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- What Is Cauliflower Mac N Cheese?
- What Does Cauliflower Mac And Cheese Taste Like?
- Cheese Sauce For Cauliflower Macaroni
- How To Make Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Can I Make Keto Mac And Cheese With Frozen Cauliflower?
- What Can I Do If My Sauce Isn’t Thick Enough?
- Is Cauliflower Mac And Cheese Keto? Gluten-Free?
- How Many Carbs In Cauliflower Mac And Cheese?
- Will Kids Eat Low Carb Mac And Cheese?
- Can You Make Keto Mac And Cheese Ahead?
- Can You Freeze Cauliflower And Cheese?
- What To Serve With Low Carb Mac And Cheese
- More Keto Cauliflower Recipes
- Tools To Make Keto Macaroni and Cheese
- Low Carb Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Recipe with Keto Cheese Sauce
If you’re looking for a low carb mac and cheese replacement, you may be surprised by this cauliflower mac and cheese (aka cauliflower and cheese) recipe! Yes, I know it’s not actual pasta, but this keto mac and cheese will totally fulfill that comfort food craving. Keto cauliflower mac and cheese is almost like the real thing, and so much healthier.
Being Russian, I didn’t get to try all-American macaroni and cheese until much later. I still remember tasting it for the first time, at a friend’s house as a pre-teen. Not knowing (or caring!) back then about how processed it was, I absolutely fell in love! Of course the creamy cheese sauce was the best part. The carbs in mac and cheese didn’t even cross my mind.
My adoration for mac and cheese followed me through my college years. I didn’t cook a lot in college, but mac and cheese was a staple. I learned to make my own homemade kind eventually, and then I missed it dearly when I switched to a low carb and gluten-free lifestyle.
Of course, you’ll never think you’re eating pasta when you eat cauliflower. But, with the right low carb cheese sauce, keto cauliflower mac and cheese is the next best thing. (If you want something more noodle-like, check out my other low carb pasta alternatives.)
This keto mac and cheese recipe was originally published on June 24, 2017, and was republished in March 2020 to add useful tips and answer common questions.
What Is Cauliflower Mac N Cheese?
Cauliflower macaroni and cheese is essentially cooked cauliflower with rich cheese sauce. Roasted cauliflower makes a great stand-in for macaroni – hence the name. It makes delicious as a keto side dish or vegetarian keto main dish.
What Does Cauliflower Mac And Cheese Taste Like?
Keto mac and cheese tastes like all the cheesy goodness of macaroni and cheese, but using cauliflower florets instead of macaroni. Even if you’re a die-hard pasta lover, I think you’ll love the flavors in this dish.
By the way, do you say “mac and cheese” or “mac n cheese”? I had to list it both ways to help people find this post. Either way, this keto version with cauliflower will do the trick.
Cheese Sauce For Cauliflower Macaroni
What makes this low carb cauliflower mac and cheese the ultimate comfort food is the keto cheese sauce – it’s so deliciously rich and creamy! That’s what makes this dish such a good mac and cheese sub. And, it’s super simple, with just three ingredients in the sauce, plus salt and pepper.
I love this sauce so much that I wrote a post dedicated to this keto cheese sauce recipe. In addition to keto cauliflower mac and cheese, it’s delicious for topping or dipping fresh or steamed broccoli.
How To Make Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Roast cauliflower. This baked cauliflower mac and cheese starts with roasted cauliflower. Toss cauliflower florets with melted butter and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 10-15 minutes, until crisp tender, or done to your liking.
- Make cheese sauce. Heat the cheddar cheese, heavy cream, milk, and more butter, stirring frequently. Heat until the cheese mixture is smooth, being careful not to overheat.
TIP: You have some substitution options for the sauce. You can lighten up the recipe by using more almond milk and less cream. Or just the opposite, make it more rich by using more cream instead. Coconut milk or coconut cream would also be fine, if you don’t mind some coconut flavor in there. I also like to throw in some garlic or other spices for a more adult version.
- Toss keto macaroni and cheese together. Toss cauliflower and cheese sauce together and serve immediately.
