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Roasted Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

This roasted cauliflower mac and cheese is a healthier alternative to one of our favourite comfort foods. You’ll love this gluten-free meal packed with flavourful vegetables!

Roasted Cauliflower Mac and Cheese in Cast Iron Skillet

How was your weekend? We had a busy one celebrating my husband’s birthday, a baptism and, of course, Superbowl. Needless to say, we had our fair share of eating!

As mentioned earlier, we’re working on making better food choices this year. But, every once in a while, we have cravings for good old comfort food, like mac and cheese (especially when we get a dump of snow and it turns cold like on Saturday). What’s a girl to do?

Healthier Mac and Cheese

I thought, why not make this decadent dish a little healthier by using brown rice pasta and adding a good portion of roasted cauliflower. Wowza.

This roasted cauliflower mac and cheese is so much better than any other version I’ve ever made before!

Mac and Cheese with Roasted Cauliflower in Cast Iron Skillet

Honestly, our favourite part of this dish is the cauliflower. We love the caramelized bits of heaven topped with cheese. You can’t beat that, right?!

And, the whole thing tastes even better as leftovers when the flavours really come together.

I think it’s safe to say your kids will eat it too (although our son ate any vegetable under the sun growing up, so I’m a bit naive at times). You may want to try it without the garlic to start with. I’d love to know how it goes over with your family, so drop a comment below.

Roasted Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Roasted Cauliflower Mac and Cheese in Cast Iron Skillet
A healthier alternative to one of our favourite comfort foods. Packed with flavourful vegetables and gluten-free too!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Serving Size 4

Ingredients

  • 1 medium head of cauliflower about 5 cups broken into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • sea salt to taste
  • freshly cracked black pepper to taste
  • 250 grams uncooked brown rice macaroni
  • 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
  • 1 cup milk whole or partly skimmed
  • 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
  • 3-4 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
  • 6 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. Place washed and dried cauliflower on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with a bit of sea salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 30-45 minutes (turning halfway through) until cauliflower is tender and pieces start turning brown and carmelizing.
  • Meanwhile, in a large pot, prepare the pasta according to the directions (we like ours on the “al dente” side). Drain, reserving a bit of the liquid, and transfer the pasta and liquid to a bowl. Set aside.
  • In the same pot, over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons butter, plus the onions. Cook until onions are tender, about 10 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and remaining butter. Whisk in the brown rice flour and cook for a minute. Slowly add the milk and mustard, whisking continuously. Turn down the heat to medium-low and let simmer until it starts to thicken a bit (about 2 minutes), stirring often.
  • Add half the cheddar and stir until it comes together. Turn off heat and carefully mix in the pasta and cauliflower. Season with salt and pepper to taste (remember the cheese will add salt, so go easy).
  • Transfer to a skillet or casserole dish and top with remaining cheese. Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375°F and broil at the end to brown the cheese to your liking.
  • Top with basil and serve.

More Skillet Recipes

Looking for something on the sweeter side? These desserts baked in skillets are delicious too!

Looking for others? Be sure to check out this collection of cast iron skillet recipes!

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 Have a delicious day!

Shauna at Satori Design for Living Blog - Home Decor, DIY, Vintage Finds, Recipes

18 Comments

  1. This looks amazing #dying to try! I love Mac & Cheese, and we are also trying to make healthier choices. Off to pin!! Thanks for sharing, Shauna :-)

  2. I keep liking ..pinning..your mac and cheese version! Its so good! Will surely give atry :) i always make roasted cauliflower recipes

  3. I love roasted cauliflower AND mac n cheese, so this is calling my name – pinned and added to the meal plan!

  4. What a great idea! We’ve been making mac ‘n cheese with “kamut” spirals. I love the earthy taste and texture of the ancient grain and it’s high in nutrition, too. The addition of cauliflower is something I’ve got to try. Yum!

  5. This doesn’t say when to add the cauliflower – I assume right when you mix in the pasta as well? Just want to double check!

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