Make this Cauliflower Mac and Cheese recipe for a delightful twist on a classic favorite. Combine the creamy, cheesy goodness of traditional mac and cheese with the wholesome goodness of cauliflower. Whether you're looking to sneak some extra veggies into your meal or simply seeking a healthier mac and cheese option, this recipe will undoubtedly become a household favorite.
This is our favorite way of making Mac and Cheese and you might recognize it from our Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese! Learn to make this cream sauce base and you can make many more dishes with it.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower Head (or florets)
- Onion
- Garlic
- Butter
- Flour
- Milk
- Cream Cheese
- Dijon Mustard
- Grated Cheese
- Panko Crumbs
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Blanch the cauliflower florets in a large pot of boiling water. Remove from the water after a couple minutes and reserve.
Place your butter in a large skillet over medium heat to slowly melt it. Cook your garlic and onion in the butter for a couple minutes. Sprinkle the flour in the skillet and stir it in.
Whisk the milk into the flour mixture. Stir continuously until the sauce is smooth and it comes to a simmer.
Add to the skillet, the spices, Dijon mustard, and the cream cheese. Gently stir the sauce until the cream cheese has melted completely in the sauce.
Turn the heat off and add in the blanched cauliflower. Stir until the cauliflower is covered in the sauce.
Transfer the cauliflower and sauce to a baking dish. Sprinkle the cheese on top, followed by the panko crumbs. Bake in a 350F preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until the top start to take on a golden color.
Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh herbs and extra parmesan if you'd like. Enjoy!
Substitutions
- Milk - Replace the milk in the recipe with any nut milk or oat milk. Make sure it is unsweetened and unflavored. I used almond milk to make it and it worked great.
- Cheese - Use any type of grated cheese for this. Replace the grated mozzarella from the recipe with Monterrey Jack or even Cheddar cheese.
Variations
- Buffalo Style - Whisk in ½ Cup of our Buffalo Sauce to the cream sauce before adding in the cauliflower. This is a great idea if you like a little more heat. If you enjoy buffalo sauce, try our Buffalo Chicken Salad .
Storage
Refrigerate any leftover Cauliflower Mac and Cheese in airtight containers for up to 3 days. You can also place the containers in the freezer for up to a month.
Recipe
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 6 cups Cauliflower Florets
- ⅓ cup Butter
- ½ large White Onion , finely diced
- 4 cloves Garlic , minced
- ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 cups Milk or dairy alternative
- 2 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 tablespoon Italian Herbs
- ¼¼ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Salt
- 4 oz Cream Cheese , room temperature
- 2 cups Grated Mozzarella , divided
- ¼ cup Panko Crumbs
- ¼ cup Grated Parmesan
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Parsley , optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Spray a 2-quart casserole or 9"x13" baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Place the cauliflower florets in the boiling water to blanch for 2-3 minutes. Remove from the water and reserve.
- In a large skillet on medium heat, melt your butter. Place the prepared garlic and onion in the pan and slowly cook them in the butter for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the butter mixture and whisk it in, so that it gets absorbed by the butter. Let it cook for 1-2 minutes.
- While whisking, slowly pour in the milk into the skillet. Keep whisking until the sauce is smooth and starts to simmer. At this point, your bechamel sauce base is ready.
- Add to the sauce, the smoked paprika, Italian herbs, Dijon mustard, and cream cheese. Whisk until smooth and then turn off the heat.
- Fold the blanched cauliflower florets into the sauce with 1 ½ cups of the grated mozzarella cheese.
- Pour the contents of the skillet into the prepared baking dish and smooth out the top. Sprinkle the panko crumbs and the parmesan cheese evenly over the top of the dish.
- Place the baking dish, uncovered, into the prepared oven for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these. If you have extra cauliflower, try our Broccoli Cauliflower Salad. And if you love cheesy side dishes, try our Cheesy Rice.
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