This 3-cheese cauliflower mac and cheese is so rich and creamy you won’t miss the macaroni one bit. The buttery panko topping and bites of roasted mushrooms take this classic comfort food over the top!
Why You’ll Love This Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Recipe
If you don’t get special requests for it from now on, you’ll definitely need to make 2 batches so that everyone can load up.
- Great for picky eaters. If you normally struggle with children picking out the veggies from their meals, this is a great way to sneak them into their food.
- Comfort food. This cheesy, creamy side dish always hits the spot no matter what!
- Classic. It’s an all-time classic you can serve at family dinners, cookouts, special gatherings, etc.
- Prep-friendly. Assembling the casserole and keeping it in the fridge until right before dinner will give you a head-start throughout the week.
If you love comfort food dinners with added veggies, check out my mac and cheese with broccoli, this easy chicken broccoli alfredo bake or my colorful pasta primavera!
What You’ll Need
Between the cheese, milk, and sour cream, this cauliflower mac and cheese recipe is as good as your favorite pasta-version of it. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Cauliflower: Use fresh cauliflower florets or cut a head of cauliflower into florets, but do not use frozen cauliflower. Frozen retain too much water and can make your casserole watery.
- Cremini Mushrooms: Baby bellas or portobello mushrooms are great too.
- Oil: Olive oil or avocado oil are best.
- Garlic Cloves: Garlic powder works too.
- Leek: You can swap it for shallots.
- Shredded Cheese: Shredded sharp cheddar cheese, white cheddar and parmesan cheese. Freshly shredded is best as pre-shredded is coated with anti-caking agents and can over thicken your cheese sauce.
- Whole Milk: You can use your favorite kind of dairy milk. No plant-based milk because they’re water-based and will split the sauce.
- Sour Cream: Heavy cream or Mexican crema will save you in a pinch.
- Seasonings: Ground mustard, freshly cracked black pepper and salt.
- Butter: Skip the salt in the rest of the recipe if you use salted butter.
- Panko Breadcrumbs: Regular breadcrumbs are a good swap.
- Parsley: Don’t use dried parsley as the flavor is too intense.
How to Make Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
It’s just like making homemade mac and cheese, except instead of boiling pasta you roast some cauliflower. Scroll down to the recipe card for full detailed instructions.
- Roast: Toss the cauliflower and mushrooms with olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes.
- Sauce: Sauté garlic and leeks in a pot until softened. Add the cheeses and milk. Stir until completely melted and smooth.
- Season: Stir in the sour cream, mustard, pepper, and salt. Set it aside.
- Combine: Toss the roasted veggies and sauce in a large bowl. Transfer to a greased casserole dish.
- Topping: Mix the melted butter, breadcrumbs, and parsley in a separate bowl and spread on top of the casserole dish.
- Bake: Bake until the breadcrumbs are golden. Remove it from the oven, serve, and enjoy!
Tips for Success
These tips and tricks will help ensure your cauliflower mac and cheese comes out perfectly:
- Use leftovers. Leftover roasted cauliflower is a great way to reduce food waste and still throw this recipe together. It’ll also save you time!
- Do it over low heat. Don’t increase the heat as you make the sauce thinking it will melt the cheese faster. Low heat is the only way to ensure a smooth sauce with no lumps.
- Use a cheese mix. Don’t worry if you don’t have different kinds of cheddar at home. Any melty cheese mix or bits of leftover cheese will do the trick.
- Add more toppings. Crumbled bacon, chopped chives, and even grilled sausages will add more flavor to each bite.
- Add more veggies. Roasted bell peppers, grilled corn, peas, or broccoli florets can add more nutrients and flavor to the dish.
- Cover it. If the top is browning too quickly, cover the baking dish with foil for the remainder of the baking time.
What to Serve with Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese
This cauliflower mac and cheese goes great with just about anything! Here are a few favorites to try:
- Chicken: Chicken fried chicken would be a great comfort food pairing, or try this easy crockpot whole chicken!
- Beef: For a fancy dinner, try this red wine braised short ribs or for a little cuban personality, try this churrasco steak with mojo marinade.
- Seafood: This air fryer salmon is ready in 10 minutes and will pair perfectly with cheesy cauliflower.
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Once fully cooled, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Here’s how to reheat cauliflower mac and cheese:
- Microwave: Sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon milk and microwave it for up to a minute.
- Stove: Stir it in a pot over medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Oven: Pop it into the oven at 325°F for 15 minutes, until heated through.
More Cheesy Side Dishes To Try
Yield: 8 Servings
Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
This cauliflower mac and cheese recipe with a crispy panko topping is a step up from the regular version of this classic side dish.
Ingredients
- 8 cups cauliflower florets, chopped into 1-inch pieces, about 2 heads cauliflower
- 1 cup cremini or portobello mushrooms, diced
- 4 tablespoons oilve oil, divided
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 large leek, white & light green part only, finely sliced
- 8 oz shredded sharp cheddar
- 8 oz shredded white cheddar, or a cheddar blend
- 5 oz shredded parmesan
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 tablespoon minced parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a large baking sheet or line with parchment paper.
- Toss cauliflower, cremini mushrooms, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil together. Spread in an even layer on prepared baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring half way through.
- In a large sauce pan over medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add garlic and let cook for 30 seconds. Add leeks, cooking until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add all the shredded cheeses and milk to the sauce pan and stir, until cheese melts. Then add in the sour cream, ground mustard, pepper and salt. Set aside.
- Once cauliflower and mushrooms are roasted, remove from the oven and add to a large bowl. Add the cheese sauce mixture and fold to combine. Transfer mixture to a greased casserole dish. (11×7 or 9×13 will both work.)
- In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, bread crumbs and parsley. Sprinkle over the top of the mac and cheese.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, just until the bread crumbs on top are lightly browned. Serve immediately!
Video
Notes
Storage: Once fully cooled, refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Reheat: Sprinkle it with 1 teaspoon milk and microwave it for up to a minute. Or, pop it into the oven at 325°F for 15 minutes, until heated through.
Do it over low heat. Don’t increase the heat as you make the sauce thinking it will melt the cheese faster. Low heat is the only way to ensure a smooth sauce with no lumps.
Use a cheese mix. Don’t worry if you don’t have different kinds of cheddar at home. Any melty cheese mix or bits of leftover cheese will do the trick.
Add more toppings. Crumbled bacon, chopped chives, and even grilled sausages will add more flavor to each bite.
Add more veggies. Roasted bell peppers, grilled corn, peas, or broccoli florets can add more nutrients and flavor to the dish.
Cover it. If the top is browning too quickly, cover the baking dish with foil for the remainder of the baking time.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 470kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 23g, Fat: 37g, Saturated Fat: 18g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g, Monounsaturated Fat: 12g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 972mg, Potassium: 239mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 3g, Vitamin A: 1089IU, Vitamin C: 8mg, Calcium: 686mg, Iron: 1mg
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