Indulge in a healthier and equally delectable twist on the classic macaroni and cheese with our MasterChef Cauliflower Mac 'n' Cheese recipe. This innovative dish features tender cauliflower florets replacing traditional pasta, resulting in a low-carb, nutrient-packed meal. We've also included a creamy and flavorful cheese sauce made from a blend of sharp cheddar, Parmesan, and Gruyère cheeses, ensuring a rich and satisfying experience.
Additionally, we've included three more tantalizing variations to cater to different tastes and dietary preferences:
- Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Mac 'n' Cheese: This vibrant recipe combines the tangy flavors of sun-dried tomatoes and herbaceous pesto with a creamy cheese sauce, creating a delightful and flavorful dish.
- Spinach and Artichoke Mac 'n' Cheese: For a hearty and savory option, this recipe incorporates sautéed spinach and artichoke hearts into the creamy cheese sauce, resulting in a delectable and filling meal.
- Roasted Red Pepper and Sausage Mac 'n' Cheese: Indulge in a smoky and spicy twist with roasted red peppers and savory sausage, combined with a rich cheese sauce, for a hearty and satisfying mac 'n' cheese experience.
MASTERCHEF CAULIFLOWER "MAC 'N' CHEESE"
Okay, so this doesn't actually have any "mac" in it, but it's still a great dish. This is a slight adaptation of a recipe I found in the June 13, 2011 issue of People. The original was created by the MasterChef winner, Whitney Miller. The only change I made was to use regular milk instead of fat-free. After reading that dairies often add powdered milk to their skim to mask its naturally blue color (yes, Blue!) I just can't endorse the stuff.
Provided by Chilicat
Categories Cheese
Time 1h5m
Yield 4 , 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 400°F Toss florets in oil on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoons pepper. Roast until fork-tender and lightly browned, 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven. Reduce oven to 350°F.
- Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute (I cooked mine for a few more minutes to a toasty brown). Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer over medium heat, stirring frequently, until thickened, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk in cream and cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove pan from heat and stir in 1/4 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoons pepper and all but 2 tablespoons of cheese. Stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. (I didn't even turn my flame back on, just stirred until the cheese melted from the residual heat.).
- Place cauliflower in an 8x8-in. glass baking dish or 4 10-oz. ramekins. Pour cheese sauce on top. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cheese. Bake until sauce is bubbly, 20 to 25 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 597.8, Fat 52.3, SaturatedFat 29.2, Cholesterol 155.6, Sodium 676, Carbohydrate 20.4, Fiber 4.5, Sugar 4.3, Protein 16.1
5-INGREDIENT CAULIFLOWER MAC 'N' CHEESE RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: cauliflower, salt, pepper, sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, fresh parsley
Provided by Mercedes Sandoval
Categories Sides
Time 30m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Cut cauliflower into small florets, about 4 cups (1.2 kg).
- Add cauliflower florets into a 6-quart (6 L) Dutch oven of boiling water and boil for 5 minutes.
- Drain the cauliflower in a colander, and return to the pot. Reduce heat to low.
- Add in salt, pepper, and sour cream, and stir until thoroughly combined.
- Stir in cheddar cheese until melted.
- Remove from heat. Top with parsley (optional).
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 253 calories, Carbohydrate 19 grams, Fat 15 grams, Fiber 7 grams, Protein 14 grams, Sugar 7 grams
CAULIFLOWER "MAC" AND CHEESE
Provided by Ree Drummond : Food Network
Categories side-dish
Time 50m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a baking dish with butter.
- Cook the cauliflower in the boiling water until just crisp-tender, about 10 minutes. Drain well.
- In a large saucepan, heat the milk and butter over medium heat. Whisk in the dry mustard and add some hot sauce, salt and pepper. Just before the milk comes to a boil, turn off the heat and stir in the pepper jack and goat cheese. When melted and smooth, stir in the cauliflower. Spread the mixture into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle over the Parmesan.
- Bake until the top is golden brown and the mixture is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
CAULIFLOWER "MAC" AND CHEESE CASSEROLE
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season the water with salt.
- Spray the baking dish with vegetable oil spray.
- Cook the cauliflower in the boiling water until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well and pat between several layers of paper towels to dry. Transfer the cauliflower to the baking dish and set aside.
- Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan, and whisk in the cream cheese and mustard until smooth. Stir in 1 cup of the cheese, salt, pepper and garlic and whisk just until the cheese melts, about 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat, pour over the cauliflower, and stir to combine. Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bake until browned and bubbly hot, about 15 minutes. Serve.
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER MAC AND CHEESE
This roasted cauliflower mac and cheese is a no-pasta version of a classic.
Provided by Fernella
Categories Side Dish Vegetables Cauliflower
Time 55m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Spray cauliflower florets with cooking spray and season with salt and pepper; place on a baking sheet.
- Roast in the preheated oven for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat half-and-half in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add Mexican, Cheddar, and cream cheeses slowly, stirring to combine, until melted.
- Butter an 8x10-inch baking dish.
- Mix roasted cauliflower with cheese sauce. Transfer to the prepared dish.
