Best Cauliflower Macaroni Cheese Recipes

CAULIFLOWER & MACARONI CHEESE

Steps:

• Cook the macaroni following pack instructions, adding the cauliflower for the final 4 mins.
• Melt the butter in a pan, then stir in the flour and mustard powder and cook for 2 mins. Gradually add the milk, stirring all the time to get a smooth sauce. Add three-quarters of the cheese and some seasoning to the sauce.
• Drain the macaroni and cauliflower and stir into the cheese sauce. Transfer to an ovenproof dish, then sprinkle over the remaining cheese and flash under a hot grill until golden and bubbling. Serve with a green salad, if you like.

MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Add cauliflower during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and transfer to a bowl.
• Reduce heat to medium and add oil to the pasta pot. Add onion, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, just until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in pasta-cauliflower mixture, Cheddar cheese, sour cream, milk, and Dijon mustard. Transfer mixture to a shallow 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with bread crumbs.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Top with parsley before serving.

SKINNY CAULIFLOWER MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• In 4-quart saucepan, heat water to boiling over medium heat. Add cauliflower and macaroni; cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until macaroni is tender. Drain; return to saucepan, and cover to keep warm.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 350°F. Spray 2-quart glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, stir milk, flour, mustard, salt, black pepper and red pepper with whisk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted.
• Add cheese sauce to cooked pasta mixture; mix well. Spoon into baking dish. In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and melted butter. Sprinkle over pasta mixture in baking dish. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges are bubbly.

BAKED CAULIFLOWER MACARONI & CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a ceramic or glass baking dish with cooking spray.
• Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add cauliflower florets and boil for one minute. Remove with a slotted spoon.
• Cook pasta shells in the same water, following instructions on the Horizon package. To the drained pasta, add 1/2 cup milk (instead of 1/4 cup as shown on the package), 2 tablespoons butter, and packet of cheese powder.
• Stir in cream cheese and Cheddar cheese; mix well until combined and cheese is melted. Add cauliflower and mix. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.
• Spoon macaroni and cheese into prepared baking dish. Smooth out the top.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter. In a small bowl, mix together panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, salt and pepper. Sprinkle over the top of the macaroni and cheese.
• Bake until the breadcrumbs are golden brown, 15 to 17 minutes.

BAKED CAULIFLOWER, LEEK AND MUSHROOM MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Fill a large bowl with ice water.
• Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook 3 1/2 cups of the cauliflower until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove the florets with a slotted spoon, and plunge in the ice water to stop the cooking. When cool, strain and reserve.
• Return the water in the pot to a boil, and cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Strain the pasta, shaking the colander a few times to drain excess water.
• While the pasta is cooking, heat 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat in a large pot. When the butter foams, add the leeks, mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are lightly browned and the mushrooms are tender, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Whisk in the half-and-half and bay leaf, and cook, continuing to whisk, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Lower the heat to a simmer, add 2 teaspoons salt and simmer 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat, take out the bay leaf and let sit for a minute. Add 3 1/2 cups of the Cheddar, and stir until smooth. Gently fold the cooked cauliflower and pasta into the cheese sauce, and transfer the mixture to the baking dish.
• Pulse the remaining 1/2 cup cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles couscous. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in the microwave, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter, breadcrumbs, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the food processor and pulse until combined. Sprinkle evenly on top of the pasta mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar, and bake until bubbly and brown on top, 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve hot.

CAULIFLOWER "MACARONI" AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a baking dish.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat, drain, and set on paper towels to dry.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in heavy cream and cook until bubbling. Slowly add 1 cup Cheddar cheese; cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Place cauliflower in the prepared baking dish. Pour cheese sauce over top and stir until thoroughly coated. Sprinkle remaining Cheddar cheese over top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is fully melted, about 10 minutes.

