Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It Now- What Is Cauliflower Mac And Cheese?
- Why You’ll Love This Keto Mac And Cheese Recipe
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How To Make Cauliflower Mac And Cheese
- Storage Instructions
- What To Serve With Keto Cauliflower Mac And Cheese
- More Keto Cauliflower Recipes
- Tools To Make Low Carb Mac And Cheese
- Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (Keto, 6 Ingredients!) Recipe card
- Recipe Reviews
If you’re looking for a low carb keto mac and cheese replacement, you may be surprised by this cauliflower mac and cheese recipe! Like many keto cauliflower recipes, this dish takes on the flavors of the sauce. It’s almost like the real thing, and so much healthier. Yes, I know it’s not actual pasta, but it will totally fulfill that comfort food craving — but if you want real noodles, you can pour the same sauce over keto pasta noodles or other low carb pasta alternatives instead.
Growing up in a Russian-speaking family, I didn’t get to try all-American macaroni and cheese until much later. I still remember tasting it for the first time, not knowing (or caring!) about how processed it was. The carbs in mac and cheese didn’t even cross my mind. I missed this dish dearly when I switched to a low carb lifestyle, and came up with this keto mac and cheese version to fulfill that need.
This dish tastes so amazing that I included it in The Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook, along with 99 other recipes that let you enjoy the flavor of high-carb foods while sticking to your macros. You’ll see how to make cauliflower mac and cheese keto, along with incredible low carb recipes for pasta, bread, desserts, and more!
What Is Cauliflower Mac And Cheese?
Keto cauliflower mac and cheese tastes like all the cheesy goodness of macaroni and cheese, but using cauliflower florets instead of macaroni and the same type of rich cheese sauce as the original. Even if you’re a die-hard pasta lover, I think you’ll love the flavors in this dish. Roasted cauliflower makes a great stand-in for macaroni on the keto diet — hence the name. It’s delicious as a keto side dish or vegetarian keto main dish.
Why You’ll Love This Keto Mac And Cheese Recipe
- Classic taste with real ingredients
- Tender, caramelized texture with creamy cheese sauce
- Done in under 30 minutes
- 6 simple ingredients
- 5 grams of net carbs per serving
- No white flour, naturally gluten-free, and rich in vitamins
- Super easy and family friendly!
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for low carb mac and cheese, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
For The Cauliflower:
- Cauliflower – Fresh cauliflower works best for this recipe, but you can also use frozen and increase the cooking time when you roast it. Be sure the florets are very small — getting more pieces in every bite helps make this keto mac and cheese more reminiscent of the real thing. You could also use leftover air fryer cauliflower if you prefer.
- Olive Oil – For roasting the cauliflower. Avocado is also fine to use. In an earlier version of this recipe (including the YouTube video), I simply used melted butter (which is also used in the cheese sauce) to reduce the total number of ingredients. Feel free to do this if you like. Butter is not normally recommended for roasting due to the high temperature, but I found it works fine for roasting small cauliflower florets.
- Salt & Pepper
For The Cheese Sauce:
- Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese – You can swap this cheese with any keto cheese you prefer that melts easily, such as gruyere, gouda, or mozzarella cheese. Hard cheeses, such as parmesan cheese, will not make as smooth a sauce.
- Heavy Cream – Makes a rich and smooth sauce. Some people also stir cream cheese into the sauce, but I don’t find it necessary and it tastes less authentic that way.
- Unsweetened Almond Milk – You can also use coconut milk beverage from the carton or more heavy cream for a nut-free version.
- Butter – For flavor. Use unsalted.
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 roasted broccoli.
VARIATION: Include a crumb topping!
If you want keto mac and cheese with a crumb topping, you’ll also need crushed pork rinds. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish after the last step, sprinkle with crushed pork rinds, and broil for a few minutes until golden.
How To Make Cauliflower Mac And Cheese
This section shows how to make keto mac and cheese with cauliflower, including step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Season. Toss cauliflower florets with oil, salt, and pepper.
- Roast. Transfer to a baking sheet. Roast cauliflower until tender and browned on the edges. (I highly recommend roasting for the best flavor, but you can also steam or simmer the cauliflower in a large pot instead; drain well.)
