Description
This delicious, healthy mac and cheese dish tastes just like the classic comfort food. But it’s better for you! And it can also be made gluten-free.
Ingredients
- 2 cups uncooked mini elbow pasta noodles (or pasta of your choice)
- 1/2 large head of cauliflower roughly chopped (makes about 4 cups)
- 1/2 yellow onion finely diced (optional)
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil of your choice
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar-free Worshestire sauce
- 1 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese
- Kosher salt
Instructions
- Cook the pasta per the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Add a few inches of water to a pot. The water should not be touching the bottom of the steamer. Bring the water to a simmer, add the cauliflower, and cover. Steam until cooked through. The cauliflower should be soft but not mushy. When ready, remove the pot from the heat.
- When the cauliflower is cool enough to handle, add it to your food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
- When the cauliflower is cooking, add the butter to a skillet over medium-low heat.
- If you are using the onion, add the finely diced pieces to the butter and cook over medium-low heat until the onions are translucent and soft (but not browned).
- When the butter is melted and the onions are cooked (if using), add the 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk. As the flour mixes with the butter, it will form a thick paste (which is called a roux and is used to help thicken sauces).
- Slowly add the milk and continue to whisk together over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens. This should take a minute or two. Once the sauce comes together, remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese.
- Next, add the cauliflower purée to the sauce and stir to combine. Then add the pasta and stir to coat. Add 1 teaspoon of salt, if needed.
- Add the mixture to a 9-13-inch baking dish or to individual oven-proof ramekins). Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese and bake until the cheese is melted and bubbling, about 20-25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.
Notes
Making this Dish Gluten-Free: If you want to make this dish gluten-free, you can use gluten-free pasta. You can also use sweet rice flour instead of all-purpose flour when making the roux.
The Onions: I love the taste of the onions in this dish, but if you don’t like the idea of having (soft) onions in your dish — or you think your kids will freak over the texture — you can omit them. Or you can cook them in a skillet with a little olive oil until they are translucent and soft. And then purée them along with the cauliflower.
Make-Ahead and Freezing: If you have leftovers they can be stored, covered, in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze leftovers in an air-tight container for up to 3 months. In fact, if you (or your kids) are going to be eating it on a regular basis, I’d double or triple the recipe and freeze the leftovers in serving-size containers (I love these Souper Cubes!). Just defrost in the fridge the night before you want to eat it and then heat it up in the microwave.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Main
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 271
- Sugar: 4.9 g
- Sodium: 462.3 mg
- Fat: 15.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.4 g
- Protein: 12.7 g
- Cholesterol: 43.7 mg