CAULIFLOWER MACARONI AND CHEESE CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish.
• Heat a skillet over medium heat; cook sausage until heated through, 5 to 7 minutes. Cut sausage into small cubes.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower, cover, and steam until tender, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; add flour and cook until a thick paste forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly mix milk into butter-flour mixture until sauce is smooth and thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir 1 cup Cheddar cheese into sauce until melted and smooth.
• Spread cauliflower into the prepared casserole dish; top with macaroni, covering the entire surface. Stir cheese sauce into cauliflower and macaroni until well coated. Sprinkle 1 cup Cheddar cheese over the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 35 minutes.

MACARONI CAULIFLOWER CHEESE BAKE

Steps:

• TO PREPARE YOUR PASTA:.
• Remove the outer green leaves from the cauliflower and discard.
• Slice the end off the cauliflower stalk.
• Cut the head into small florets.
• Halve the thick stalk lengthways then slice thinly.
• Grate the cheddar cheese and parmesan into a large bowl.
• Finely chop the parsley stalks and leaves.
• TO COOK YOUR PASTA:.
• Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil.
• Add the macaroni and all of your cauliflower and cook according to the macaroni packet instructions.
• Place the bowl of cheese over the saucepan and add the creme fraiche.
• Carefully stir every so often until the cheese is smooth and melted.
• If the water boils up underneath the bowl, just turn the heat down slightly.
• Add all the chopped parsley to the melted cheese and season with a pinch of salt and pepper.
• Carefully remove the bowl of cheese using a towel or oven gloves and set aside.
• Drain the macaroni in a colander over a bowl, reserving the cooking water.
• Return the pasta to the pan, pour in the melted cheese and stir.
• It should have a lovely silky consistency, but if it's too thick, add a splas of your cooking water to thin it out a bit.
• At this point you can either serve the macaroni as it is, or finish it under the grill to make it crispy and golden on top.
• To do this, preheat your grill to medium heat.
• Add 150ml of the reserved cooking water to the macaroni, stir in, then transfer to a baking dish.
• Place under the grill until golden and bubbling.
• TO SERVE YOUR PASTA:.
• Divide the pasta between plates or bowls, or place the baking dish in the middle of the table next to a nice green salad and let everyone help themselves.

BAKED MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH CAULIFLOWER AND HAM

Steps:

• Blanch cauliflower for 5 minutes.
• Refresh under cold water; drain well.
• Cook pasta until al dente.
• Refresh under cold water; drain well.
• Cook onion in 1 tblsp butter over moderately-low heat until softened; stir in flour and cook 2 minutes.
• Whisk in milk, cream, Worcestershire Sauce, ketchup, mustard powder, cayenne pepper and nutmeg and bring just to a boil, stirring, and simmer for 3 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350F and place rack in center of oven.
• Add 1 cup of Cheddar and all of the Parmesan, stirring, until completely melted.
• Stir in macaroni, cauliflower and ham and season.
• Mound into prepared baking dish and top with remaining Cheddar.
• Toss breadcrumbs with remaining 2 tsps butter (melted) and sprinkle over cheese.
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until topping is golden.

MACARONI AND CHEESE (WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH OR CAULIFLOWER)

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander.
• While the macaroni is cooking, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat.
• Add the oil, then the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles a thick paste but has not browned (1-2 minutes).
• Add the milk and cook, stirring every now and then, until the mixture begins to thicken (3 to 4 minutes).
• Add the vegetable puree, cheddar, cream cheese and seasonings and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the macaroni and serve warm.

