Cauliflower Mac and Cheese RECIPE + VIDEO | Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

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Hidden Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is a great way to sneak in a healthy vegetable and mask it with delicious creamy mac ‘n’ cheesy comfort food.

This is a recipe for homemade mac and cheese with pureed cauliflower hidden inside. Your family may or may not notice, but it’s always fun to try and sneak in extra veggies!

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese RECIPE + VIDEO | Self Proclaimed Foodie (1)

Hidden Cauliflower Mac and Cheese might just surprise you. Cauliflower… I’m not a huge fan.

I have friends go on and on about how much they love cauliflower and how many different ways they eat it – roasted, cut into thick “steaks”, made into “rice” which is just raw cauliflower cut to look like rice.

You can’t fool me. The only way I eat cauliflower is if its covered in cheese or a wonderful dip. I will admit, however, that I do devour buffalo cauliflower bites.

Table of Contents

  • How does one hide cauliflower in mac and cheese?
  • How to make cauliflower mac and cheese:
  • Watch the recipe video below!
  • Hidden Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

How does one hide cauliflower in mac and cheese?

Good question.

I got a head of cauliflower and decided to steam it, puree it with half and half, and sneak it into some mac n cheese.

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese RECIPE + VIDEO | Self Proclaimed Foodie (2)

How to make cauliflower mac and cheese:

The only difference between my hidden cauliflower mac and cheese and regular mac and cheese is that I mixed in that smooth cauliflower puree.

You will still cook the pasta and then mix it into the cheese sauce. For my original version of this recipe, I used a combination of sharp cheddar and jalapeno jack because its what I happened to have in my frig, but any cheeses that melt nicely will do. Go ahead. Be creative.

I popped the pasta into the broiler for a few minutes to slightly brown the top because there are fewer things in this life better than crispy browned cheese straight from the oven (bacon, for example, is one of those fewer things). But there is a huge part of me that enjoyed the pasta more before I put it in the oven because it was just so creamy and yum.

Only you can decide what works best for you. Be sure to let me know if you pulled one over on your family and you got any non-lovers-of-cauliflower to eat it.

Watch the recipe video below!

Hidden Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese

Prep5 minutes mins

Cook15 minutes mins

Total20 minutes mins

Servings 8 servings

Author Krissy Allori

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese RECIPE + VIDEO | Self Proclaimed Foodie (3)

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Hidden Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is a great way to sneak in a healthy vegetable and mask it with delicious creamy mac ‘n’ cheesy comfort food. This is a recipe for homemade mac and cheese with pureed cauliflower hidden inside. Your family may or may not notice, but it’s always fun to try and sneak in extra veggies!

Save Recipe

Video

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 16 oz macaroni
  • 1 head cauliflower see notes
  • 1/2 cup half and half divided
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 12 ounces cheese grated (roughly 3 cups, use sharp cheddar, pepper jack, gouda, fontina, gruyere, or a combination)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • fresh ground pepper to taste

Instructions

  • In boiling salted water, cook macaroni. Cook just slightly al dente. Drain, do not rinse, and set aside.

  • Separate cauliflower florets from stalk and steam until soft and tender. Puree in blender with 1/2 cup half and half.

    Cauliflower Mac and Cheese RECIPE + VIDEO | Self Proclaimed Foodie (4)

  • Combine butter and flour in pot over medium heat and whisk to form a roux. Add milk and bring to a boil while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add shredded cheese, cauliflower puree, garlic powder, mustard powder, and salt in large pot. Stir until cheese is completely melted. Add in drained pasta and stir until well combined. Serve with fresh ground pepper.

  • If preferred, put in oven safe dish and broil on high 5 minutes to slightly brown the top, giving a toasted nutty flavor.

Notes

You can also use cauliflower rice instead of a head of cauliflower. You will need about 4 cups, or 32 ounces, of cauliflower rice to equal one head of cauliflower

Nutrition

Calories: 471kcal, Carbohydrates: 48g, Protein: 20g, Fat: 21g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Cholesterol: 63mg, Sodium: 619mg, Potassium: 312mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 665IU, Vitamin C: 6.6mg, Calcium: 406mg, Iron: 1.1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Did you make this? Leave me acomment below

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Cauliflower Mac and Cheese RECIPE + VIDEO | Self Proclaimed Foodie (2024)

FAQs

How does Gordon Ramsay make the best mac and cheese? ›

Preparation
  1. In a large pot over medium heat, combine the pasta and milk. ...
  2. Once the pasta is cooked, remove the pan from the heat and add the butter, cheddar cheese, salt, and pepper. ...
  3. Divide between serving bowls and top with the bread crumbs.
  4. Enjoy!
  5. All your favorite recipes, stored in one place.
May 4, 2023

Can you use frozen cauliflower to make cauliflower mac and cheese? ›

Cauliflower – Fresh cauliflower works best for this recipe, but you can also use frozen and increase the cooking time when you roast it. Be sure the florets are very small — getting more pieces in every bite helps make this keto mac and cheese more reminiscent of the real thing.

