Creamy, cheesy, and delicious, this cauliflower mac and cheese is everything it should be!
Tender elbow macaroni and cauliflower florets are tossed in a cheesy sauce, topped with more cheese and baked until bubbly. Serve this as a meatless main dish or a side dish!
Why We Love This Dish
It’s extra saucy and super cheesy.
Adding cauliflower adds great texture to a traditional mac and cheese recipe along with extra and nutrients!
It’s a great way to incorporate leftovers into a meal! Leftover baked cauliflower can be used along with leftover meats like roast chicken for a complete meal.
This dish can be served as a main dish or a side dish.
Fresh or Frozen Cauliflower
As in any recipe, fresh is best, but frozen cauliflower can be used. If it’s frozen, be sure to defrost and drain the cauliflower before using in this recipe.
Frozen cauliflower is already fairly soft and should only be added to the cooking water during the last couple of minutes so it doesn’t overcook.
How To Make Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 to make this tasty favorite!
- Cook macaroni and the cauliflower in salted boiling water just until tender.
- While the macaroni is boiling, make the cheese sauce.
- Toss it all together and place in a casserole dish, top with more cheese and bake!
Cheese or Breadcrumbs on Top
While I top this casserole with extra cheese you can add a breadcrumb topping if you’d like. Combine the following and sprinkle over the casserole before baking:
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (or Panko)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, salt & pepper to taste
Additions & Variations
This is a great recipe for add-ins! Here is a list of great add-ins, but feel free to get creative! Add about 1 cup or so of any of the following combinations:
- Ham & Broccoli: Leftover diced ham and steamed broccoli are great additions.
- Bacon & Tomato: Cherry or grape tomatoes, crisp bacon (or bacon bits) and a handful of fresh chopped spinach.
- Pizza Inspired: Crumbled Italian sausage, pepperoni, sauteed green peppers, onions and black olives with a dash of oregano.
- Veggie Lovers: Sauteed onions, bell peppers, zucchini & mushrooms.
How To Reheat Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
This casserole doesn’t freeze well but it will last in the fridge for about 5 days. The best way to reheat cauliflower mac and cheese is to give it a good stir and zap it in the microwave for a few minutes. Add a little milk if the sauce is too thick after reheating.
More Mac & Cheesy Goodness
- Homemade Mac and Cheese Casserole – personal favorite
- Velveeta Mac and Cheese – comfort food classic
- Stove Top Macaroni & Cheese – in about 15 minutes
- Baked Mac and Cheese – reader favorite
- Pesto Mac and Cheese – easy to make
- Creamy Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese – extra creamy
- 3 Cheese Cavatappi – so cheesy!
- Quick Broccoli Pasta – a vegetarian fave
Did you enjoy this Cauliflower Mac and Cheese? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Baked Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 cups cauliflower cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups elbow macaroni uncooked
- ¼ cup butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon seasoned salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup light cream about 10-12% MF
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
- ½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 425°F.
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Cook cauliflower and macaroni in salted water 5 to 7 minutes or until macaroni is tender. Drain very well.
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Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and seasonings and cook 1 minute.
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Whisk in cream and milk a little bit at a time whisking until smooth after each addition. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat while stirring.
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Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese and 3 cups of cheddar cheese until melted. Toss with cauliflower and macaroni and spread into a greased 9×13 pan.
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Top with the remaining 1 cup of cheddar cheese and bake for 20 to 22 minutes or until bubbly. Do not over cook.
Notes
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs (or Panko)
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, salt & pepper to taste
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course, Pasta, Side Dish
Cuisine American
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We love this recipe! We do 50/50 cauliflower and noodles. It freezes well in my opinion. We add diced ham and sometimes chopped onion. Tip with Italian seasoned bread crumbs. Thank you!
Keli Fortman
this is an excellent and versatile recipe. I frequently make it and usually add what I need to use up in my fridge… half broccoli/half cauliflower. Pre-cooked and crumbled bacon and topped with green onions. Pizza pepperoni and diced bell peppers and onions and topped with fresh tomatoes. Thank you for this recipe, it’s one of our family faves. Also freezes well for a quick dinner next time :)
Sounds delicious, Marjorie! Thanks for leaving a review! :)
This recipe is amazing. Mac and cheese is one of my husband’s favorites. The addition of cauliflower makes it so much healthier. I’ve made this multiple times and have never been disappointed. Freezes well.
What can you use in place of the light cream or can you leave out completely?
I haven’t tried it so I can’t say for sure Paula. You could try substituting more milk, but your sauce may not thicken the same. If you try it I would love to hear how it turns out!
Outstanding!
So glad you loved it!
Question- by 4 cups of cheese, do you mean 4, 8oz blocks? 32 oz total?
For this recipe, we use 4 cups of cheddar cheese which is approximately 2 x 8 ounce blocks unshredded. Hope that helps.
Was very good, served it for Thanksgiving for my family and it went over very well. My only tweaks were to steam the cauliflower separately until almost tender, then I spread it on a sheet pan to dry out some. I was keeping the finished turkey warm at 170 anyway, so popped it in there a while while I prepped the sauce. Also, did 2 C cheddar and 2 C gruyere, and added about 1/2 tsp dried mustard to sauce as I’ve seen in other mac recipes. All delicious! I could not find elbow macaroni (shelves were empty) so used the most cauliflower-shaped pasta that was left, orecchiette. Def. a keeper :)
That sounds delicious, Joanne! Thanks for sharing those tips!
This is such a delicious recipe! My go to Mac and Cheese
So glad you’ve loved it as much as we do Hilary!
Love the recipes!
I made it tonight! It is delicious! Love that it has cauliflower in it! Yummy!
This is my FAVOURITE mac and cheese recipe I have ever tried. And it has Cauliflower in it? amazing. Have made it multiple times and each time my family loved it. Thanks for the recipe.
You’re so very welcome Natalia!
Kids loved it, adults loved it. I ended up putting in more cauliflower than macaroni, it didn’t feel heavy at all. Highly recommend it.