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Home » Family Meals » Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

September 13, 2016 by Ciara Attwell, Updated September 17, 2022

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A healthy twist on an old family favourite. This Cauliflower Mac & Cheese is packed with hidden veggies that the kids can’t see or taste!

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

Macaroni Cheese is definitely up there in my top “go-to” family dinners. My kids and my husband love it.

It’s easy to make and I nearly always have the ingredients in my store cupboard and fridge.

With summer coming to an end here in the UK, I know mac & cheese is going to be back on our menu a lot over the next few months.

And so I decided to update my classic recipe with this healthier veggie-packed version!

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese topped with a cherry tomato

My kids are not fans of cauliflower and it can be tricky even getting them to try Cauliflower Cheese.

I decided instead to make a cheesy sauce using cauliflower which I could then bake in the oven with macaroni.

The cooked cauliflower is blitzed in a blender with milk, cheese and butter, creating a delicious thick and creamy sauce. The kids absolutely loved it and they had no idea of my secret hidden vegetable ingredient!

I used panko breadcrumbs to top my Mac & Cheese as they make an extra-crunchy topping but, either fresh or dried normal breadcrumbs work well too.

cauliflower macaroni cheese

This is definitely my new favourite way to make Mac & Cheese for my family and it will make the perfect comfort food during the cold winter months! 

If you try this recipe yourself please do let me know what you think in the comment below.

Or tag me in a picture on Facebook or Instagram using the hashtag #myfussyeater. I love seeing all your pictures!

And if you’d like another Mac & Cheese recipe then check out my Slow Cooker Mac & Cheese UK

slow cooker mac & cheese

Or you may also like my One Pot Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta.

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Cauliflower Mac & Cheese


★★★★★ 4.9 from 12 reviews
  • Author: Ciara Attwell @ My Fussy Eater
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 1x
  • Category: Main Meal
  • Cuisine: European
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Description

A healthy twist on an old family favourite. This Cauliflower Mac & Cheese is packed with hidden veggies that the kids can’t see or taste!


Ingredients

  • 350g / 10oz macaroni pasta
  • 1 medium cauliflower
  • 1 low sodium vegetable stock cube
  • 200ml / ¾ cup milk
  • 100g / 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • ½ tsp dijon mustand
  • salt and pepper to taste
  •  
  • To Top:
  • 25g / ¼ cup grated cheddar cheese
  • 15g / ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
  • cherry tomatoes

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 200c / 400f.
  2. Cook the macaroni in a pan of boiling water according to the package instructions.
  3. Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Place in a saucepan with the stock cube. Cover with boiling water and cook for 5-6 minutes until the cauliflower has softened.
  4. Once the cauliflower has cooked, drain it and add to a blender, along with the milk, grated cheese, butter and dijon mustard. Blitz until all the ingredients have combined to a sauce consistency. If it seems too thick then add a little extra milk. Season with salt and pepper if you wish.
  5. Drain the pasta and return it to the saucepan. Add in the cauliflower sauce and mix well.
  6. Transfer the pasta into one large or several small baking dishes. Sprinkle the extra cheese and panko breadcrumbs on top and finally finish with a whole cherry tomato.
  7. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the top is crispy.
  8. Allow to cool a little and then serve.
4928.7 g440.4 mg15.1 g8.2 g68.2 g5.6 g21.7 g
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cauliflower mac & cheese

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Filed Under: 30 Minute Meals, Egg Free, Family Meals, Hidden Veg Recipes for Fussy Eaters, Nut Free Recipes, Pasta Recipes, Recipes, Vegetarian, Video Tagged With: cauliflower, hidden veggies, mac and cheese, macaroni cheese

Comments

  1. Rebecca Irvine says

    July 13, 2021 at 5:28 pm

    Lovely recipe! My little one ate it no problem, success! Thank you for the recipe, awesome way to make a sauce and hiding veg at the same time xx

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Adam says

    March 7, 2021 at 6:43 pm

    My family ate this right up, even after they found out it contained cauliflower. I used red lentil rotini for added vegetables and protein. Thanks for the recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Catherine says

    November 20, 2020 at 5:22 pm

    My fussy 6 year old son loved this! Will be making again. Thank you for a fantastic recipie thats so easy to cook!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Jodie says

    October 17, 2020 at 9:08 am

    My 10,9 and 2 year olds smashed this cauli mac n cheese tonight! They loved it. It’s definitely going into the regular rotation.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. pancake says

    September 25, 2019 at 10:51 am

    I cooked this macaroni today. After a taste test I know my 5 year old is going to love this. She is very preferential when it comes to taste and textures so this recipe was a blessing for me.
    The video is clear and concise. Thank you so much.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  6. Arlene says

    August 4, 2019 at 1:48 am

    Love love these. My son was sick as a baby after numerous surgeries he had a to a gtube and refused to eat now after his latest surgery. Gtub is out! He loves food now and however he is 10 but is 3 mentally. He is eating at a toddler stage. Comfort food. Thank you for this variety. I am enjoying reading these can’t wait to try! I am at a loss because he stuck on the stuff he is eating now so variety is the spice of life!