BAKED CAULIFLOWER, LEEK AND MUSHROOM MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Fill a large bowl with ice water.Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook 3 1/2 cups of the cauliflower until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove the florets with a slotted spoon, and plunge in the ice water to stop the cooking. When cool, strain and reserve. Return the water in the pot to a boil, and cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Strain the pasta, shaking the colander a few times to drain excess water. While the pasta is cooking, heat 4 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat in a large pot. When the butter foams, add the leeks, mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are lightly browned and the mushrooms are tender, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Whisk in the half-and-half and bay leaf, and cook, continuing to whisk, until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Lower the heat to a simmer, add 2 teaspoons salt and simmer 1 minute. Remove the pot from the heat, take out the bay leaf and let sit for a minute. Add 3 1/2 cups of the Cheddar, and stir until smooth. Gently fold the cooked cauliflower and pasta into the cheese sauce, and transfer the mixture to the baking dish. Pulse the remaining 1/2 cup cauliflower in a food processor until it resembles couscous. Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in the microwave, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter, breadcrumbs, thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the food processor and pulse until combined. Sprinkle evenly on top of the pasta mixture. Sprinkle on the remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar, and bake until bubbly and brown on top, 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes. Serve hot.

MACARONI AND CHEESE (WITH BUTTERNUT SQUASH OR CAULIFLOWER)

Steps:

• 1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni, and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander, 2. While the macaroni is cooking, coat a large saucepan with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the oil, then the flour, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture resembles a thick paste but has not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. 3. Add the milk and cook, stirring every now and then, until the mixture begins to thicken, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the vegetable puree, Cheddar, cream cheese, and the seasoning, and stir until cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Stir in the macaroni and serve warm.

CAULIFLOWER MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• In bowl, combine crumbs, melted butter, parsley, 1 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoons black pepper. In 4 quart pot over medium heat; cook pancetta 8 minutes. Transfer to small bowl; reserve fat.
• Cook cauliflower in batches 10-12 minutes, adding up to 3 tablespoons butter if needed. Transfer to bowl. Deglaze pot with 2 tablespoons water; add to cauliflower. Wash pot.
• In same pot over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons butter. Cook flour 3 minutes. Whisk in wine and milk; cook 10 minutes. Stir in cheeses, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoons black pepper, cayenne, nutmeg and cream, then cooked pasta, pancetta and cauliflower. Top with bread crumbs., Bake 30 minutes, broil 4-5 minutes.

CAULIFLOWER MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Ask a GH (Grown-Up Helper) to bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the cauliflower and cook until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Ask your GH to transfer the florets with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. In the same boiling water, cook the pasta until al dente then drain in a colander. Add the pasta to the cauliflower. While the pasta is working, ask your GH to melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Have you GH help you whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and chicken broth and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cheese. Whisk in the mustard and season with pepper. Stir the cheese sauce into the pasta and cauliflower. Yum-o!

MACARONI AND CHEESE WITH CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Cook macaroni in large saucepan as directed on package, omitting salt and adding cauliflower to the boiling water for the last 5 min.
• Meanwhile, melt butter in large saucepan on low heat. Add flour and nutmeg; cook and stir 2 min. or until hot and bubbly. Gradually stir in milk; cook and stir on medium heat 3 to 5 min. or until mixture comes to boil and thickens. Add Swiss cheese; cook and stir 2 min. or until completely melted. Remove from heat.
• Drain macaroni mixture. Add to cheese sauce in pan; mix lightly.
• Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; sprinkle with Parmesan. Cover.
• Bake 30 min. or until heated through, uncovering for the last 10 min.

CAULIFLOWER MACARONI AND CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven 425 degrees F. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook cauliflower for 2 minutes. Remove and plunge in ice water, drain. Keep water boiling and cook macaroni until al dente; drain and set aside.
• While pasta cooks, press cloves into onion and let sit for 10 minutes. In a medium size pot, over medium heat, bring milk and bay leaf to a simmer with clove studded onion. In a medium heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Mix in flour and cook for 2 minutes. Remove bay leaf and onion, then whisk milk into flour mixture, cook for 10 minutes more, or until mixture comes to a simmer.
• Add half of the Gruyere cheese, pass mixture through a fine sieve. Add chives, red pepper sauce, and nutmeg. Add salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce to taste.
• Spread noodles and cauliflower evenly in a 12 by 10 inch ovenproof dish, pour sauce over both and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake for 20 minutes.