Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (6 Ingredients)
A forkful of cauliflower with warm cheddar sauce is a very easy thing to like. Here the florets keep a little bite beneath their creamy coating, so there's plenty of texture alongside the cheese.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 8 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course · Sides
- Cuisine
- American
- Cooking method
- Roasting · Baked & roasted
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
A few quick notes
1. Coat before roasting
Toss the florets with oil, salt and pepper in a bowl before spreading them over the lined baking sheet.
2. Aim for crisp-tender
Roast until the cauliflower is crisp-tender, keeping that bit of texture for when the florets meet the cheese sauce.
3. Keep sauce heat low
Warm the cheese mixture gently and stir frequently until smooth, taking care not to overheat it as it melts.
Get to know the ingredients
Small cauliflower florets
Cut the cauliflower into the small florets specified so the pieces are ready for tossing, roasting and coating with sauce.
Shredded cheddar
Have the cheddar shredded before heating it with the cream, milk and butter for the smooth cheese sauce.
Milk choices
Unsweetened almond milk is listed, with any milk of your choice allowed. It goes into the sauce with the cream.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 5 steps completeMake room for Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (6 Ingredients)
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Fold the sauce through
Transfer the roasted cauliflower to a large bowl and gently fold in the cheese sauce until the florets are evenly coated.
A little more help as you go
Line the sheet first
Foil or parchment paper can line the baking sheet before the seasoned cauliflower goes on it for roasting.
Choose a sauce-heating route
The sauce can warm in a small saucepan over low heat or in a bowl in the microwave, with frequent stirring.
A few questions you might have
Do I boil the cauliflower first?
It goes straight from tossing with oil and seasonings to roasting on the prepared sheet; there's no boiling step here.
Does the cauliflower bake in its sauce?
Roast the florets first. Pour the prepared cheese sauce over them in a bowl once they're out of the oven.
When does the butter go in?
Heat the butter together with the cheddar, heavy cream and milk, stirring until the cheese sauce is smooth.
Should I stir the sauce while it melts?
Yes, stir it frequently while warming gently. Stop heating once it's smooth and avoid letting the mixture overheat.
Do I season after adding the cheese?
The salt and pepper are tossed with the raw florets and olive oil before roasting; follow that seasoning stage first.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: wholesomeyum.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
