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!
Macaroni Cheese is definitely up there in my top “go-to” family dinners. My kids and husband love it, it’s easy to make and I nearly always have the ingredients in my store cupboard and fridge to whip it up on busy days. With summer coming to an end here in the UK I know this is going to be back on our meal planning menu a lot over the next few months and so I decided to update my classic recipe with this healthier veggie-packed version!
My kids are not fans of cauliflower and it can be tricky even getting them to try Cauliflower Cheese. So 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.
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 or you may also like my One Pot Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta.
Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
Prep Time: 5 mins- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 1x
Category: Main Meal
Cuisine: European
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Pin RecipeDescription
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 / 3/4 cup milk
- 100g / 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/2 tsp dijon mustand
- salt and pepper to taste
- To Top:
- 25g / 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
- 15g / 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- cherry tomatoes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200c / 400f.
- Cook the macaroni in a pan of boiling water according to the package instructions.
- 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.
- 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.
- Drain the pasta and return it to the saucepan. Add in the cauliflower sauce and mix well.
- 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.
- Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes until the top is crispy.
- Allow to cool a little and then serve.
pancake says
September 25, 2019 at 10:51 amI 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.
★★★★★
Sonali says
December 21, 2018 at 9:07 pmThis 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.
★★★★★
Michelle says
July 1, 2018 at 3:28 pmMy 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?
★★★★★
Ciara Attwell says
July 1, 2018 at 7:03 pmIt 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.
Indy says
March 19, 2018 at 12:54 pmFantastic! 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
★★★★★
Lilly says
March 8, 2018 at 11:08 amAnother hit recipe thanks Ciara!
★★★★★
Sheena says
February 6, 2018 at 4:50 pmTrying this tonight! Fingers crossed…
ela says
January 15, 2018 at 9:30 pmkid loved it!
★★★★★
Diana says
November 17, 2017 at 1:04 pmAbsolutely loved this recipe! So easy and sooooo tasty! My daughter had no clue bout the secret ingredient 😉
Ciara Attwell says
November 20, 2017 at 12:04 pmThat’s brilliant!
Gia says
September 27, 2017 at 3:04 pmThis 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!
Jan says
September 20, 2016 at 2:36 amCan this be frozen?
Ciara Attwell says
September 20, 2016 at 1:20 pmYes the sauce will freeze well on its own.
Jessica says
September 14, 2016 at 7:19 pmThat looks delicious!!
Ciara Attwell says
September 14, 2016 at 7:43 pmThank you 🙂
Michelle @ Modern Acupuncture says
September 14, 2016 at 11:08 amLove 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! 🙂
Charlie @ The Kitchen Shed says
September 13, 2016 at 9:25 pmMmmmmm!!! These look gorgeous, I love the look of that topping 🙂
Ciara Attwell says
September 14, 2016 at 7:21 amThank you! Panko breadcrumbs makes the best mac and cheese topping!
Michelle says
September 13, 2016 at 9:01 pmThis looks delicious, and the dishes are adorable! I pinned it to save for later. Thanks for sharing!
Ciara Attwell says
September 14, 2016 at 7:21 amThanks Michelle!
Louisa says
September 13, 2016 at 8:10 pmMacaroni 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 ????
★★★★★
Ciara Attwell says
September 14, 2016 at 7:20 amHonestly, my lot had NO idea what the secret ingredient was. And they can usually smell a vegetable from a mile away!!!