Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese- A low-carb alternative to traditional Mac & Cheese. Cauliflower stands in for the pasta , but you won’t even miss it! This Keto friendly version is every bit as creamy, cheesy and decadent. Comfort food without the carbs!
It’s no secret around here…I totally love cauliflower! And I’ve made a few things where cauliflower stands in for other ingredients like these Faux Loaded Potato Skins or these Sour Cream + Chive Mashed “ Potatoes” (nope not one potato in either recipe but you’d never know it!) and I even have a whole Pinterest Board called “Crushing on Cauliflower” dedicated to my love for cauliflower.
So, shocker! I’m at it again! This time it’s a low-carb spin on the quintessential comfort food Mac & Cheese. Judging by how many new cauliflower items( like pizza crusts and riced cauliflower) are popping up in the markets these days I think cauliflower love is pretty strong.
How to Make Cauliflower “Mac” & Cheese
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and cook until crisp tender ( about 5 mins.). Drain cauliflower and pat dry with paper towels. Place cauliflower in a 8 x 8 baking dish(sprayed with non-stick spray), set aside.
- In a small sauce pan, bring cream to a simmer, whisk in cream cheese and mustard until fully combined. Add 1 cup cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, onion powder and salt and pepper. Continue whisking until cheese is melted (about 1-2 mins.).
- Pour cheese mixture over cauliflower in baking dish. Sprinkle remaining ½ cup cheddar cheese on top and bake (uncovered) at 375 F for 15 minutes, or until the top is browned and bubbly.
Recipe Notes:
What size to cut cauliflower florets
You’ll want the cauliflower florets to be cut into bite sized pieces (approx. 1 inch pieces). If you are using pre-packaged cut cauliflower florets, you may need to cut them to about 1 inch in size.
What size head of cauliflower to use?
For this recipe you’ll want to select a cauliflower that is about 2 lbs. in size which is about 4 cups of cauliflower florets.
Cauliflower releases water when cooked
Keep in mind sauce will thicken as cauliflower mac & cheese cools. If need be you can spoon off any extra liquid. It won’t change the flavor and your cauliflower bites will be loaded with cheesy goodness.
How to Reheat Cauliflower “Mac” & Cheese?
You can easily reheat in the microwave, oven or even stove-top.
- Microwave: In a microwave safe dish for approx. 1-2 min. (depending on strength of microwave).
- Oven: In an oven proof dish covered with aluminum foil. 350 F for about 20-25 minutes.
- Stove-top: Heat desired amount in a sauce pan over medium heat until warm.
Add-Ins/Toppers
This recipe is super flexible, feel free to customize it! Some ideas to either stir in prior to cooking or topping cauliflower mac & cheese when it’s fully cooked: crumbled bacon, diced ham, green chilies, shredded chicken, shredded BBQ pork.
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets (about 2 lbs/4 cups)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 oz. cream cheese, cut into small pieces
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 ¼ cups shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided ( or shredded White Cheddar)
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray an 8 x 8 baking dish with non-stick spray. Set aside.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and cook until crisp tender ( about 5 mins.). Drain cauliflower and pat dry with paper towels. Place cauliflower in baking dish, set aside.
- In a small sauce pan, bring cream to a simmer, whisk in cream cheese and mustard until fully combined. Add 1 cup cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, garlic powder, onion powder and salt and pepper. Continue whisking until cheese is melted (about 1-2 mins.).
- Pour cheese mixture over cauliflower in baking dish. Sprinkle remaining ¼ cup cheddar cheese on top and bake (uncovered) for 15 minutes, or until the top is browned and bubbly. Serve.
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