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Home » Recipes » One Pot Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta

One Pot Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta

October 11, 2019 by Ciara Attwell, Updated January 17, 2023

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When you’re in a hurry and need to feed the kids fast, try this One Pot Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta recipe, only 5 ingredients and ready in less than 15 minutes!

Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta in a white bowl garnished with fresh basil leaves and black pepper

This recipe has been my go-to on really busy days recently. When I haven’t had time to prep or shop for a meal for the kids, I’ve been turning to this simple but delicious one pot dinner that the kids have been wolfing down!

It’s a little bit like a healthy mac and cheese I suppose which is probably why they have been loving it!

This Homemade Mac & Cheese made in the slow cooker is a firm family favourite and I know that as long as the cheese tastes are there then they won’t shy away from it!

We absolutely love a one pot recipe and what’s even better, if this one is one of our hidden veg recipes too!

The recipe uses these packs of frozen cauliflower. I get them from Tesco but I think other supermarkets sell them too. You can even make your own by blitzing fresh cauliflower in a food processor.

Pro Tip

If you are making your own frozen cauliflower packs or cauliflower rice, then I’d recommend using the freshest cauliflower that you can.

The older the cauliflower is, the stronger the taste becomes!

By using really fresh cauliflower and freezing it quickly it will be much easier to introduce it into meals without that overwhelming odor that would be sure to put anyone off!

I find them really handy to have in the freezer for quick and easy recipes like this.

You could also make your own Frozen Veggie Packs which are a cheaper way to have veggies on hand.

frozen veggie packs

Then add them to meals like bolognese, curries or even to a traditional mac and cheese.

Adding small amounts of veg in this way to a regular main meal is great for getting some added nutrition into picky eaters without the battles!

Frozen diced cauliflower from Tesco

The cauliflower in this recipe ends up getting mixed into the pasta and sauce and is barely noticeable. My kids certainly don’t notice it and gobble a whole bowl up. Great for fussy eaters!

The other ingredients are also cupboard and fridge staples for me – pasta, stock cube, creme fraiche and grated cheese.

The crème fraiche and the cheese combine together really well to make a super easy cheese sauce. Without the hassle of standing by the hob for ages like you would when making a traditional cheese sauce!

Check out the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient amounts and full instructions.

Ingredients for One Pot Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta

Ingredient Substitutions

1. Gluten Free pasta will work just fine in this recipe.

2. Creme Fraiche can be substituted for cream cheese.

3. To make this recipe dairy free simply use dairy free creme fraiche (Oatly have a nice one) and cheese.

4. You can add some extra vegetables to this recipe. Frozen peas or corn are always good. Or even diced broccoli or brussels sprouts if your kids don’t mind a hint of green.

Can I Make It Vegan Friendly?

Yes!

Replace the cheddar cheese with a vegan cheese and the crème fraiche with a vegan friendly alternative.

Oatly do a vegan friendly crème fraiche which is available in the larger supermarkets.

One Pot Creamy Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta for Kids

If you try my recipe please do leave me a comment and a star rating below. You can also share your pictures with me on Instagram.  I always love to see your creations!

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One Pot Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta


★★★★★ 5 from 4 reviews
  • Author: Ciara Attwell
  • Prep Time: 1 min
  • Cook Time: 12 min
  • Total Time: 13 minutes
  • Yield: 2-3 1x
  • Category: Dinner
  • Cuisine: Kids
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Description

When you’re in a hurry and need to feed the kids fast, try this One Pot Cheesy Cauliflower Pasta recipe, only 5 ingredients and ready in less than 15 minutes!


Ingredients

  • 175g pasta
  • 1 vegetable stock cube
  • 150g frozen diced cauliflower
  • 100g creme fraiche
  • 50g grated cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Add the pasta and stock cube to a saucepan on the hob. Cover with boiling water and simmer on high for 8 minutes.
  2. Add in the frozen diced cauliflower and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
  3. Drain then mix in the creme fraiche and grated cheese.
  4. Serve immediately. This recipe serves 2 large or 3 smaller portions.

Notes

This recipe is best served straight away but leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 48 hours. Reheat in a pan on the hob on a low heat. You may want to add a little milk to help loosen up the sauce.

You can technically freeze this recipe but doing so will probably cause the sauce to dry out considerably. I really would recommend just making it fresh and eating it asap. I used conchiglie pasta in my recipe. If you use a larger shaped pasta you may need to cook it for a little longer.

 

1 Serving3592.8 g531.7 mg11.3 g6.2 g49.1 g3 g15 g

If you liked this recipe you may also enjoy:

One Pot Spinach & Parmesan Orzo

A quick and easy midweek meal, all cooked in one pot and in just 10 minutes. It’s full of cheesy goodness that the whole family will enjoy.

Spinach & Parmesan Orzo served in a white bowl and garnished with parmesan shavings

Or This

Baked Cream Cheese Pasta

My baked pasta recipe is a brilliant mid-week meal perfect for kids and adults alike. With only 20 minutes of cooking time required, save this one for when you fancy a big bowl of comfort food but don’t have much time!

One Pot Pasta Cheese & Cauliflower Pinterest Pin

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Filed Under: 15 Minute Meals, Egg Free, Family Meals, Hidden Veg Recipes for Fussy Eaters, Nut Free Recipes, One Pot Recipes, Pasta Recipes, Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: cauliflower, cheese, hidden veg, pasta

Comments

  1. Jessi says

    August 11, 2022 at 1:52 pm

    My son could still find the cauliflower! Could you cool the cauliflower before hand and blend it?

    Reply
    • Vicky says

      August 12, 2022 at 8:24 am

      Hi,Cant see any reason why not. Give it a try and let us know how it goes.Good luck

      Reply
  2. Kerry Todd says

    June 14, 2021 at 11:10 am

    So lovely, thanks! I’ve had some leftover cauliflower in the fridge for about 3 weeks and had to sub creme fraiche for clotted cream which also needed using. Brilliant post- holiday quick dinner. (Made quicker by using fresh pasta!) Excellent 5 minute make

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Jane M says

    April 14, 2020 at 1:53 pm

    Brilliant recipe for getting some cauliflower into my 5 year old! She didn’t notice it at all and loved her cheesy pasta! Thanks for posting this recipe. x

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Sarah says

    January 30, 2020 at 12:13 pm

    Cauliflower is something that I really struggle to get my little one to eat so I’m so glad I found this recipe! He ate a whole bowl of this and didn’t even question what was in it! Win!!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Sonia Bilton says

    October 12, 2019 at 10:51 am

    Delicious! Amazing! Thanks for sharing an amazing information really such a wonderful site you have done a great job once more thanks a lot!

    ★★★★★

    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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