Cheesy, small, and tender pieces of cauli that feel like pasta… oh. my! You'll make this quick and easy stovetop Cauliflower Mac and Cheese recipe on repeat.
Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Like my quinoa mac and cheese, this recipe combines the comfort of creamy mac and cheese and the benefits of a nutritious ingredient: cauliflower.
The cauli gets steamed to perfection, then tossed in a velvety cheese sauce you can whip up in under 15 minutes. It’s a great option for anyone following a low-carb or gluten-free diet or who loves their veggies smothered in cheese.
Ingredients
Cauliflower is the veggie swap for this low-carb mac and cheese. The creamy sauce is made with regular whole milk, half & half, cream cheese, and regular ole Cheddar or any quality cheese you have. For extra flavor, I season with garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika.
How to Make Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
From the fridge to the stovetop, you can assemble this cauliflower mac and cheese in less than 15 minutes. Here’s how:
- Steam.
When you cook the cauliflower in the microwave, add water and cover it with plastic wrap to trap the steam and cook the veggie. - Make the sauce.
Meanwhile, combine liquids and seasonings in a saucepan. Then, add the cream cheese until it's dissolved. Finally, add the shredded cheese until it’s melted. - Toss it together.
Drain the cauliflower before tossing it with the sauce to keep it from getting watery. Grab a plate and serve yourself a bite of pure joy!
Laura’s Tips for Cauli Mac & Cheese
For the creamiest sauce, select block cheeses that melt easily and smoothly. For a more sophisticated cauliflower mac, go with Gruyere and Gouda; Cheddar and Colby Jack are great options if you're looking for a milder flavor. Why a block of cheese? Most pre-shredded cheeses contain some type of starch to prevent the shreds from clumping together, meaning they won't melt as well when cooking.
Before you add the steamed cauliflower to the sauce, drain the cooking liquid! Otherwise, your cheese sauce will be thin and runny.
To make a super creamy cheese sauce, always add the cheese toward the end. If you add it too soon, the cheese will begin to break down and separate, creating little bits of ‘grain.’
What to Serve with Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
To turn this cauli mac and cheese into a meal, serve it with roasted garlic chicken thighs, baked salmon in foil, healthy turkey burgers or caramelized Brussels sprouts with Bacon.
Other Epic Cauliflower Recipes
On a cauliflower kick? I’ve got plenty of recipes right up your alley, like this roasted curried cauliflower, this creamy roasted cauliflower soup, cilantro lime cauliflower rice, or its Thai-inspired cousin, coconut cauliflower rice.
Quick Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into small bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup milk
- ½ cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- 4 ounces of cream cheese
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
Instructions
Microwave the cauliflower:
- Place cauliflower florets and ½ cup of water in a 9×13 pan. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave the cauliflower for 6 minutes, carefully opening up one corner to release the steam, test for doneness, and add an additional minute or two of steaming if necessary.
Make the sauce:
- Make the sauce in a 5qt pot over medium high heat by heating up the milk, half and half, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Once warm, add the cream cheese and dissolve it into the milk mixture.
- Add the shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the pot and mix to combine until the sauce is thick and smooth, turn off the heat.
Combine:
- Add the steamed cauliflower into the pot and toss with the cheesy sauce. Serve immediately.
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Sara Welch says
This was such a unique and unexpected recipe that does not disappoint! Love the light twist to a classic recipe; definitely, a new favorite dish!
Tayler says
We’ve been trying my make healthier swaps, so I made this for dinner last night. We loved it, and the kids didn’t even complain!
kushi says
This cauliflower mac and cheese looks amazingly delicious. Thanks for sharing.
Elisa says
Love this Cauliflower Mac and Cheese, such a great idea with cauliflower, will make it soon for dinner. Looks delicious and creamy!!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
DK says
This cauliflower mac and cheese was so good – it almost fooled me into thinking it was real mac and cheese! So tasty!