TIP: Change up the seasonings!
For more complex flavors, add spices like garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, or your favorite spice mixes. You can also add seasonings directly to the cheese sauce.
- Make sauce. Whisk cheese, cream, almond milk, and butter in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. (Alternatively, you can simply microwave the ingredients until the cheese melts, then stir until smooth.) Be careful not to overheat.
FYI: The sauce will thicken as it cools from piping hot to warm.
However, if you find that the sauce is not thick enough, you can simply add more shredded cheese to the sauce before tossing with the cauliflower. If it’s too thick, you can thin out with more almond milk or cream.
- Combine. Transfer cooked cauliflower to a large bowl. Pour cheese sauce on top and gently fold to coat evenly. For extra crunch (optional), try the pork rinds variation in the ingredients list above.
- Garnish. I like fresh cracked black pepper, but a sprinkle of fresh parsley — or nothing at all — works, too.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Meal prep: Roast cauliflower and make cheese sauce, storing separately. Before serving, reheat cauliflower in a microwave or 350 degree F oven. Gently reheat the sauce in the microwave or on the stovetop, and toss with cauliflower.
- Reheat: Reheat in the microwave or 350 degree F oven until warm.
- Freeze: Freezing is not ideal, but it can be done. Cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat in the oven. The sauce may separate, so stir well afterward.
What To Serve With Keto Cauliflower 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:
- Chicken – Try keto mac and cheese with garlic butter chicken, crispy baked drumsticks, garlic chicken thighs, or baked buffalo chicken.
- Turkey – Enjoy a homesyle meal with slow cooker turkey breast, or keto turkey burgers.
- Fish – Serve lighter fare with oven baked salmon, pan seared halibut, baked tilapia, or grilled shrimp skewers.
- Bacon – The best match for stirring into cauliflower and cheese! Try it with air fryer bacon, microwave bacon, or bacon in the oven.
- Steak – For a fancier meal, make reverse sear steak or filet mignon.
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:
Tools To Make Low Carb Mac And Cheese
- 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 – Since they have so many sizes to choose from, I use these all the time!
This reader favorite recipe is included in The Wholesome Yum Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook! Inside this beautiful hard cover keto recipe book, you’ll find 100 delectable, EASY keto recipes to replace all your favorite carbs: bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, desserts, and more… each with 10 ingredients or less! Plus, a photo, macros, & tips for every recipe.
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (Keto, 6 Ingredients!)
An easy cauliflower mac and cheese recipe with just 6 ingredients + 5 minutes prep time! This low carb keto mac and cheese is rich, cheesy, and will satisfy your cravings for macaroni.
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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In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
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Arrange the cauliflower florets on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 15-20 minutes, until crisp-tender.
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In a small saucepan over low heat (or a bowl in the microwave), heat the cheddar cheese, heavy cream, almond milk, and butter, stirring frequently, until smooth. Be careful not to overheat.
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When the cauliflower is done, transfer it to a large bowl. Pour the cheese sauce over the cauliflower and gently fold the sauce into the cauliflower until coated evenly.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
230 Comments
C
0OMG, soooo yummy! The sauce is incredible. So creamy and perfect just like mac cheese sauce should be. Used 1/2 cup heavy cream.
C
0I divide into 3 servings. Not sure how many cups as I’m not measuring.
Loise
0Recipe tasted really good! I added bacon to mine and topped it off in the oven with crushed pork rinds on top. So flipping good.
The only thing I had a problem with was the cheese sauce. I didn’t microwave it but I heated it on the stove instead. I put it on medium heat and put everything in the pan. I stirred often as well. But it ended being so runny. I added so much more cheese but it didn’t help. I ended up adding a bit of flour to thicken it. I also ended up doubling the recipe and instead of almond milk I just used heavy cream. Help?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Loise, It’s possible that your cheese sauce was just too hot. As it cools, it should start to thicken up on it’s own.
NJ Taylor
0It is rare to find cooks who give weights for everything, especially the main ingredients like cauliflower. Please include the weight, then those of us who are closely counting our macros can calculate our own.
