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!)
This keto cauliflower mac and cheese recipe needs only 6 ingredients + 5 mins prep! Low carb mac and cheese will satisfy your pasta cravings.
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?
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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. 🙂
231 Comments
Jessica
0Oh my god, this was even better than I imagined!
Liz Mareld
0Delicious and very easy to prepare.
Cheryl Riding
0How many cups of florets is needed for the recipe? Can I use frozen?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Cheryl, I don’t have an exact measurement for the cups of cauliflower but I would say 4-5 cups would be a good guess.
Maria Torres
0I brought this dish as my potluck platter and it was a hit! Extremely delicious.
Tegbuna
0Absolutely love it! My teenager is trying keto with me and she hates vegetables. I made some with roasted cauliflower and some with boiled cauliflower. She preferred the boiled cauliflower because the roasted version was quite crunchy. I enjoyed them both and will make this a new dish for the entire family to enjoy in our home. Thanks so much for sharing!
Melissa
0Everyone (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
0As 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
0Yumm! This is tasty and easy!
Carole
0Excellent recipe. Make this all the time!
Mary
0A friend had us over for dinner last night and made this. It was fabulous!
Aaron
0Really 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
0I 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
0This 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
0Fabulous!
Jamie
0This 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
0This sauce is amazing and could be used for lots of other recipes too!
Sarah Anne Chafin
0Hi 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
0Hi 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
0I 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
0Best cauliflower mac and cheese I’ve ever had.
Jeannie pfoh
0This 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
0Delicious 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
0Absolutely 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
0I love this recipe!
VictO
0Hello!
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
0Hi 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
0I 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
0I 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
0Great RECIPE FOR KETO
Angela
0I honestly added ground beef, chopped pickles and chopped onions to this to make it into a cauliflower cheeseburger. It was delicious
Janeese
0Loved this recipe! Added an extra cup of cheese for the family. Came out great and kid approved 🙂
AT
0I’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
0I 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
0This recipe is fantastic. I feel guilty about eating it because of all the years thinking fat was bad.
Karen
0I found the sauce quite bland so added about another cup of shredded cheese.
cindy bracy
0Can you use the cauliflower pearls.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi 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
0Thank 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
0This 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
0This was delicious!! Followed the instructions and ingredients exactly and it came out perfectly! Thank you!
Isabel Wright
0I 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
0Hi 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
0Was curious if you know what the sodium % is Thanks
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi 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
0Excellent! 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
0We 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
0Can you do this with frozen cauliflower? Can you roast it in the air fryer?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi 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
0Hi! This sounds delicious! Just wondering if I am able to freeze and eat later?
Thanks so much
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Gabriella, Yes, you can freeze this recipe. It will keep nicely in an airtight container.
Susie
0I 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
0Just went nut free. Needed some comfort food! This recipe got rid of my cravings and was sooo mac and cheesy!
Jo Ann
0Do you have to use heavy cream? Any substitutes? Thanks!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Jo Ann, You can substitute with coconut products like coconut cream and coconut milk. I hope this helps.
Cathy
0I 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
0Just 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
0How would you convert this recipe to one made in a 9×13 casserole crockpot?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi 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
0I 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
0Followed 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
0Hi 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
0Taste 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?