Can I Make Keto Mac And Cheese With Frozen Cauliflower?
Yes, you can! You’ll just need to roast it for longer, and the end result will be softer.
What Can I Do If My Sauce Isn’t Thick Enough?
The sauce will thicken as it cools from piping hot to warm. However, if you’re concerned and want it thicker, you can simply add more shredded cheese to the sauce before tossing with the cauliflower.
Is Cauliflower Mac And Cheese Keto? Gluten-Free?
Yes, this is a keto mac and cheese recipe that is also gluten-free. Some other versions are not keto or gluten-free, if they include flour in the sauce or breadcrumbs on top.
How Many Carbs In Cauliflower Mac And Cheese?
There are 7 grams net carbs in a generous 1 cup serving of keto mac and cheese with cauliflower. (If you are counting carbs, grab my keto food list to have carbs for hundreds of foods in one place.)
Will Kids Eat Low Carb Mac And Cheese?
Yes! My kids are excited when they see that I made cauliflower mac and cheese. If you have kids and are looking for ways to get them to eat more veggies, I hope you’ll try this recipe.
Besides, I don’t believe in this “separate kid foods” nonsense. My job is to offer my kids nutritious food, and it’s up to them to choose how much they want to eat. This is so important for them to learn to recognize hunger signals and get used to eating unprocessed real food.
Still, kids love their familiar comfort foods, and even our friends’ kids that are used to regular mac and cheese love this cauliflower version.
Can You Make Keto Mac And Cheese Ahead?
Yes, you can prep the components for cauliflower mac & cheese ahead of time. Roast the cauliflower and make the cheese sauce and then right before serving, reheat cauliflower in the microwave or a 350 degree F oven. Gently reheat cheese sauce and toss with cauliflower.
If you have leftovers, you can reheat them in the oven or microwave.
Can You Freeze Cauliflower And Cheese?
This healthy cauliflower mac and cheese is best fresh, but you can freeze it if you must. The texture won’t be the same, though.
Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the oven. The sauce may separate a bit, so stir well afterward.
What To Serve With Low Carb Mac And Cheese
I love to serve this cauliflower mac and cheese recipe with a simple protein to turn it into a whole meal. Here are a few keto main dish recipes for you to choose from:
- Crispy Baked Drumsticks – The secret to the crispy skin we all want on our drumsticks…without the deep fryer!
- Turkey Meatloaf – This flavorful meatloaf is wrapped in bacon. BACON!
- Pan Seared Halibut – Light, lemony, and full of flavor! Think you don’t like fish? Try this!
- Slow Cooker Turkey Breast – Make the cauliflower mac n cheese while the slow cooker cooks this turkey breast.
- Garlic Chicken Thighs – Chicken and cauliflower macaroni and cheese is a well-rounded, healthy meal that’s ready in no time.
More Keto Cauliflower Recipes
Cauliflower is one of my favorite low carb vegetables, so I have tons of recipes with it. Browse all my keto cauliflower recipes here, but here are some reader favorites:
- Cauliflower Rice – Anyone following keto needs to know how to make cauliflower rice! This will show you everything you need to know.
- Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower – With parmesan and garlic, this is an easy and flavorful way to roast both veggies together.
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower – With no chopping required, roasting whole is one of the easiest ways to make keto cauliflower.
- Cauliflower Pizza Crust – Just 3 ingredients and it’s not soggy. You can actually pick it up!
- Cauliflower Breadsticks – Easy and cheesy!
Tools To Make Keto Macaroni and Cheese
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Baking Sheet – You will love this baking sheet. It’s heavy duty and non stick.
- Parchment Paper – Line your baking sheet with parchment paper when roasting the cauliflower for keto cauliflower and cheese.
- Glass Bowls – This set of glass bowls has many different sizes to choose from. I use these all the time.
Keto Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Recipe:
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Reader Favorite Recipes
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Low Carb Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Recipe with Keto Cheese Sauce
An easy keto cauliflower mac and cheese recipe with just 5 INGREDIENTS + 5 MINUTES prep time! Rich, cheesy low carb mac and cheese will satisfy your cravings for macaroni.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
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Melt 2 tablespoons (28 g) of butter. In a large bowl, toss together the cauliflower florets with the melted butter. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
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Arrange the cauliflower florets on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for about 10-15 minutes, until crisp-tender.
