Easy Cauliflower Mac n Cheese
If you love mac n cheese as much as I do, try this healthier take on the traditional recipe. The reason why I love it so much is that you still get to indulge in the cheesy goodness but with less guilt. Cauliflower is the base for the cheese sauce which means a ton of veggies and nutrients in your mac n cheese.
5 Health Benefits of Cauliflower
- High in fiber: having a diet high in fiber means improving the regularity of your bowls. Additionally, fiber makes you feel full for longer.
- Improved memory: choline is found in cauliflower and is an essential nutrient for brain development and memory function.
- Vitamin K: is critical to preventing osteoporosis as it aids in the absorption of calcium and assists with bone metabolism.
- Vitamin C: helps to produce collagen which helps promote beautiful healthy skin and nails
- Antioxidants: many cruciferous veggies such as cauliflower contain these cancer fighting antioxidants and phytonutrients
Ingredients
- 1 medium head of cauliflower
- 1 tsp thyme
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 2 TBSP vegan butter
- 2 cups of cheese (I use a speciality cajun flavored cheddar cheese)
- 1, 16oz box of whole grain elbows
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Cut cauliflower into smaller pieces to be steamed
- In a large saucepan, fill with enough water to steam the cauliflower
- To that saucepan add spices (thyme, onion powder, garlic powder, Italian seasoning) to infuse the cauliflower
- Meanwhile, begin grating the cheese. Feel free to use any flavored cheddar cheese or simply use 2 cups of regular cheddar
- Reserve 1 cup of infused boiling water
- Drain the cauliflower once soft enough to fork. Let cool at least 20 minutes
- Meanwhile, cook pasta according to package and preheat oven to 450 degrees
- In a food processor (or blender), combine cauliflower and vegetable broth. Puree. Add the reserved water as needed to get desired consistency. The sauce at this point should not be too thick.
- Bring the cauliflower puree into a medium saucepan. On low, begin to add cheese while stirring frequently until melted.
- Add the butter
- Rather than draining pasta, use a slotted spoon to bring pasta into a 9x13 baking dish
- Top with cauliflower cheese sauce
- Bake for 30 minutes on 450 degrees
- Sprinkle breadcrumbs on top and broil on low for 5-10 minutes for crispy topping
I use this food processor and have absolutely loved it. Who made this recipe? Did you change anything or alter it in any way? I hope you enjoyed it. If you did, leave your love in the comments below. Feel free to contact me with any questions.
XO,
Nicole
1 comment
[…] Mac n cheese – I often puree the cauliflower and use that instead of the flour and butter. I also add nutritional yeast and use a lot less cheese […]