Wholesome Yum A
0Hi NJ, I provide weights when I can (simply use the metric button on the recipe card), but heads of cauliflower vary greatly in weight. If you’re tracking very closely, you’ll want to use a food scale and/or macro calculator.
Karen
0Love your recipes, I’m not keto but watch carbs for diabetes. Just fixed “Mac” & Cheese , I ate the roasted cauliflower before I could make it ! Had never tried it and was pleasantly surprised !! But have the dish finally in the oven and so excited to try it ! Thanks , I loved it <3
Marian
0Okay, so I loosely followed the recipe in the sense that I never measure things (not personal, just never do)… had to add a little cream cheese to thicken things up and pan-fried my cauli for speed. I only had “smoked” cheddar only, so that’s what went in. Also worth mentioning that I always have high hopes for random recipes and then detest what I’ve made…Not this time!!! INCREDIBLE. 100% thick, creamy, comfort food Mac and cheese. It took me back 5 years to my pre keto carb-filled comfort food days.
Served with sausages. Mac and cheese, and a grilled sausage.. heaven!!! And I NEVER write reviews either… so that’s saying something! I need to rave about this dish!
Heather
0Made this for dinner and it’s pretty darn tasty. No, it’s not real mac n cheese but it’s the next best thing when you are on keto and haven’t had pasta in almost a year. I’ll be making this often. I also added keens dried mustard and fried bacon pieces to it. Yummy. Thank you and I enjoy all of your recipes!
Erin B
0Easy, delicious recipe! Added chill flakes to the roasted cauliflower to bake, then added turkey bacon bits before covering in sauce, plus a little extra cheese on top. Definitely making again!
Betty Fritzke
0I’d love to go KETO, but what does one do when you are severely lactose intolerant?
Wholesome Yum L
0Hi Betty, you can absolutely still eat Keto if you are lactose intolerant. We have a lot of recipes available on our website that have dairy-free options. Tap on the link below to see them.
Dairy-Free Recipes
Mike
0You have given us so much more to choose from other than pork rinds and bacon!
Thank you
Denise North
0Hi. Do you think I could do this with cauliflower rice? I have some in the freezer…
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Denise, Absolutely, you can!
Cathy Dean
0I’ve made this several time. So good!!
Kristy Stovall
0I’ve never roasted cauliflower before this recipe! It was much tastier being roasted! Great recipe!
Tracey Marshall
0I can’t wait to try this tonight, I’m going to make this along with a gammon joint I have. I was wondering if I could out some Hellman’s English mustard in the sauce as well to give it a slight kick? Would the jar be best or the powdered mustard? Thanks for your awesome recipes. Love your posts xx
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tracey, Yes, you could do that and either one should work!
Kaitlin Bangert
0Can you make this with frozen cauliflower florets? If so, how much longer should I cook it for?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kaitin, Yes, you can! Just roast them until they are crisp-tender, I’d guess 25 to 30 minutes, or you could go longer if you like them browned.
Debz
0Great substitute for traditional Mac and cheese! Thanks for the tip on roasting cauliflower over steaming – my life is much better now!
Dawna Roskelley
0I tried this with great skepticism but it was GREAT! Quick and easy and very good with the cauliflower baked. OK, I have to admit I made it with organic American cheese and organic cheddar combined as I didn’t have enough cheddar. The American made it taste like the old Kraft mac and cheese used to taste before they changed it years ago. After the change I hated it. But this was delicious. I will try it with just cheddar next time to be more Keto.
Full & happy
0I riced the cauliflower before baking it. With the amount of cauliflower I had, it was probably 3 servings but OMG it was soooo good I could’ve eaten it all!
JaneR
0PLEASE don’t call it MAC and cheese when there’s no macaroni in it!!! It’s Cauliflower Cheese – celebrate the dish as it is. It bugs me as I loved a proper (old school) Mac and cheese pre-keto diet, and this is not that.
A proper Cauliflower Cheese is worth celebrating, just as it is … add some bacon and it sings. Add some sliced Reblochon Cheese on the top and it’s suddenly singing opera!! It will NEVER be Mac n Cheese. It can be SO much better. Please break the trend of calling it what it’s not, and will never be.