- Heat the cheddar cheese, heavy cream, milk, and remaining tablespoon of butter, stirring frequently. (You can do this on the stove in a double broiler, or in the microwave.) Heat until the cheese mixture is smooth. Be careful not to overheat or burn the cheese.
- Toss cauliflower with cheese sauce right before serving.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
Video Showing How To Make Cauliflower Mac and Cheese:
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141 Comments
Melissa
Everyone (adults and kiddos) liked this! I didn’t want to have sauce that thickened and became stringy so I added 2 TSBP extra butter and an extra 1/4 C almond milk. I will add it to my rotation! Thanks for sharing so many great recipes!!!
I can see this being great with other cheese mixes too! Grueyere! Gouda! Yummy!!!
Sue
As Aaron commented it’s easiest to make a bechamel and melt the shredded block cheese (I successfully used 75% reduced fat cheese!)in last. I had no separation and the cheese sauce was super thick. Next time I will just use whole milk.
I also added 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, & 1/2 tsp dry mustard . Next time I will add a slivered onion (cut into thin wedges from stem to root) to the cauliflower and roast them together. Cauliflower needs lots of salt and pepper so be generous.
You can prep this dish by roasting the cauliflower then refrigerating it until needed. Put the cauliflower in an oven-safe dish and reheat at 300 F while you make the cheese sauce. Pour the hot cheese sauce over the heated cauliflower, turn the heat up to
375 F, and bake for another 15-20 min. You can also run it under the broiler to get the cheese sizzling.
What a great recipe this is! I had no idea cheesy cauliflower could be so easy and so delicious. Thank you!
Gina
Yumm! This is tasty and easy!
Carole
Excellent recipe. Make this all the time!
Mary
A friend had us over for dinner last night and made this. It was fabulous!
Aaron
Really tasty. I’ve worked with cheese sauces before, so I changed up the technique to basically be a Bechamel. It might help with the separation problem some folks are having.
– melt the 1 Tbsp butter on low-medium heat.
– add 1 Tbsp flour (I used coconut, anything should be fine), then whisk continuously for a couple of minutes until it thickens up, turns a nice tan color, and smells just a bit toasty.
– whisk in the cream and milk so they can warm up. You can stir more casually now, but don’t wander off too far lest it bubble over.
– when the mixture is warm, add in the cheese a pinch at a time and stir until it fully melts away before adding the next round. As you go you can use bigger pinches, but if you go too fast the sauce will cool down too much and you’ll get clumps.
– when the cheese is all melted in, you’re good to go.
Lisa Davis
I made this today. I didnt have any almond milk so I eliminated it. The recipe turned out just as good. The mac n cheese is delicious. I will make again.
Janet Hartley
This is delicious. I used whole milk, emmentaler and cream cheese, onion and nutritional yeast. Just microwaved cheese and poured it over cauliflower. It was runny at first but thickened up perfectly.
Marci Razete
Fabulous!
Jamie
This is so delicious! Only thing I added was some black garlic truffle seasoning. Tasted great with your meatloaf recipe. My tummy is so happy right now. Made the cauliflower in the air fryer while the meatloaf was in the oven. Cheese sauce only took a couple minutes to make, super easy.
VNH27
This sauce is amazing and could be used for lots of other recipes too!
Sarah Anne Chafin
Hi Wholesome Yum. This is the fifth time we’ve made this recipe. The first time I made it, it was so good that I wanted to cry. I’ve been telling people about it ever since. The second time, my husband made it at the fire station (except he used broccoli), and it was a big hit. The third time, my husband made it again, but he left the sauce on the stove too long and it separated. Lesson learned. The fourth time, I made it with Monterey Jack cheese because that’s what I had on hand, and it was also a flop. I blamed the cheese, but now I’m not so sure. The fifth time (tonight), I made sure to follow the recipe to the T, but the sauce separated again. I’ve noticed the past two times that the sauce starts out perfect and only separates after tossing it with the cauliflower. Now I want to cry because I’m so frustrated! Do you have any idea why it would do this? Could the cauliflower be too hot? Could it be too wet?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Sarah, Are you using fresh or frozen cauliflower? If you are using frozen, please make sure you are rendering as much water out of it as possible.
