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Rich and hearty, this extra creamy homemade cauliflower mac and cheese is a simple and quick meal. This tasty, easy and cheesy one-pan dinner is the ultimate comfort food plus it’s low-carb and keto-friendly! Baked cauliflower florets are mixed with loads of cheese, heavy cream, and seasoning for an awesome twist on traditional mac and cheese.
Try this cauliflower fried rice, zucchini noodles or ham and cheese soup for more healthy, low-carb meals. Check out these 19 keto recipes you’ll love as well. Instant Pot hard-boiled eggs are ideal for a snack, plus you can make our famous egg salad with them. These keto chocolate peanut butter balls are amazing for dessert!
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
I love this lightened-up comfort food — it’s got all the creamy, cheesy goodness of classic mac and cheese in a healthy version.
Plus, it’s an easy and quick meal to make on a busy weeknight. You’ll only need one pan to create this tasty dinner!
Pro tip: this can also be served as a yummy side dish. You’ll crave this flavorful, rich sauce made from scratch. It’s totally delish.
Skip the pasta noodles and grab the veggies for this ultimate homemade cauliflower mac n cheese.
MAC AND CHEESE: Baked Mac and Cheese | Chili Mac and Cheese | Instant Pot Mac and Cheese | Bacon Mac and Cheese | Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese | Crockpot Mac and Cheese |
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 T olive oil
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ t mustard powder
- ½ t paprika
- 4 oz cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
- 4 oz, Colby jack, freshly shredded
- 2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
- Fresh chopped parsley
Substitution Ideas
You could use any mix of your favorite cheese for this recipe — get creative and try different varieties to find your favorite combo! Gruyere is yummy or you could use creamy goat cheese.
Pro tip: you could substitute vegan cheese in this recipe as well.
You could also add in broccoli florets if you’d like.
I used fresh cauliflower, but you could also use frozen if you’d like. Be aware that frozen cauliflower will change the texture of the recipe a little.
If you like spicy food, you could add crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce as well for an extra kick.
Pro tip: save yourself the chopping and pick up a bag of prepped cauliflower in your grocery store to cut down on prep time.
How to Make Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Chop cauliflower into bite-size pieces and toss with olive oil to evenly coat. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
Place the cauliflower pieces on the baking sheet and roast in the oven for 20 minutes, or until tender.
In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, whisk together heavy cream, paprika, mustard powder, and cheeses.
Pro tip: don’t skip the mustard powder, it really creates a delicious flavor.
Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted and smooth.
Add in the roasted cauliflower and stir so that the cauliflower is evenly coated in cheese sauce.
Top with freshly cracked black pepper and freshly chopped parsley.
You could also garnish with crispy bacon on top!
Variation Ideas for This Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Recipe
Feeding a crowd and want to make it even cheesier?
First, double the recipe shown above.
Then, spray a 9×13 casserole dish with cooking spray, then layer your cauliflower mac and cheese inside.
Top with more shredded cheese and broil in the oven for a few minutes to melt.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, and then warmed up for lunch on the stovetop, baked, or in the microwave.
Your kids will be happy to skip traditional Kraft mac and cheese after they have a taste of this recipe!
More Delicious Recipes to Make
COMFORT FOOD: Shepherd’s Pie | Easy Chicken and Dumplings | Meatloaf | Poor Man’s Steaks |
PASTA: Creamy Beef and Shells | Ground Beef Stroganoff | Homemade Pasta Sauce | Instant Pot Lasagna | Spicy Thai Noodles |
Enjoy making this cauliflower mac and cheese from scratch for your family soon!
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 T olive oil
- ½ cup heavy cream
- ½ t mustard powder
- ½ t paprika
- 4 oz cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 4 oz Colby jack, freshly shredded
- 2 oz cream cheese room temperature
- Fresh chopped parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
- Chop cauliflower into bitesize pieces and toss with olive oil to evenly coat. Add salt and pepper, to taste.
- Place cauliflower pieces on baking sheet and roast for 20 minutes, or until tender.
- In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, whisk together heavy cream, paprika, mustard powder, and cheeses.
- Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted and smooth.
- Add in the roasted cauliflower and stir so that cauliflower is evenly coated in cheese sauce.
- Top with freshly cracked black pepper and freshly chopped parsley.
- Serve warm.
Video
Nutrition
A delicious alternative to a classic dish.