I was skeptical at first, but I am a solid cauliflower convert now. This recipe is not supposed to be a replacement for pasta. This is truly a delicious meal that stands on it’s own. I served this with a tossed salad and it was a great dinner.
My friend, Kara, made this for her family a while back and they all loved it. I made it for mine within a couple days of her posting it and my family loved it as well. So, this week, as soon as I saw cauliflower in my CSA basket this week, I knew exactly what I would be making.
I’ve made this twice now and my family devoured it each time.
Cheesy Cauliflower Mac ‘n Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower
- Kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Red pepper flakes to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese I used a medium sharp
- 8 ounces mozzarella cheese thinly sliced
- Optional: ½ lb sausage cooked and crumbled
Instructions
- Rinse and pat dry the cauliflower. Remove all the leaves. Slice from the top to the bottom stem, into 1/4" thick slices. The cauliflower should basically fall apart. The idea is to create thin bite size pieces for the most part. Layer half the slices into the bottom of your baking dish. I used a round 10" dish. Season the slices generously with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Add the cooked sausage, if desired. Layer the rest of the dish with cauliflower. Set aside.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the starch and whisk together. Add the milk and continue whisking until smooth and heated through. Add half of the cheddar cheese and stir to combine. Continue stirring until the cheese is melted and smooth again. Add half the mozzarella slices and stir again. Repeat. Stir the sauce until the final cheese is melted and smooth. Add salt and pepper and then pour over the cauliflower. Bake for 20 minutes, or until cheese is golden browned and bubbling. Enjoy!
Bom says
Vegetables and dairy with some protein thrown in. Sounds good to me.
Chris says
I'm not a cauliflower fan either but if I was going to eat in, hidden in cheese would be my strategy, ha ha.
Anonymous says
The cauliflower turns out crunchy, not a fan of that. I'll definitely steam the cauliflower before baking next time.
Mary says
The cauliflower isn't super soft, but it definitely hasn't been crunchy when I've made this in the past. Steaming it will soften it nicely for you though. Hopefully it will be perfect to your tastes next time!