Lisa Davis
I made this today. I didnt have any almond milk so I added a little more hwc. The recipe turned out great. My sauce was thick and creamy. This is a great substitute for real mac n cheese. I will make again.
Roger
Best cauliflower mac and cheese I’ve ever had.
Jeannie pfoh
This was excellent. I mostly kept to the recipe except I used 1/2 cup cream and also added 1/2 monterey jack (in addition to the 1 cup cheddar) and 2 TBSP cream cheese. I don’t think I needed the cream cheese but I added it because of all the comments about the cheese sauce being runny. It was not runny at all. Maybe people are using pre shredded cheese instead of real cheese. Anyways, it was excellent. Next time I’ll use two heads of cauliflower!
Mary
Delicious as written. Not runny or anything. I just used 1/2 cup of half and half because thats what I had. So good! I will certainly make this often. Thank you!
Megan
Absolutely amazing! I couldn’t stop eating it. I probably cooked my cauliflower longer than the recipe called for but I like mine super soft. Shared this recipe with many people already. Will definitely be making it again.
Kaye
I love this recipe!
VictO
Hello!
Excited to try this, and will sneak it to my extended family gathering. Mwahaha. But!
I’m wondering what the almond milk does for the recipe? The other ingredients all make perfect sense. Do you think I would ruin the sauce if I see it is too thick and add almond or other milk later?
Thank you!!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi VictO, The almond milk is to prevent the sauce from being too thick. You are welcome to use all heavy cream if you wish, but it will have a thicker consistency and the nutrition will change. Enjoy!
Ruby
I thought it was delicious! My kid’s didn’t want to try it at first but once they did they loved it too! I added a few slices of crumbled bacon to it just because bacon makes everything better but it was very good either way. Thank you this will definitely be a regular on our menu.
Brittany Turner
I love this recipe I recently started the keto diet about two months ago and I love this cauliflower Mac and cheese recipe, even more that regular Mac and cheese. My children love it as well is tried a few different recipes from this site and enjoyed them as well.
Bernice Biafore
Great RECIPE FOR KETO
Angela
I honestly added ground beef, chopped pickles and chopped onions to this to make it into a cauliflower cheeseburger. It was delicious
Janeese
Loved this recipe! Added an extra cup of cheese for the family. Came out great and kid approved 🙂
AT
I’ve never baked my cauliflower before, but this was fantastic! Even my hubby like it because it wasn’t mushy. I will definitely be making this one again! Thank you!
Steven
I had made the recipe, doubled the cheese sauce ingredients as I had boiled off chicken in garlic and spiced water, which I cut into bit size pieces and added for extra protein. Will be making this again.
Thank you.
Samuel Bendet
This recipe is fantastic. I feel guilty about eating it because of all the years thinking fat was bad.
Karen
I found the sauce quite bland so added about another cup of shredded cheese.
cindy bracy
Can you use the cauliflower pearls.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Cindy, Yes this will work. The roasting period may not take as long due to the smaller size of the cauliflower pieces, so be sure to keep a close eye on them. Enjoy!
Melodie Schlamp
Thank you for such a delicious recipe. I was craving Mac and cheese and haven’t had it in years as I am of course not eating pasta. After reading the previous reviews I changed a few things and it worked out perfectly. I used all HWC and added two tablespoons of cream cheese. The cheese sauce was still too soupy so I let it cool just a bit then added a beaten egg to the mix and stirred it in well. Then I put the cauliflower and cheese sauce into a casserole dish and back in the oven for 5-10 minutes and the egg helped thicken it to just the right consistency, you can’t taste the egg. Hope this helps anyone else who found the cheese sauce too thin.
Ingrid
This was so delicious! I was craving mac and cheese and this hit the spot. I added Parmesan cheese to the cheddar, butter, milk, cream mixture and I finished everything off by broiling the mixture in a small oven safe pan for 5 minutes. I’ll definitely come back to this recipe.
