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top view of cauliflower mac and cheese
Home > low carb side dishes > Cauliflower Mac And Cheese

Cauliflower Mac And Cheese


5 from 20 votes
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Cauliflower mac and cheese is here to redeem every piece of cauliflower that’s ever been left alone on a veggie tray. The humble cauliflower is a great pasta substitute and is loaded with vitamins and fiber. But personally, I’ve never craved cauliflower. Until now.

For more cauliflower subs, check out my cauliflower pizza or cauliflower fried rice.

closer look of cauliflower mac and cheese

Why You’ll Love Baked Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Cauliflower? A comfort food!? Stay with me… This is greater than your average smother-it-with-cheese situation for two reasons:

  1. The cauliflower adds a savory flavor that complements the cheese, without getting lost in it.
  2. The cheese sauce is luxuriously velvety, creamy, and cheesy.

Forget the veggie tray or been-there-mash, this is how I’ll be bringing cauliflower to the table this season.

Is Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Keto? Low Carb?

This baked cauliflower mac and cheese is the PERFECT pasta substitute for traditional mac and cheese, with a fraction of the carbs and an added dose of veggies.

My #1 reason for loving this recipe? There are 43 g carbs in mac and cheese per serving. In this recipe? There are 6g. Even if you aren’t a low carb eater, you know that’s pretty cool…

top view of cauliflower mac and cheese

How to Make Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Baked cauliflower mac n cheese is surprisingly easy to make. Here’s how with some pictures to guide you:

Prep your “macaroni” by tossing cauliflower in oil and seasoning and baking it in the oven. Roasted cauliflower takes about 25 minutes.

top view of easy cauliflower mac and cheese

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Make the sauce. Melt the butter along with your heavy cream. Stir in the cheddar.

top view of easy cauliflower mac and cheese ingredients
top view of easy cauliflower mac and cheese ingredients

Bake it all together. Remove your pan from heat and add the cauliflower, stir to combine. Cover the dish with parmesan, then bake your cauliflower mac and cheese.

top view of easy cauliflower mac and cheese
top view of easy cauliflower mac and cheese

Pro Tips

This isn’t your average cauliflower and cheese recipe. I’ve added a few surprises to keep you coming back for seconds. Here’s everything you need to know for how to make mac and cheese, the cauliflower way:

  • Prebake the cauliflower, this will get it soft enough to work well as a pasta dupe, and will mellow out its flavor so our baked cauliflower with cheese doesn’t taste too much like, well, vegetables.
  • Turn this into one pot mac and cheese by making your cheese sauce in the same pan. Toss your baked cauliflower in the cheese sauce, then bake it in the oven. One pan wonder!
  • Add a crunch to the top. As you know, most mac and cheese recipes are topped with breadcrumbs. In an effort to keep this recipe gluten free and low carb, I like adding crushed pork rinds, which add a delicious crunch (and a bit of bacon-y flavor). If pork rinds aren’t your thing, be sure to add crunch with breadcrumbs/gf breadcrumbs.

Can You Freeze Cauliflower Mac n Cheese?

As with most cheese or cream sauces, this baked cauliflower mac and cheese is best fresh, but you can freeze it if you must. I like to portion it into resealable baggies. Reheat leftovers in the oven or toaster oven to re-crisp the top.

closer look of cauliflower mac and cheese

Serving Recommendations

What goes well with mac and cheese?? All.The.Things. But the beauty of this dish is you really don’t have to serve it with anything. It’s great on its own. I like to dish it up alongside meat dishes. It’s also one of our family’s Thanksgiving staples.

Tweaks + Variations

As long as you get the basics for this cheesy cauliflower recipe down, you can switch and swap ingredients as you see fit. Here are some ideas that come to mind:

  1. Add protein. Pancetta, bacon, cubed ham, heck even shredded chicken would be a delicious addition to this cauliflower mac and cheese. Be sure to cook any meat before adding it.
  2. Or, skip the meat. 
  3. Add more vegetables. Broccoli is a natural complement, but everything tastes delicious in this cheese sauce. Try adding sauteed kale, red onions, mushrooms, or zucchini noodles.
  4. Try a different type of “pasta” – again, broccoli is the obvious sub. Or, give my almond flour pasta, spaghetti squash, butternut squash noodles, or keto gnocchi a try! Skip shirataki noodles here, they work best as a stir-fry sub.

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Tutorial Video

More Pasta Swaps

closer look of cauliflower mac and cheese

Cauliflower Mac And Cheese

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Servings :6 Servings
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1 Head Cauliflower cut into 1" florets
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 Cup Sharp Cheddar Cheese shredded
  • 1/2 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream
  • 1 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
  • 1/4 Cup Parmesan Cheese
US Customary – Metric

Instructions

  • Prep. Preheat oven to 450 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Roast cauliflower. Toss cauliflower in olive oil, Italian seasoning, salt, and ground black pepper, and spread onto a baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until the florets begin to brown.
  • Make the sauce. Melt the butter in an oven safe pan over medium heat. Once melted, add the heavy cream and stir to combine. Sprinkle in the cheddar a little at a time as it melts. Cook on low until everything has melted together.
  • Assemble + bake. Remove from heat and stir in the cauliflower. Sprinkle the top of the dish with parmesan. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, or until the top begins to brown.
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Lindsey’s Tips

  1. Optional topping: 1/2 cup crushed pork rinds or bread crumbs for a bit of texture.
  2. We also love adding 4 ounces of pancetta to the cream sauce.
  3. Nutritional information is based on 1 serving if you divide this recipe into 6 servings:

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcalTotal Carbohydrates: 6gProtein: 8gFat: 19gSodium: 321mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gNet Carbs: 4g
©Little Pine Low Carb. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media/website/blog is strictly prohibited.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  5. looks great – not only a side, but a meal in it’s self with a salad on the side. i do have a question — can frozen cauliflower be used? if so, how much and how to???

    happy new year.

    Reply

    • Hi Barbara! Happy New Year ? You can definitely use frozen cauliflower, although the texture would change a bit (the “noodles” will be a bit softer). Try using 10-12 ounces. Hope you enjoy!

      Reply

  6. I am intrigued by all your info, and would have never guessed this did not have pasta in it. Just the word macaroni I look the other way. Thanks so much for the commentary before the recipe. I cannot wait to try it. I usually am missing some of the ingred, so I copy them all. Thanks again.

    Reply

  7. This recipe is really easy to make and is so delicious! I took it to a potluck and it was a hit! It has now become a regular side dish for our dinners!

    Reply

  17. OMG that was amazing! My family of 4 devoured the entire recipe! We did omit the pancetta…it was still delicious!!!! Thank you!

    Reply

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