Our Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is simple to make, kid-approved, and perfect for a weeknight dinner! Tastes so much like the real deal, thanks to a couple of tricks.
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Truth time: Cauliflower is not potatoes. It’s not rice. It’s not pasta. It’s not pizza.
I know that. I do.
Of course, that doesn’t stop me from turning it into a really good sub for those things!
Hello, cauliflower potato salad, cauliflower risotto, cauliflower mac and cheese, and keto cauliflower pizza crust!
When done right, cauliflower can be a great sub for many foods! It’s not going to be the exact same, and some people will always hate it. But, if you’re on the fence about cauliflower, I highly encourage you to keep trying new recipes! Because I am here to tell you that a really well done cauliflower recipe is gold.
This cauliflower mac and cheese recipe? It’s one of those really well done recipes and you are going. to. love. it.
This is NOT just your typical cauliflower drizzled with cheese sauce.
The first time I made this my 15 year old daughter was helping cook dinner and she got really huffy about the cauliflower for mac swap. She insisted that she wasn’t going to like it. She complained right up until I made her try a bite.
You guys, the kid RAVED about this cauliflower mac and cheese. She said that it’s the ‘perfect amount of cheese’ and the ‘perfect blend of cheese’ and that it ‘tastes like really good mac and cheese.’ <— Those are all her words! She’s turning into quite the little foodie. And I totally agree with her.
Let’s do this, shall we?
It’s not pasta, but gosh it does a good job of satisfying the craving!
Stirring the small pieces of macaroni into the cheese sauce (verses drizzling a little over the top) makes a world of difference.
This is very rich and creamy – super satisfying!
It’s kid-approved and that’s always half the battle!
👩🍳 Ingredient Notes:
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Cauliflower – Use fresh cauliflower! Frozen just isn’t the same in this recipe. Chop the cauliflower florets into pieces that are about the size of macaroni noodles. I know it’s not quite the same as pasta but trust me, it works!
Creamy Cheese – There may not be any macaroni in this cauliflower mac and cheese recipe but there is lots of creamy cheese! You’ll use cream cheese, grated cheddar, and grated Monterey Jack that’ll get mixed and melted with heavy cream for a perfectly cheesy sauce. I definitely recommend freshly grated cheese for the best cheesy flavor.
Seasoning – Some salt, cracked pepper, and ground mustard will add just the right amount of extra flavor to the mix!
Substitutions & Variations:
Make it a meal by adding in diced or shredded cooked chicken, seared smoked sausage, or seasoned ground beef.
Mix up the flavors by subbing in another type of cheese in place of the cheddar or monterey jack. We love a combo of smoked gouda and gruyere!
Spice things up with a few dashes of cajun seasoning or hot sauce.
How To Make Cauliflower Mac and Cheese:
Boil – We’re going to keep it extra simple, because we’re all busy and no one has time to spend hours whipping up a single side dish for dinner on a busy weeknight. This is a stove top cauliflower mac and cheese, so it’s literally ready from start to finish in about 20 minutes and that includes the time it takes to bring a pot of water to a boil. So, bring some water to a boil over high heat.
Cauliflower – Chop up some cauliflower into macaroni sized pieces. The smaller size of the pieces is a big key to this recipe, so please don’t leave huge chunks. I usually start with a bag of fresh cauliflower florets instead of a whole head, just because it’s easier and I’m all about a short cut.
For the best taste and texture, I don’t recommend frozen cauliflower for this recipe. Toss your cauliflower pieces into the boiling water and boil for 5 minutes.
Creamy Cheese Sauce – Drain away the water and return the cauliflower to the hot pan over low heat. Add in some heavy cream, cream cheese, cheddar, Monterey jack, ground mustard, and salt and pepper. Stir this all together until the cheese has melted and everything is well combined, gooey, and irresistible.
Serve – The second key factor in this recipe that differentiates it from your usual steamed cauliflower with a drizzle of cheese sauce to cauliflower mac and cheese is the fact that every little bite is covered in the cheese sauce, just like it would be if this were actual mac and cheese. You can serve this up as a side for weeknight dinner or even for family gatherings. Everyone can enjoy this one!
❔ Recipe FAQs:
If you like cauliflower even a little bit, I imagine you’ll LOVE this recipe. Some people really hate cauliflower and if that’s you, you might not like this recipe. The cheese really hides the cauliflower though and the texture is a bit softer since it’s boiled, so I would recommend trying this. It’s truly one of our favorites and we think it tastes amazing.
Yes, it sure is! Check the recipe card below for the macros.
You can keep any leftovers in the refrigerator for about 2 to 3 days in an airtight container. They’ll reheat well in the microwave. This recipe will also freeze well for up to 3 months. It’s best frozen in individual portions.
🍽 More Low Carb Cauliflower Recipes!
- Loaded Cauliflower Casserole: This one has all the good stuff from bacon to cheddar to green onions!
- Cheesy Cauliflower Bake: It’s a simple low carb, air fried dish with lots of cheese and bacon!
- Broccoli Cauliflower Soup: This one is a favorite for lunch!
- Pickled Cauliflower: Makes a surprisingly tasty snack!
