This Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese offers a lighter spin on the classic dish – it’s low on calories and keto-friendly!
Ingredients and substitutions
- Olive oil – or another neutral cooking oil like avocado, canola or grapeseed oil.
- Cauliflower – cauliflower rice would also work for this recipe.
- Yellow onion – white onion would be the best substitute here.
- Butter – try using margarine instead.
- Milk – use any variety of milk of your choice like almond milk, coconut milk or half-and-half.
- Light cream cheese – you can leave this out and double up on the cheddar cheese.
- Cheddar cheese – mozzarella, gouda, Swiss and parmesan would also be good.
- Chopped chives – feel free to leave these out altogether.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
How to make cauliflower mac and cheese
Step 1: Roast the cauliflower and onions.
Roast the cauliflower and onions on a parchment-lined baking sheet, flipping halfway through.
Step 2: Make the cheese sauce.
While the cauliflower is cooking, make the cheese sauce. Melt butter in a large saucepan, then add milk, cream cheese and cheddar cheese.
Step 3: Simmer the sauce.
Whisk the sauce ingredients together and simmer over low heat until smooth.
Step 4: Toss everything together the serve!
Toss the roasted cauliflower in the cheese sauce. Garnish with extra cheese and chives, and serve.
Tips for the best mac and cheese
This cauliflower mac and cheese recipe is so yummy – but there are a few tips to keep in mind to make sure you get the best, creamiest dish every time:
- Use freshly grated cheese: This will give you the best melt, as pre-shredded cheese is coated in potato starch.
- Dry the cauliflower: Whether you're using fresh or frozen cauliflower, make sure you completely dry off the cauliflower using paper towel before roasting it in the oven, or it'll turn out soggy.
- Add a bit of spice: Mix some jalapenos, green chilies or chili powder to the cheese sauce to turn up the heat!
- Let the sauce simmer: This is crucial to getting the cheese sauce nice and thick. Let it simmer over low until it's reached the desired consistency.
- Try out different variations: Add in extra veggies, meat like bacon or chicken, and extra cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use pretty much any cheese of your choice for this recipe. I used a mixture of cream cheese and cheddar cheese, but you could also add in some mozzarella, gouda, Swiss and/or parmesan. You can also pair a stronger cheese like cheddar with a lighter cheese such as Swiss or mozzarella for the best balance of flavours.
Yes, but you'll want to defrost and completely dry it first. Defrost it in the fridge or in the microwave, then pat the cauliflower dry to remove any excess moisture.
You can eat this cauliflower macaroni and cheese alone or serve it as a yummy side dish. It tastes really good with stuffed chicken breasts, turkey meatballs, hamburgers or even meatloaf.
There's a fine line between creamy mac and cheese, and mushy mac and cheese! If you find that yours is mushy, the cauliflower likely wasn't fully dry before cooking. Make sure you pat it dry completely before roasting it in the oven.
I'd recommend roasting the cauliflower for your keto cauliflower mac and cheese. Boiling the cauliflower will result it in getting more watery, which is not what you want for this recipe!
Storing and reheating
This cauliflower mac and cheese makes perfect leftovers! Store it in glass containers in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, sprinkle a little bit of water over top and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring halfway through, or reheat it in a pan on the stovetop with a bit of butter.
Can you freeze cauliflower mac and cheese?
You can definitely freeze this keto cauliflower mac and cheese! Freeze any leftovers in glass meal prep containers or foil containers for up to 3 months. If you’re using foil containers, you can reheat straight from frozen in the oven for 30 minutes at 375° Fahrenheit. If you’re freezing in glass containers, microwave on high for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring halfway through.
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More low-carb cauliflower recipes
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Creamy Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese {Low Carb}
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped into small pieces
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/3 cup light cream cheese
- 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 1 tbsp chopped chives
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add cauliflower and onions and toss with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- While cauliflower is cooking, make the cheese sauce. Melt butter in a large saucepan, then add milk, cream cheese and cheddar cheese, whisking to combine and simmering over low heat for 4-5 minutes until smooth.
- Remove cauliflower from oven and toss in cheese sauce. Garnish with extra shredded cheddar cheese (optional) and chives then serve and enjoy!
Comments & Reviews
lescarbeau marc says
very good try it last week
Shannon M says
I have to limit my dairy. Have you had any luck with making this with vegan cheese or other cheese alternatives?
Taylor Stinson says
Hi Shannon – I have not tried it with vegan cheese. Please keep me posted if you try it!
Beth says
Generally I don’t Ike cauliflower…..ever!! But I really LOVE this recipe!!!! I decided to give it a whirl because I’m getting company this weekend and a lot of them are doing the Keto diet. This was soooo good!!! I added some crumbled bacon to give it a smokey taste since I will be making it with smoked meat in his weekend. I strongly encourage everyone to try this recipe!!!
Taylor Stinson says
So glad you liked it Beth!!
Geena says
Omg this looks so good will update once I make it