Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
A lot of people say that cauliflower versions of traditional recipes are just as good... and sometimes they are right. With this cauliflower mac and cheese, I'm going to let you know that there will never be another reason to use a traditional recipe again. This recipe is cheesy, delicious and perfectly balanced... give it a shot and let me know if you agree.
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 380kcal
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets (approx 4 cups)
- 4 ounce cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 cups cheddar cheese shredded and divided
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup bacon chopped
- 1/4 cup Parmesan grated
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked Paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper ground
Instructions
Preparation Steps
- Add a couple drops of olive oil to your baking dish. Coat the dish well and set aside.
- Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. I avoid using much of the stems. Add to a bowl and set aside.
- Gather up all the remaining ingredients for cooking.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) with an open rack in the middle of the oven.
Cooking Steps
- Place the steamer basket into your pan with about ¾ of an inch of water. Add in the cauliflower to the steamer basket. Place on the stove over high heat, covered, for about 5-7 minutes. The cauliflower needs to be al dente (just slightly cooked).
- Remove the cauliflower from the pan and set aside. Discard the cooking water.
- Add in the butter and cream cheese. Place over low heat. Stir with a whisk until smooth.
- Add in the heavy cream, whisking until smooth. Repeat with the spices, salt and pepper.
- Add in 1.5 cups (approximately) of the cheddar cheese. Keep the heat low and gently stir until the cheese is melted.
- Add in ½ of the parmesan cheese and stir gently.
- Turn off the heat and add in the par-cooked cauliflower. Using the silicone spatula, gently fold the cauliflower into the creamy cheese sauce.
- Pour the cheesy cauliflower mixture into the prepared baking dish.
- Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese, then the cheddar cheese and the chopped bacon.
- Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes. When the top is golden brown and the cheese is bubbling, remove from the oven.
- Allow the dish to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. The cheese will thicken and everything will be just delicious.
Notes
Wow. This is a really good recipe for cauliflower mac n cheese. If you like it, please let me know in the comments! Let's do this!
Also, remember that every day in the kitchen is a great day to make something delicious.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 698mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1147IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 290mg | Iron: 0.5mg