Why does my cauliflower cheese split? ›

Cook your cauliflower cheese at the right temperature, otherwise your cheese sauce can split. If your cheese sauce splits before that, it can be down to leaving it out too long, or you've boiled the sauce. If this happens, add a splash of milk or cream and whisk vigorously and it should come back to life.

Can you eat cauliflower cheese as a main meal? ›

Rustle up one of the greatest comfort foods: cauliflower cheese. It makes a perfect side dish or vegetarian main meal.

What are the 3 best cheeses for mac and cheese? ›

What Is the Best Cheese for Mac and Cheese? Sharp cheddar is the overwhelming popular choice, but for extra-creamy results, we think medium cheddar is even better. Other delicious options include Gruyère, smoked Gouda, and Monterey Jack.

Why is my cauliflower mac and cheese watery? ›

If you overcook the cauliflower before it's cooked in the cheese sauce, your dish will have a disappointing soft texture with watered-down sauce. Although there are some tricks to apply if you overcook vegetables, your best bet is to aim for undercooking the vegetable a little.

Why can't I freeze cauliflower cheese? ›

It can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the fridge until ready to cook. It is possible to freeze cauliflower cheese but unfortunately the sauce can sometimes turn thin and sligtly watery on defrosting, so we prefer not to freeze the dish if at all possible.

How do you keep frozen cauliflower from getting mushy? ›

Cooking with too much water leads to mushy vegetables. That's why we recommend sautéing, roasting, or steaming frozen vegetables instead of boiling them. Here's how: Sauté – Heat a wide pan over medium high heat, add frozen vegetables and a little oil or butter, stir and cook (uncovered) for five to seven minutes.

Why can't you reheat cauliflower cheese? ›

Can you reheat cauliflower cheese? Yes you can, and it will taste fine… But just be aware that it will dry out a little and the cauliflower will be a little bit softer… not a deal breaker, but definitely not as good as fresh! Simply place any leftover cauliflower in a lidded container and refrigerate.

What is wrong with my cauliflower? ›

Bitter tasting cauliflower can be caused by too much heat or sun. It can also taste bitter from a lack of moisture, uneven watering, waiting too long to harvest, or overcooking. If bitter cauliflower has been a problem, try growing purple varieties (they tend to be less bitter).

What goes best with cauliflower cheese? ›

King of comfort foods, cauliflower cheese makes a great simple dinner with a jacket potato or a fabulous accompaniment to a roast dinner.

What part of cauliflower is not edible? ›

Every part of a cauliflower is edible, even the tough outer skin. However, we do recommend peeling this part before cooking as it's a bit tough to chew.

Is it safe to eat cauliflower every day? ›

Andrews says the biggest pitfall with cauliflower is the possibility of digestive discomfort like bloating, gas or cramping, especially if you are sensitive to other cruciferous vegetables. Cauliflower can also cause issues in people with an allergy to cruciferous vegetables or those vulnerable to kidney stones.

How many times a week should you eat cauliflower? ›

Even better from a health standpoint, enjoy cauliflower and other vegetables from the cruciferous vegetable group 4-5 times per week, and increase your serving size to 2 cups.

What are the ingredients in Gordon Food Service mac and cheese? ›

COOKED ENRICHED MACARONI PRODUCT (WATER, SEMOLINA [MILLED WHEAT, NIACIN, FERROUS SULFATE, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID]), WATER, CHEDDAR CLUB CHEESE (CHEDDAR CHEESE [CULTURED PASTEURIZED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES], WATER, SALT, ANNATTO [COLOR]), CHEDDAR CHEESE (PASTEURIZED MILK, CHEESE CULTURES, SALT, ENZYMES ...

What is the most perfect cheese to use on Mac & cheese? ›

Gruyere is a classic addition because it melts much like Cheddar, but has a lovely nutty flavor. Other classics include Gouda, Muenster, Parmesan, fontina, Havarti and Monterey Jack. Brie works well too, just make sure you remove the rind before mixing it in.

What makes mac and cheese taste so good? ›

1. It takes two cheeses to tango with mac. For really great macaroni and cheese, you need a cheese that melts well and a cheese that packs a punch. A few cheeses do both (that's a shout out to you, cheddar, emmentaler, and your other alpine-style, fondue favorites).

What are the top 7 cheeses to use in mac and cheese? ›

7 Best Cheeses for Macaroni and Cheese
  • Cheddar. Cheddar is a staple for countless recipes. ...
  • Parmesan. Parmesan is a salty cheese with complex flavors. ...
  • Gruyere. Update your mac and cheese recipes to something more mature with Gruyere. ...
  • Brie. ...
  • Smoked Gouda. ...
  • Monterey Jack. ...
  • Fontina. ...
  • Sausage Mac and Cheese.

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