The other day I had a craving for stovetop macaroni and cheese. I know that we have a recipe for fried mac & cheese, but I wanted something that more closely resembled the quick pasta. Just like the boxed variety, this recipe came out quick and easy. You can cook the cauliflower while you whip together the cheese sauce. You’ll have this on the table in no time!
This cauliflower mac & cheese is creamy, cheesy, and colorful. The bright yellow hue comes from turmeric. The sauce is flavored with a touch of mustard, and garlic, but the star is cheddar cheese. We’ll add it in two stages: first to the sauce, and then before serving to create more stretch and pull.
In the pictures I garnished with a sprinkle of smoked paprika and dried basil. Try serving with some crumbled bacon, or some Asian grilled keto short ribs.
Yields 8 (3/4 cup) servings of Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
The Preparation
- 2 pounds frozen cauliflower florets
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
The Execution
1. Cook the cauliflower florets according to the package instructions.
2. Bring the cream to a simmer. Use a whisk to stir in the cream cheese and mix until smooth.
3. Stir in 6 ounces of the shredded cheddar cheese. Save the other 2 ounces for later. Mix until the cheese melts into the sauce.
4. Add the Dijon mustard, turmeric, powdered garlic, salt, and pepper. The sauce will become a smooth yellow color.
5. Make sure that the cauliflower is drained, then add it to the cheese sauce. Evenly coat the florets with sauce.
6. Sprinkle on the remaining 2 ounces of cheddar cheese, then stir until mostly melted.
This makes a total of 8 (3/4 cup) servings of Cauliflower Mac & Cheese. Each serving comes out to be 295.5 Calories, 25.38g Fats, 5.47g Net Carbs, and 10.63g Protein.
| Cauliflower Mac & Cheese | Calories | Fats(g) | Carbs(g) | Fiber(g) | Net Carbs(g) | Protein(g) |
| 2 lbs cauliflower florets | 218 | 2.45 | 42.53 | 20.9 | 21.63 | 18.27 |
| 1 cup heavy whipping cream | 809 | 85.87 | 6.52 | 0 | 6.52 | 6.76 |
| 4 ounces cream cheese | 397 | 39.05 | 6.26 | 0 | 6.26 | 6.97 |
| 8 ounces cheddar cheese | 916 | 75.55 | 7.01 | 0 | 7.01 | 51.87 |
| 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 teaspoon turmeric | 9 | 0.1 | 2.01 | 0.7 | 1.31 | 0.91 |
| ½ teaspoon powdered garlic | 5 | 0.01 | 1.13 | 0.1 | 1.03 | 0.26 |
| Totals | 2359 | 203.03 | 65.46 | 21.7 | 43.76 | 85.04 |
| Per Serving(/8) | 294.88 | 25.38 | 8.18 | 2.71 | 5.47 | 10.63 |
Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 2 pounds frozen cauliflower florets
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 4 ounces cream cheese cubed
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese shredded
- 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon powdered garlic
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the cauliflower florets according to the package instructions.
- Bring the cream to a simmer. Use a whisk to stir in the cream cheese and mix until smooth.
- Stir in 6 ounces of the shredded cheddar cheese. Save the other 2 ounces for later. Mix until the cheese melts into the sauce.
- Add the Dijon mustard, turmeric, powdered garlic, salt, and pepper. The sauce will become a smooth yellow color.
- Make sure that the cauliflower is drained then add it to the cheese sauce. Evenly coat the florets with sauce.
- Sprinkle on the remaining 2 ounces of cheddar cheese, then stir until mostly melted.
