Description
This veggie-packed macaroni and cheese is so rich, creamy, and cheesy that you won’t believe ahead of cauliflower is blended into the homemade cheese sauce. Cooked on the stovetop in about 30 minutes, this cauliflower mac and cheese is perfect for a simple and quick pasta dinner the whole family will love.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups uncooked macaroni,can also use gluten-free pasta
- 5 cups chicken stock,or vegetable stock
- 1 12 ounce bag cauliflower florets, or 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
- 1 cup shredded cheese,I use a mixture of fontina, gruyere, and parmesan
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- Garnish with chopped chives and extra shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add the macaroni and cook according to package, about 7-8 minutes. Drain noodles and set aside.
- In the same pot bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the cauliflower and cook until fork tender, about 5-7 minutes. Once cooked, reserve 1 cup of the chicken stock and set aside. Drain the rest of the cauliflower.
- Place the cooked cauliflower in a blender and add the reserved 1 cup of stock. Blend until very smooth. Pour the sauce back into the pot and warm over low heat. Add the cheese and stir continuously until cheese has melted and sauce is smooth. Add 3/4 teaspoon salt or more to taste. Add the cooked noodles to the cheese sauce and stir until well coated.
- Remove from heat and serve immediately. Garnish with chopped chives and extra shredded parmesan cheese if desired.
Notes
* I like the combination of the three cheeses in this dish. The fontina is mild and melts beautifully. The gruyere is a little sharp and compliments the mildness of the fontina. And the parmesan gives it a nice salty bite. Together they make the perfect trio for this restaurant style, “healthy-ish” mac and cheese.