This one-pot mac and cheese recipe has an insanely creamy cheese sauce that melts this main dish together perfectly! This delicious recipe would also make a great side dish at your next holiday table.
Guys, this one pot cauliflower mac and cheese is soo easy! I decided to make this meal to trick my kids, who are picky eaters, into eating cauliflower because they love the traditional mac and cheese. Once I had a bite for myself I was hooked! I actually made this meal last night and I have had at least five helpings since :0 It's just so addicting! I literally can't stop eating it.
Basically, everything is thrown into a large pot and away it cooks. I had to keep running back and forth to the pot because I have 3 toddlers and I'm sure you can imagine how that goes. You can also have your kids help you toss everything into the pot, under supervision of course.
If you are also a fan of cauliflower recipes like I am, then you MUST TRY my Cauliflower Egg Wraps , Cauliflower Ranch Bites, or Buffalo Cauliflower Bites.
Ingredients needed to make homemade mac and cheese
Below is a picture of the ingredients you will need for this cauliflower macaroni and cheese recipe.
First of all, you need a large pot. I have the a Calphalon 8 quart pot that comes with 2 different sized colanders. I have had this pot for 5 years and have never had a problem with it. This is the one I recommend for sure.
For the ingredients you will need
- 1 pound of whole wheat pasta - either macaroni or spiral are the 2 that I enjoy the most.
- a head of cauliflower - chopped into small cauliflower florets, bite sized pieces or you can make cauliflower rice and use that.
- ¾ cup of canned coconut milk - can also use heavy cream in place of coconut milk if you prefer
- 3 ounces of low-fat cream cheese
- 1 tbsp of dijon mustard - I'm a fan of Annie's organic dijon mustard. Annie's organic ingredients are my favorite to use. They also have different types of organic snacks for the kids. Check out the organic snacks they have to offer by clicking this link Annie's Organic Snack. My kid's favorites are the fruit snacks, the cheddar bunnies, and the white cheddar bunny tail puffs.
- 1 tsp of garlic powder
- 2 cups of shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese - they sell them in bags already shredded, but a great way to make your meal even more fresh is to buy blocks of cheese and shred it yourself.
- 1 cup of fontina cheese
- 2 tbsp of unsalted butter - or ghee
- kosher salt and ground black pepper -to taste
- fresh parsley for the topping! I only put the parsley on each individual bowl once it was plated and you will also want to dice it up.
How to make this delicious dish
In a large pot, dutch oven, or large skillet, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 tsp. of salt, the pasta, and cauliflower and cook stirring occasionally for 10 minutes. DO NOT drain water. Turn down to medium heat and stir in the milk, cream cheese, dijon mustard, and garlic powder and cook until the cream cheese has melted and the pasta is al dente. This will take about 5 minutes.
Next, turn down to low heat and add the cheeses and butter and stir until melted. Everything will now look super creamy 🙂 Remove from the heat and stir in your desired amount of salt and pepper. Divide the cauliflower mac and cheese into individual bowls and top with parsley. Be prepared to feel full when you are done because you won't be able to stop eating! I hope you enjoy this comfort food as much as my family did. Happy Cooking!
Substitutions for this mac and cheese
Next time you make this dish if you want to switch it up to other variations here are a few you can try!
Whole wheat pasta - The possibilities of this swap are endless. You can really choose any pasta that you prefer. Are you into a keto mac then use chickpea pasta or try one of these pastas from Wholesome Provisions, each only has 5 g of carbs. Those are perfect for a keto diet!
Cheddar Cheese and Fontina Cheese - a couple other types of cheeses that I also enjoy are monterey jack, mozzarella cheese, provolone cheese, or any grated cheeses would even work, as well! Try using a sharp cheddar too instead of regular cheddar. Also, instead of using blocks of fontina, you can use grated fontina to spread it more evenly. Or try your own favorite cheese and let me know how it tastes.
Coconut milk - if you aren't into the taste of coconut milk, you can try regular cow's milk or one of my favorite milks, almond milk.
What can your kids do
I had my oldest daughter, Taylor helping me dump the ingredients into the large pot. Of course I supervised her every move! This meal is also perfect for hiding veggies into your child's dish if they just won't eat them.
Tips and FAQ's
Mac and Cheese lasts about 3 to 5 days after the first time it is cooked. Store your cauliflower mac and cheese in an airtight container in the fridge.
To reheat your mac and cheese place in a nonstick skillet and add a dash of milk. Stir to combine. Put heat on medium-low and cook until heated through.
If you aren't a fan of using milk in your mac and cheese you can use heavy cream or sour cream in place of the milk.
Other one-pot dishes you might also enjoy
If you give this mac and cheese a try don't forget to rate the recipe below! Always love hearing what you all think. You can also Stay in touch with me through social media on @Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook. Don't forget to tag me when you try one of my healthy recipes!
One Pot Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- one large pot
- cutting board
- knife for chopping cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 lb whole wheat pasta macaroni or spiral
- 1 head cauliflower chopped into bite sized pieces
- ¾ cup canned coconut milk
- 3 oz reduced-fat or low-fat cream cheese
- 1 tbsp organic dijon mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 cups reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 cup fontina cheese cubed
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- kosher salt to taste
- ground black pepper to taste
- parsley for topping
Instructions
- In a large pot bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 tsp. kosher salt, the pasta, and cauliflower. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- DO NOT drain water. Lower heat to medium, high and stir in milk, cream cheese, dijon mustard, and garlic powder and cook until cream cheese has melted and pasta is al dente. This will take about 5 minutes.
- Lower heat to medium and add the cheeses and butter and stir until melted. Everything will look super creamy now. Remove from heat and stir in desired amount of salt and pepper.
- Divide the mac and cheese into individual bowls and top with parsley!
This mac and cheese is super creamy and was very easy to make! My kids loved it also.