it, grating it in salads and putting it in soups. And now I need to use it in mac 'n cheese because this looks so good!
christine (@foodyschmoody) says
I'm so happy to see cauliflower trending this year! I've been wanting to try something like this, thanks for the guidance w/ the recipe.