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Cauliflower mac and cheese and silver spoon

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Author: Nico Pallotta

  • 3 pounds (1300 grams) cauliflower about 2 medium heads
  • 4 tablespoons (50 grams) butter sub dairy-free butter
  • 4 tablespoons (50 grams) flour
  • 2 cups (500 grams) milk sub dairy-free milk
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder optional
  • ⅛ teaspoon grated nutmeg optional
  • 8 ounces (2 cups) (200 grams) shredded cheddar sub shredded dairy-free cheese + 4 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • ½ cup (50 grams) grated parmesan sub dairy-free cheese

COOK THE CAULIFLOWER

  • You can either boil the cauliflower or roast it in the oven. Pick your favorite cooking method.
    Boiled: Cut the cauliflower into florets, then boil it in a large pot with lightly salted water until fork-tender (about 10 - 15 minutes). Drain it and set aside.
    rinsed cauliflower in a sift
  • Roasted: preheat oven to 400°F or 200°C. Arrange florets on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, season with olive oil and salt, and bake for 30 minutes, or until slightly charred and fork tender.
    roasted cauliflower florets on a baking tray

MAKE THE CHEESE SAUCE

  • In a saucepan, melt the butter, then add the flour and whisk for 1 minute or until it starts to bubble.
    butter and flour in a pot
  • Add the milk and stir on medium heat until the sauce thickens.
    milk for bechamel sauce in a pot
  • Turn the heat off, then add salt, black pepper, grated nutmeg, and shredded cheese.
    vegan cheese added to a pot
  • Stir until the cheese is fully melted in the sauce. Taste sauce and adjust.
    Tip: if you can't get the cheese to melt fully, you can blend the sauce with an immersion blender, or in a regular blender.
    bechamel sauce in a pot

BAKE THE DISH

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Transfer cauliflower florets onto a baking dish (11x8-Inch or 28x20cm).
    cauliflower florets in a glass tray
  • Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower, and move the florets around so that the sauce goes into all nooks and crannies.
    Cauliflower florets in a glass baking dish
  • Sprinkle the grated parmesan on top.
    vegan cheese on cauliflower
  • Bake at 350°F or 180°C for 10 minutes, then set the oven to broiler function and gratin for 5 more minutes, or until the cheese on top melts and turns golden brown.
    Cauliflower mac and cheese after baking
  • Serve as a main dish or as a side.
    Silver spoon in cauliflower mac and cheese
Nutrition information is an estimate for one serving of cauliflower mac and cheese out of eight servings.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Cheddar: substitute fontina + parmesan, or gruyere + parmesan, or Colby + pecorino romano, or Monterey Jack + Parmesan.
- To make it vegan: substitute vegan shredded cheese + 4 tablespoons of nutritional yeast + more salt to taste for the cheddar. Substitute unsweetened plant milk for milk, and vegan butter for butter.
- To make it gluten-free: substitute cornstarch for flour.
MAKE AHEAD & STORAGE
- Make ahead: cauliflower mac n cheese is a good recipe for meal prep because it keeps well in the fridge for a few days, and you can even freeze it.
Also, if you have people over, you can assemble the dish up to a day in advance and keep it in the fridge wrapped in plastic. Then, bake it a bit longer if it comes from the refrigerator.
- Refrigerator: keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezer: let it cool down completely, transfer it to a freezer-friendly container, and freeze it for up to 3 months.
- Thaw: defrost over several hours in the fridge.
- Reheat: reheat in a preheated oven at 400°F or 200°C for 10 -15 minutes or in the microwave for 2 minutes.
TOP TIP
If your cheese struggles to melt in the sauce, you can blend the mixture with an immersion blender or in a regular blender to make it velvety smooth.
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