Tender elbow pasta and tiny pieces of crunchy cauliflower are married in a creamy cheese sauce. This classic comfort food is a great way to add hidden vegetables into your picky eaters’ diets, or even your own. This isn’t cauliflower “macaroni” and cheese; this is real mac and cheese with cauliflower florets. And you’re going to love the difference.
Original post: September 2014 | Updated: March 2024
Why This Recipe Works
I love veggies, but I’m always on the lookout for finding ways to get vegetables in my kids’ bodies that they’ll actually enjoy eating. And this classic mac and cheese recipe with the addition of cauliflower does it! The first time they tried it, they fell in love with it.
It’s delicious macaroni and cheese I know they’ll eat with slightly crisp and mildly nutty minced cauliflower pieces throughout. It’s an indulgent comfort food and vegetable side all in one that will satisfy all your family’s comfort food cravings!
You can serve this great recipe on its own as a main course or as a side with any of the great options listed below.
- This white cheddar mac and cheese is a great way to get extra veggies in my kids’ bodies that they actually enjoy eating.
- Indulgent comfort food + a veggie side dish all in one cheesy sauce!
- Cauliflower is so yummy (if you’re a veggie eater like myself), so I love that extra little texture and flavor it provides.
- It’s a unique twist on traditional macaroni and cheese.
- It works as a main dish or a fun and healthy side.
Recipe Ingredients
Elbow macaroni – Any small shaped pasta will work. I love using the large elbow macaroni for that classic, fun feel.
Cauliflower – Make sure it’s very finely chopped (or even run it through a food processor. Don’t over puree though, or it’ll get gluey!).
Milk – I like whole milk. Any variety works fine, but the more fat, the creamier the creamy sauce will be. Heavy cream is a great replacement when looking for an extra creamy dish.
White cheddar cheese – Any melty cheese works (mozzarella cheese, any variety of cheddar, provolone, Monterey Jack, etc), but I love the flavor and color of white cheddar for this recipe.
Sour cream – Replace all or a portion of this with softened cream cheese for added cheesy flavor.
Parmesan cheese – Grated or shaved.
How to Make Mac and Cheese with Cauliflower
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray and set it aside.
Step 2
In a large pot or saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling pot of water and cook 3 minutes shy of until al dente. Drain, rinse and add the cooked pasta to the prepared baking dish in a single layer.
Step 3
Evenly sprinkle the chopped cauliflower over the top of the macaroni.
Mix together slightly.
Step 4
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add your flour and whisk until smooth. Then add the milk and whisk until the mixture is creamy and thickened, approximately 3 minutes.
Step 5
Add the white cheddar cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper and paprika to the pan.
Stir until the cheese has completely melted.
Step 6
Pour the melted cheese mixture over the top of the pasta and cauliflower. Top with the Parmesan cheese.
Step 7
Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until very lightly golden brown around the edges. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- Consider running the cauliflower through a food processor if you’re really trying to hide the texture from kiddos.
- Fresh minced garlic or garlic or onion powder would be a great addition to this delicious cauliflower mac for a little zip.
- To get the most health benefits from your cauliflower, it is recommended to cut it 30-40 minutes before cooking.
- You can mix the parmesan with bread crumbs or crushed Ritz crackers for a crispier topping.
- If you’re looking to spice things up, you can add some black pepper or cayenne pepper into the cheesy cream mixture.
What to Serve with Macaroni and Cheese
One of the many beautiful things about homemade mac and cheese is that it goes so well with so many other dishes. These are just a few of my family’s top favorites, but you can find the full list of 21 options to serve with macaroni and cheese here.
- Pork ribs or pork chops
- Chicken tenders
- Baked chicken
- Meatloaf (in the oven or in an Instant Pot!)
- Meatballs
- Hashbrown casserole
- Chili
- Tomato soup
- Hamburgers or Hot dogs
- Roasted veggies such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli or even more roasted cauliflower
How to Store Leftovers
Store leftover mac and cheese in a well-sealed, air-tight container in the fridge for up to 4 days for best quality.
How to Reheat Macaroni & Cheese
To reheat mac and cheese on the stovetop, transfer it to a saucepan. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk and stir. Place the saucepan on a stove top over medium heat and stir until consistency is smooth and noodles are warmed through.
If microwaving, place mac and cheese and a splash of milk in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat in 30-second bursts, stirring after each, until the cheese has melted and the noodles are heated through.