    ★★★★

    Reply
  7. Sonali says

    December 21, 2018 at 9:07 pm

    This is a lifesaver dish for my family. I made it for first for my daughter’s birthday and it was polished off by the kids very quickly. Since then it has been a firm favourite.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  8. Michelle says

    July 1, 2018 at 3:28 pm

    My 13 month old loved it! How long can it last in the fridge? Also, can I freeze it and if so how long can I keep it in the freezer?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Ciara Attwell says

      July 1, 2018 at 7:03 pm

      It will last 48 hours covered in the fridge and yes you can freeze it too. I would keep it max 3 months in the freezer.

      Reply
  9. Indy says

    March 19, 2018 at 12:54 pm

    Fantastic! Was so pleased with this as the kids loved it and ate the lot and had absolutely no idea there was cauliflower that they usually hate in there! Love the little dishes you serve yours in. xxx

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  10. Lilly says

    March 8, 2018 at 11:08 am

    Another hit recipe thanks Ciara!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lisa says

      August 26, 2021 at 6:17 pm

      Love this recipe. So tasty. And kids did not suspect a thing! More hidden veg recipes please x

      Reply
  11. Sheena says

    February 6, 2018 at 4:50 pm

    Trying this tonight! Fingers crossed…

    Reply
  12. ela says

    January 15, 2018 at 9:30 pm

    kid loved it!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  13. Diana says

    November 17, 2017 at 1:04 pm

    Absolutely loved this recipe! So easy and sooooo tasty! My daughter had no clue bout the secret ingredient 😉

    Reply
    • Ciara Attwell says

      November 20, 2017 at 12:04 pm

      That’s brilliant!

      Reply
  14. Gia says

    September 27, 2017 at 3:04 pm

    This came out great! I changed it up, as I like stovetop mac. So I used a can of evaporated milk & eggs instead of regular milk (Alton Brown style). And added more cheese. Kids loved it!

    Reply
  15. Jan says

    September 20, 2016 at 2:36 am

    Can this be frozen?

    Reply
    • Ciara Attwell says

      September 20, 2016 at 1:20 pm

      Yes the sauce will freeze well on its own.

      Reply
  16. Jessica says

    September 14, 2016 at 7:19 pm

    That looks delicious!!

    Reply
    • Ciara Attwell says

      September 14, 2016 at 7:43 pm

      Thank you 🙂

      Reply
  17. Michelle @ Modern Acupuncture says

    September 14, 2016 at 11:08 am

    Love this! Can’t wait to try it. I’m always trying to add more veggies to my meals. Love your photos as well! Somehow you made mac n cheese pretty! 🙂

    Reply
  18. Charlie @ The Kitchen Shed says

    September 13, 2016 at 9:25 pm

    Mmmmmm!!! These look gorgeous, I love the look of that topping 🙂

    Reply
    • Ciara Attwell says

      September 14, 2016 at 7:21 am

      Thank you! Panko breadcrumbs makes the best mac and cheese topping!

      Reply
  19. Michelle says

    September 13, 2016 at 9:01 pm

    This looks delicious, and the dishes are adorable! I pinned it to save for later. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • Ciara Attwell says

      September 14, 2016 at 7:21 am

      Thanks Michelle!

      Reply
  20. Louisa says

    September 13, 2016 at 8:10 pm

    Macaroni cheese is a big hit in our house and I love the idea of adding cauliflower to the sauce, although I’m not convinced that my kids (or husband) won’t suss me out if I try this! I love your mini casserole dishes ????

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Ciara Attwell says

      September 14, 2016 at 7:20 am

      Honestly, my lot had NO idea what the secret ingredient was. And they can usually smell a vegetable from a mile away!!!

      Reply

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★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

Hi, I'm Ciara! I'm a food writer and cookbook author and I'm always looking for new ways to make food fun and interesting for kids! I specialise in fussy eating and share tips and tricks to get your kids eating better along with lots of family friendly recipes. Read More…

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