Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Tender cauliflower florets baked in a sharp cheddar and cream cheese sauce under a crisp Parmesan top. Creamy, bubbly comfort food in about 50 minutes.
- Prep15 min
- Cook35 min
- Total50 min
- Servings5
- Net carbs*8.3 g
- LevelMedium
Cauliflower stands in for elbow macaroni here, and the sauce is the reason it works. Sharp cheddar, cream cheese and heavy cream melt into a thick, tangy sauce with a little mustard and garlic. The florets bake in it until bubbling, and a Parmesan layer turns crisp and golden on top. Serve it as a meatless dinner with a green salad, or as a side next to roast chicken.
Wet cauliflower is the main reason this dish turns soupy. After boiling, drain the florets well and spread them on a towel to steam dry for 5 minutes. Cook them only until a knife slides in with slight resistance, since they keep softening in the oven. Shred your own cheddar, too. Bagged shreds have anti-caking powder that makes the sauce grainy.
Ingredients
Makes One 8x8-inch dish. Tap an item to check it off.
Equipment
- Large pot
- Colander
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- 8x8-inch baking dish
- Clean kitchen towel
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375°F and butter an 8x8-inch baking dish with a little of the butter.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the salt. Cook the florets for 4 to 5 minutes, until a knife slides in with slight resistance.
- Drain well, then spread the florets on a clean kitchen towel and let them steam dry for 5 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, warm the rest of the butter, the cream and the cream cheese, whisking until smooth, about 3 minutes.
- Whisk in 1 1/2 cups of the cheddar a handful at a time, then the mustard, garlic powder and pepper. Keep the heat low so the sauce stays smooth.
- Fold the cauliflower into the sauce and spread it in the baking dish. Top with the remaining cheddar, the Parmesan and the paprika.
- Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbling at the edges and golden on top. Let it rest 5 minutes before serving so the sauce thickens.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390
- Total carbs
- 11.8 g
- Fiber
- 3.5 g
- Net carbs
- 8.3 g
- Protein
- 17.1 g
- Fat
- 31.8 g
*These are estimates, calculated from the ingredient weights above and USDA FoodData Central data, divided by 5 servings. Net carbs = total carbs minus fiber. Values vary with brands, quantities, ingredient swaps and how you portion the dish. How we estimate nutrition.
Kitchen tips
- For extra crunch, run the dish under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes at the end. Watch it closely.
- Cut the florets about the size of a grape so they look and eat like pasta.
Substitutions
- Half the cheddar → Gruyere or Swiss Same amount. Nuttier and stretchier. Carbs drop slightly.
- Heavy cream → unsweetened almond milk Same amount. Thinner sauce and fewer calories. Bake uncovered a few minutes longer.
- Fresh cauliflower → frozen florets Same weight. Skip boiling, thaw, then squeeze them very dry in a towel.
Swaps change the nutrition estimate shown above.
Storage and reheating
- Fridge
- Covered, up to 4 days.
- Freezer
- Freeze in portions for up to 2 months. The sauce may look a little grainy after thawing but smooths out when stirred.
- Reheat
- Bake covered at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes, or microwave a portion for 90 seconds, stirring halfway.