- Bake in the preheated oven until bubbly, about 15 minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 624.5 calories, Carbohydrate 15.6 g, Cholesterol 156.1 mg, Fat 50.5 g, Fiber 3.6 g, Protein 30.7 g, SaturatedFat 33.2 g, Sodium 845.6 mg, Sugar 3.8 g
CAULIFLOWER "MAC" AND CHEESE
Somewhere between macaroni and cheese, British cauliflower cheese and a cauliflower gratin is this burbling dish of tangy, creamy cauliflower. Cauliflower florets cut into noodle-size pieces step in for macaroni in this pasta-less macaroni and cheese; they're roasted and draped in a mixture of melty Cheddar, heavy cream, garlic and cayenne. You could also add mustard, thyme or rosemary, or even caramelized onions, and swap out the Cheddar for Gruyère or another cheese. As the cauliflower cooks in the cream mixture, the cream thickens slightly and the cauliflower continues to brown. Serve it with a bright, crisp salad to offset the richness.
Provided by Ali Slagle
Categories dinner, weekday, casseroles, vegetables, main course, side dish
Time 35m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper, spread in an even layer and roast until browned and cooked through but retaining some bite, about 15 minutes.
- Transfer the cauliflower to an 8-inch or other 2-quart baking dish. (You could also bake this in individual ramekins; just mix the cauliflower with the other ingredients in a medium bowl before dividing.) Reserve 1/4 cup Cheddar. Add the remaining 1 1/4 cups Cheddar, heavy cream, garlic and cayenne to the cauliflower and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, then top with the reserved 1/4 cup Cheddar.
- Roast until the cream has thickened, the cheese has melted, and some of the cauliflower is browned on top, 15 to 20 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
CAULIFLOWER MAC-N-CHEESE
Simple mac-n-cheese.
Provided by Zach Paquette
Categories Main Dish Recipes Pasta Macaroni and Cheese Recipes Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese Recipes
Time 30m
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, 8 minutes. Drain.
- Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add cauliflower, cover, and steam until tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Place cauliflower in a blender or food processor; blend until smooth.
- Coat a large saucepan with non-stick cooking spray; place over medium heat. Add oil and flour; cook, stirring constantly, until a thick paste forms, 1 to 2 minutes. Add milk; cook and stir until mixture thickens, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Mix cauliflower, Cheddar cheese, cream cheese, salt, and pepper into milk mixture; stir until sauce is smooth. Fold macaroni into sauce.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 470.7 calories, Carbohydrate 34.3 g, Cholesterol 77.7 mg, Fat 28.5 g, Fiber 1.6 g, Protein 19.3 g, SaturatedFat 16.1 g, Sodium 655.5 mg, Sugar 3.1 g
CAULIFLOWER "MAC 'N' CHEESE" CASSEROLE
This gluten-free dish offers all the melty goodness of a mac 'n' cheese dinner, without the carb-heavy pasta. A dash of curry powder adds a gentle hint of spice that makes this a freezer dinner the whole family can get excited about. Make a double batch and freeze an extra for an emergency dinner that's actually delicious.
Provided by Anna Stockwell
Categories Freezer Food Macaroni and Cheese Cauliflower Wheat/Gluten-Free Cheese Milk/Cream Dinner Vegetarian Cheese Week
Yield Serves 4
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Toss cauliflower and 1/4 tsp. salt in a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pierce plastic with a knife a few times to vent, and microwave on high 10 minutes. Carefully remove plastic and transfer cauliflower to a colander. Let cool to room temperature, then transfer to a large bowl.
- Meanwhile, cook milk, cream cheese, curry powder, mustard, and remaining 1 tsp. salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth, about 4 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Add cauliflower and toss to combine. Add mozzarella and 6 oz. cheddar and toss to combine-mixture should be cool enough so cheese doesn't melt. Transfer cauliflower mixture to freezer-to-oven-safe baking dish or dishes.
- If baking immediately, preheat oven to 350°F. Cover dish with foil and bake casserole until heated through and just beginning to bubble, about 45 minutes for large dish, or about 30 minutes for small dishes. Remove foil and sprinkle cheddar over. Heat broiler and broil until top is browned and bubbling, 2-5 minutes.
- If freezing to bake later, cover dish with an airtight lid or double layer of plastic wrap and freeze up to 3 months. To cook, preheat oven to 350°F. Cover dish with foil and bake casserole 45 minutes for large dish, or 30 minutes for small dishes. Remove foil and stir well with a rubber spatula. Continue to bake, uncovered, until just bubbling and heated through, 10-15 minutes more. Sprinkle cheddar over. Heat broiler and broil until top is browned and bubbling, 2-5 minutes.
- To cook individually portioned frozen casseroles in the microwave, partially cover and microwave on high 4 minutes. Uncover, stir, and microwave at 1-minute intervals until heated through, 4-5 minutes more.
- Top with chives, if using, before serving.
- Do Ahead
- Casserole(s) can be assembled 1 day ahead; cover and chill, or freeze up to 3 months.
Tips:
- For a creamy sauce, use a high-quality cheese that melts well, such as cheddar, Gruyère, or Parmesan.
- To make the sauce extra smooth, blend it in a food processor or high-powered blender until it is completely smooth.
- If you don't have a food processor or blender, you can also grate the cheese on a fine grater and then whisk it into the sauce until it is melted and smooth.
- For a crispy topping, use panko breadcrumbs or crushed crackers. You can also add some grated Parmesan cheese to the topping for extra flavor.
- To make the dish ahead of time, prepare the sauce and topping as directed. Then, store them separately in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you're ready to serve, assemble the dish and bake it according to the recipe instructions.
Conclusion:
MasterChef Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is a delicious and satisfying dish that is perfect for any occasion. It is easy to make and can be customized to your liking. You can use different types of cheese, vegetables, and toppings to create a dish that is unique and flavorful. So next time you're looking for a comforting and cheesy meal, give this recipe a try!
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