Roseanne
0Hi there I want to make ahead can I do this?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Roseanne, Sure, you can! The best way would be to cook the cauliflower and make the cheese sauce separately, then heat each and toss together after.
Marla K
0I just found your recipe this morning and had to make it this evening. I also have put it in the oven with a little extra cheddar and some grated parm but if my finger swipe through the cheese sauce sample is any indication of how this is going to turn out, I’m so excited!! Thank you!
Babbsy
0Hi. Looks delicious. I was wondering if the cauliflower could be roasted a day ahead and refrigerated then add the sauce right before serving and warm it in the oven. Thanks.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Babbsy! Yes, you can definitely do that!
Mboyle
0Where does the 5 g of sugar come from???
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0It would be from the cauliflower and the cheese.
Cindy
0My husband loves this so much!! We make a this at least once a week. So easy and delicious.
Keto19
0Made using 1/2 cup heavy cream because didn’t have almond milk. Fantastic!
sheila
0Wow, love this recipe!! made it today for the first time, I added more cheese just because I always do, we love cheesy. Also added left over ham bites! Scored on the forever list. Thank You
Jan
0I’m going to try this recipe. I’ve always disliked pasta, but love cauliflower – perfect for me – thank you. 🙂
Deb
0Maya, I love your site and recipes! I have a suggestion for all of you doing recipes: I would appreciate it if you would list measurements by weight as well as cups etc. It becomes difficult to determine the correct measurements for many reasons, some of which you touched on in your comments here…if a weight measurement was given rather than a cup, then the issue of how tightly we pack the cheese would not exist. Also when you call for a small head of cauliflower or a large cabbage, depends on each person’s perspective of what is large and small. Thanks in advance for considering this request!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Deb, If you switch to Metric measurements on the recipe card, everything is listed by weight.
Kari
0I just made this with coconut milk and 1/2 cheddar 1/2 monterey jack and it tastes great. After, I mixed it I put it in a casserole dish, sprinkled with Parmesan and baked it for another couple minutes. So easy and filling. Thanks for the great recipe.
Donna
0Made it with all the ingredients , but somehow the sauce is extra runny.
I even added extra cheese, still watery. What do I need to do to make it more creamy less watery?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Donna, I’m not sure why, it shouldn’t be runny. You can add more cheese, or you could try heating the sauce over very low heat to evaporate some of the extra moisture.
christina
0I made this tonight and it was delicious! No leftovers! I added crumbled bacon to mine!! Will definitely make again. Thank you!
David
0Splendid recipe. As is my habit with a new recipe, I made it exactly as written out of respect to the author. As I was making it I thought the cheese sauce might be a bit too thin, but not so. Went so well with a Duroc Boston butt, who needs pasta mac and cheese? Well done Maya. This replaces my other keto mac and cheese recipes.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, David! Have a great day!
Gena
0My 9 yr. old just made this for us for dinner by herself and it was SOOOOOOOO good!!!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Gena, That is so awesome!! I’m so glad you liked it and kudos to your daughter!
Nancy Langevin
0Go Roasted! So delicious… I passed on the salt and pepper and used Tony Chachere’s More Spice seasoning. Also we only use Sharp cheese so the flavor was excellent. After mixing I put it back in the oven with more Sharp cheese and Parmesan on top. Love this!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, Nancy! Thank you for stopping by!
Kerry
0Thank you for this recipe! I love it, and I love how the roasted cauliflower tastes. Super easy to do.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy to hear that, Kerry! Please come back again soon!
Janice
0Can defrosted cauliflower be used with same results?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Janice, You can do it with frozen cauliflower – no need to defrost first. It would just need to roast for longer.
DToney
0There wasn’t a guide line as to what size cauliflower head, so I went with a really large one, (knowing how much my husband loves cauliflower.) Then I doubled the rest of the ingredients. Might add more cheese to thicken the sauce, but overall, it was delicious. Definitely will do it again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it! Please come back again soon!
Joy
0How would this do without the heavy cream? I have all the other ingredients..
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Joy, You can make it without heavy cream but it wouldn’t be as creamy tasting. You can try omitting it and then check if you need to add either more milk or more cheese to make the sauce the right consistency.