Click for more tips on reheating macaroni and cheese and some other great mac and cheese recipes.
Can Mac and Cheese Be Frozen?
You can definitely freeze mac and cheese! Which is great because the recipes usually make so much!
Allow leftovers to cool completely. Place in a freezer resealable bag or air-tight container and remove as much air as you can. Store in the freezer for up to 4 months.
For defrosting, let it thaw in the refrigerator for 12 to 24 hours before heating and serving.
What Does Cauliflower Taste Like?
Raw cauliflower has a soft nutty taste that is mild compared to other vegetables and a crisp texture. It’s a great blank canvas that takes on the flavors it’s cooked with rather than standing out too much on its own, the way broccoli does.
How Long Does Cauliflower Last in the Fridge?
Dry, raw cauliflower will last 5-7 days or longer in the refrigerator. Moisture will degrade a head of cauliflower and cause it to go bad faster. For this reason, you should avoid washing it until you are ready to use it.
Signs of spoilage for cauliflower include a bad or “off” odor, mold or dark brown spots, or an overly soft or even slimy texture.
Easy Cauliflower Recipes
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Mac and Cheese with Cauliflower Recipe
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and coat a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add pasta and cook 3 minutes shy of until al dente. Drain, rinse and add the cooked pasta to the prepared dish in a single layer.16 oz elbow macaroni
- Evenly sprinkle the chopped cauliflower over the top. Mix together slightly.2 cups cauliflower
- In a large skillet or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Add milk and whisk until mixture is creamy and thickened, approximately 3 minutes.4 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 3 cups milk
- Add white cheddar cheese, sour cream, salt, pepper and paprika to the pan and stir until cheese has melted.2 cups white cheddar cheese, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp paprika
- Pour the cheese mixture over the top of the pasta and cauliflower. Top with Parmesan cheese.1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
- Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until very lightly golden brown around the edges. Serve immediately!
Notes
- Consider running the cauliflower through a food processor if you’re really trying to hide the texture from kiddos.
- Fresh minced garlic or garlic or onion powder would be a great addition to this delicious cauliflower mac for a little zip.
- To get the most health benefits from your cauliflower, it is recommended to cut it 30-40 minutes before cooking.
- You can mix the parmesan with bread crumbs or crushed Ritz crackers for a crispier topping.
- If you’re looking to spice things up, you can add some black pepper or cayenne pepper into the cheesy cream mixture.
Can it be frozen?
I know that some people don’t feel like dairy is great frozen and reheated. But I have had some good meals reheated that are cheesy. Feel free to let it cool completely, then place it in an airtight container to freeze it in. When you are ready to eat it, let it come to room temperature and reheat it with a little milk in a pan on the stove over low heat.
A little disappointing for me. Even with using whole milk, I needed to use extra cheese, flour, and extra broiling time to get the sauce to thicken up. I also thought it was still pretty cauliflower-y. Maybe that’s just me, but I was expecting it to be less apparent. I will say, adding bacon helped quite a bit, and the final broil did as well. Still good, but I don’t think I’d make it again, sadly.
Thank you for checking back in and sharing. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out like you hoped!
I make this for my kids every week! I use homo milk, add mustard for flavour and swap the sour cream for cream cheese which made it creamier. I also put 2 cups of cauliflower instead of 1 and no complaints from the kids! Delicious!!!
That’s great to hear!
It was absolutely delicious! I used 2% milk and it worked out great. I love using cauliflower as much as I can! Thanks for sharing!
Also very soupy. Can you use less water? See how it comes out after broiling. In the oven now!
I made this and (after reading the comments) used whole milk and it came out EXACTLY like picture! I would say that using whole milk is key.
Mine was also super runny. I ended up having to drain most of the liquid off and add some flour… I also didn't use whole milk, so maybe that was it, like Mommy Ashley said. Still tasted great, though!!
This didn't turn out well for me. Mine was super runny–I had to pile in a lot more cheese to get it edible. I'm going to assume that the consistency was messed up due to me using less than whole milk.
Stephanie-he ate it! But I have to say that if I had put any more than 1 cup of cauliflower in, I don't think he would have. Or if the cauliflower had been any color but white. 🙂 Let me know if your 3-year-old likes it!!
Megan
So… I have to ask… Did this work? Did Sammy eat it? I too have a 3 year old with "veggie aversion." Looks delicious by the way!
Mmm so much yumminess in a skillet! This looks great!