Megan
This was delicious!! Followed the instructions and ingredients exactly and it came out perfectly! Thank you!
Isabel Wright
I was super excited to try this recipe, but it was a complete flop! I followed the recipe exactly and the sauce was like soup. I added more cheese but it would never thicken. I was so disappointed that I didn’t even serve it to my husband. Maybe it worked for others but not for me. This definitely will not be going in the recipe box.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Isabel, I am sorry this recipe didn’t work out for you. If your cheese sauce is too soupy, you can either let the sauce simmer on low heat a bit longer to thicken it, or add a pinch of xanthan gum to help it thicken up. I hope you decide to try it again!
vanessa
Was curious if you know what the sodium % is Thanks
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Vanessa, Generally we don’t track sodium levels on the keto diet, but you can enter the recipe into an online recipe calculator for this information if you need it.
Bri
Excellent! My husband is a mac n’ cheese fanatic and he was scraping his bowl. I did make a couple of changes though to reduce the fat. I used 1/2 cup of 1% cottage cheese, 1/3 cup of grated cheese, 1 tbsp nutritional yeast + 1 tbsp of whole wheat flour and used 2 tsp of butter. I also roasted the cauliflower in 1/2 tbsp of mushroom sage olive oil for another kick of flavour i.e. the adult flavour version as you suggested 🙂 I can’t wait to try another one of your recipes! Thank you!!
Tami
We love this recipe! Thank you so much! What a great side dish, roasted cauliflower is Delish! My husband is not a cauliflower fan but he actually asks for this one! I use 1/2 cup of heavy cream instead of a separate 1/4 cup of almond milk. This cheese sauce is amazing.
Z
Can you do this with frozen cauliflower? Can you roast it in the air fryer?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Z, Frozen cauliflower will result in a mushier final product. It won’t be bad, but the cauliflower won’t hold it’s shape as well as it would if it were fresh.
Gabriella
Hi! This sounds delicious! Just wondering if I am able to freeze and eat later?
Thanks so much
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Gabriella, Yes, you can freeze this recipe. It will keep nicely in an airtight container.
Susie
I made Cauliflower Mac and Cheese last night. Not only was it delicious, it was so easy! I will make this dish more often! Thank you for sharing the recipe.
Heddi
Just went nut free. Needed some comfort food! This recipe got rid of my cravings and was sooo mac and cheesy!
Jo Ann
Do you have to use heavy cream? Any substitutes? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Jo Ann, You can substitute with coconut products like coconut cream and coconut milk. I hope this helps.
Cathy
I love your site. I’m new to Keto, and I have already tried out some of your recipes. They are tasty and real and the best!
Abyar Aejaz
Just made this and I’m in heaven!!! And yes, roasting the cauliflower makes it so delicious! I couldn’t stop snacking on it while preparing the cheese sauce. Thank you, thank, thank you!!!
Lynn
How would you convert this recipe to one made in a 9×13 casserole crockpot?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Lynn, I have not tested this, but you may be able to fill the crockpot with the raw cauliflower and butter mixture and let it cook down for a couple hours on low. After that you should be able to add the prepared cheese sauce (add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum to help thicken with all the extra water from the crockpot) and let it all heat together for another hour on low.
Diane
I made this tonight and iwas delicious! I browned radishes (cut in half) with the buttered cauliflower. Also, since I didn’t have any HWC, I used whole milk and added 3T of cream cheese. It was yummmm! PS, I love all of your recipes!!!
Kelly
Followed the recipe exactly, even packed the cheese when measuring and what I got was cheese soup. Super runny. No amount of added cheese helped.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Kelly, Cauliflower holds a lot of water and would definitely waterlog the sauce if it has too much moisture left it in. Make sure to roast the cauliflower thoroughly, removing much of the water. That will give you the best possible end result.
Hector Rodriguez
Taste amazing, I used a head of cauliflower but didnt seem to get 4, 1 cup servings out of this. Can anyone tell me how many servings they are getting?