Natalie
0You can heavy cream at home.
Wholesome Yum A
0My kids practically went face-down on their plates and my husband looks at me with extra love in his eyes. A total winning side dish for everyone. Thank you!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I just love to hear that, Amanda! I am so glad it was a huge hit with the whole family!
Marie Austin
0Just made cualiflower mac and cheese ! Won’t be the last time ! VERY GOOD ! THANKS FOR RECIPE!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I love hearing that, Marie! Thanks for stopping by!
Vera
0I saved this recipe because I started keto and it looked great! Tastes even better! I had no almond milk on hand so I had to use a little extra heavy cream, but it turned out perfect! This will be a regular recipe in my new lifestyle. Thanks for a keeper!!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked the mac and cheese, Vera! Thanks for stopping by!
Kimi
0I just tried this, using a little more heavy cream (I did not have any almond milk, but I always have cheddar cheese, butter and heavy cream in the fridge). Yep, roasting makes all the difference, and the sauce…I am in LOVE! Almost ate the whole thing all by myself (Glad the hubs was working late tonight heh heh) I’ve got to share this recipe with my friends who are keto. Thank you so much!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I am so happy you liked it, Kimi! I agree, roasting is the best!
Ryan
0My cheese sauce turned out really soupy. I used more cheese than called for and added some almond flour but its still a soup, how do I avoid that?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Ryan, Sorry that happened, I haven’t experienced that before. I wouldn’t recommend adding almond flour because it doesn’t thicken like a wheat flour would. If the sauce is too thin, I’d recommend just adding more cheese.
Robert
0I don’t keep anything but heavy cream around. Can I sub the milk for only using heavy cream?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Robert, The consistency would be a little different but it should work. You might just need a little more of the cream since it’s thicker.
Wholesome Yum A
0About how small did you cut up the cauliflower? Was it pretty chunky or more chopped-up?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Amanda, the cauliflower pieces should be bite-sized so you don’t have to cut them up when you’re eating it.
Tiffany Robbins
0Hi. How much saturated fat is in this recipe? I’m doing weight watchers so I was trying to put it in.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Tiffany, I only have the nutrition info that’s on the recipe card, but you can add the ingredients to any online calculator to get any other details.
Tiffany Robbins
0Ok. Thank you.
Kate
0Just made this for a quick dinner as I’ve been missing Mac & Cheese for a while. One word. AMAZING! After mixing the cauliflower in with the cheese sauce, I baked it in the oven for about 5 minutes to crisp up the top cheese layer. It was delish! Thanks so much for posting the recipe!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Kate! I bet crisping up the cheese made it extra delicious, I’ll have to try that!
Galit
0Thanks. I made it again and now it is fine. All loved it!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Galit, That’s great to hear! I’m glad everyone loved it.
Lorren
0Can I substitute more hwc or even half & half for the milk? I don’t want to use normal milk (and if I do will it still be keto friendly?) and don’t have almond milk…
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lorren, Yes, you can use more HWC or half & half. The sauce would be a little thicker if using HWC. Usually regular dairy milk is not low carb, but this dish would still be pretty low carb even if using regular milk, since it’s only 1/4 cup milk for the entire 4 servings (or 1 tbsp milk per serving). Either way, feel free to use cream or half & half instead.
Galit
0I made this and it was very tasty. However, the cheese, milk, and cream mixture turn out very liquid. What did I do wrong?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Galit, I’m glad you liked it, and sorry to hear it turned out liquid for you. I haven’t experienced that. It might have to do with how tightly packed your cheddar cheese is in the measuring cup? Try packing it a little tighter next time (mine isn’t super tightly packed but not very airy either). The sauce does thicken a bit as it cools from hot to warm, but you can always melt in more cheese if it’s too liquid. Hope that helps.
mrskinnypants
0Awesome recipe Maya! Cool idea to toss the cauli and cheese mix right before serving. I hadn’t done that before and my versions always came together a bit oddly. Will try it your way. Thanks for sharing the recipe. – ryan
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Ryan! Doing it this way always works really well for me.