- Cauliflower Fried Rice: No need for take out!
- Keto Lettuce Wraps: They’re filled with seasoned cauliflower rice and chicken!
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cauliflower chopped into macaroni sized pieces
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 2 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1/3 cup grated Monterey jack cheese
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cracked pepper
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the cauliflower pieces and boil for 5 minutes.
- Drain the water and return the cauliflower to the pot over low heat.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir well until the cheese has melted fully, about 3 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Carrie says
Not sure what I did… but the cheese & the cream separated and it was runny. I followed the recipe exactly :-/
Karly Campbell says
Hi Carrie! It’s hard to say what could have happened. I make this recipe regularly and haven’t had that issue. My guess is that the heat was too high, but I can’t say for sure. Sorry it didn’t work out for you!
Carrie says
I am thinking that’s what it was, too. Maybe I cooked the cauliflower too long and it brought too much water to the equation. Either way, the flavor was delicious! I will definitely try again! Thank you!!!
Heather Ellen Yamauchi says
Any chance anyone made this without cream cheese? I’ve made it tons before and it’s delicious but I ran out of cream cheese and wanna make it again! Ideas?
Karly Campbell says
I’m not sure it will turn out very thick/creamy without the cream cheese. You could try adding in a bit of sour cream, but that will change the taste of course. 🙂
Jozette says
Oh my gawd! This is literally BETTER than original Mac and cheese! Thank you!!!!
Karly Campbell says
Yay! Glad you like it!
Juanita says
Mine came out great! I added a slice of bacon on top and the flavor was perfect.
Kati says
I think I needed to bill a little longer than five minutes to get my desired texture, but it tasted delicious! I have a very tangy brand of cream cheese and I love the bite in the overall flavor profile. Mine was mixed with cheddar and mozzarella.
Tim says
put in some roasted savory meatballs this would be epic curious!
Karly Campbell says
Sounds like a great idea!
Mary says
This was spectacular! I used all pepper jack cheese and added chopped jalapeño. Made last week and again last night. Thank you.
Karly Campbell says
Ooh, sounds delicious with all the spice!
Prisilla Miller says
Made this tonight. I added some applewood bacon and it was delicious. For those of us that hate vegetables it is perfect! Thank you for sharing.
Lucinda says
I roasted the cauliflower for 20 min. It gives it a nice flavor and doesn’t add water
Linda says
I added some cayenne powder, bacon crumbles & sliced green onions. Very tasty!
Karly Campbell says
Sounds perfect!
Sharon Zimberoff says
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese, where have you been all my life? I made this today an it was a BIG hit. SOOO delicious.
VIcky says
Really excellent, easy and delicious. I made as directed.
Katie says
Do you think you could make this a day ahead and then warm it before serving?
Karly Campbell says
Hi Katie! I think you probably could, but I’m generally not a huge fan of reheated cauliflower – I think it tends to get a little funky smelling and I just find that offputting. It’ll also release a bit of water so it won’t be as thick and creamy.
Sharon Zimberoff says
I only have frozen cauliflower florets. Could I use it instead of fresh cauliflower?
Karly Campbell says
Hi Sharon! I think that would work fine. 🙂
Paul says
I over-cooked my cauliflower and it basically turned to mush… but everyone still loved it. I added a couple punches of smoked paprika and Chipotle pepper powder to add a bit of a personal touch to the dish. I’m making this again with a lb of ground beef and a chopped onion and serving it as an entree.
Karly Campbell says
Great idea!
Lori Rice says
I see it yields 6 servings and a serving is 1. Is one serving about 1/2 cup?
Karly Campbell says
Hi Lori! I didn’t measure by volume…just portioned it out into 6 servings.
rachel simpson says
it made 3 cups for me— but when I entered the nutrition info into my tracker the carb count ended up being for 1 cup
zelda says
What can you sub for the heavy cream?
Karly Campbell says
I’ve only made this as directed.
Mike says
Why not make the cheese sauce first and simply cook the cauliflower in it instead of boiling it first?
Karly Campbell says
I’m not sure there would be enough liquid in the cheese sauce to cook the cauliflower. Also, the cauliflower will release liquid as it cooks and that will make the sauce runny.
Mike says
Well that doesnt seem to make sense to me… either there is too much liquid, not enough liquid or just the right amount. But you can cook cauliflower in a skillet dry and the moisture will evaporate same with cheese sauce. No?
Karly Campbell says
No, I don’t think so, but feel free to try it.
Amanda says
This is how I did it and it came out fine. I let it simmer while I cooked my proteins.
Linette Arnold says
I love that this is stove top instead of baking it in the oven and it sooooo creamy! I didn’t know about the potato starch on the shredded cheese!
Karly Campbell says
It’s minimal, but if you’re doing strict keto, it’s something to avoid. 🙂
Debra says
I’m wondering how amazing it might be to pop it under the broiler to brown it a bit before serving?
Karly Campbell says
Probably pretty amazing. 🙂
Reese says
Whats the best way to store leftovers? Fridge?
Karly Campbell says
Yes, you’ll definitely want to refrigerate in an air-tight container.