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Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowWhen I switched to a cleaner, lower carb way of eating over a decade ago, I really needed a healthier atlernative to macaroni and cheese, one of my favorite foods at the time. After tossing cheese sauce with a bunch of different vegetables, I settled on this cauliflower mac and cheese as the best one. It was long before anyone was talking about such things, but I’ve been hooked ever since. You get all the goodness of the classic in a lighter, real food package. Make this cheesy cauliflower with me to get the comfort and the veggies together!
Why You Need My Cauliflower Mac And Cheese Recipe
- Creamy, cheesy mac & cheese vibes – Yes, I know it’s not actual pasta, but the flavor is the same, and it totally fulfills that comfort food craving. Picture tender, golden roasted cauliflower smothered in rich, creamy cheese sauce. You won’t even miss the noodles! (But if you do, just pour this same sauce over my keto pasta or baked spaghetti squash instead.)
- Quick and easy – This dish comes together super fast! I roast the cauliflower at a higher temperature than usual to make this healthy side dish in under half an hour.
- 6 simple ingredients – Plus salt and pepper. No white flour or processed stuff you might find in boxed mixes.
- Gluten-free, keto, and family friendly – Of course you get plenty of veggies in cauliflower mac and cheese, but it’s also just 5 grams net carbs and gluten-free. My favorite part is that everyone I’ve served this to over the years has loved it, from adults to kids — so much so, that I included it my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook. (It’s also got 99 other recipes that let you enjoy the flavor of high-carb foods while sticking to your macros.)
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my cauliflower mac and cheese recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
For The Cauliflower:
If you’re unsure about mac n cheese with cauliflower (will it really satisfy that craving?), don’t be. The veggie tastes very neutral here because the sauce is so cheesy and rich! You’ll need:
- Cauliflower – Fresh cauliflower is ideal, but frozen works too—just roast it a bit longer. The amount of sauce in my recipe is for your average head of cauliflower (4 cups of florets), so if yours is very large or small, you might need to scale the sauce up or down a bit.
- Olive Oil – Or avocado oil. In an earlier version (including my YouTube video), I used melted butter to keep it simple, since it’s already in the sauce below. But with the high roasting temp, I now recommend a heat-safe oil.
- Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder if you want more flavor, or a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like a kick.
For The Cheese Sauce:
I love this sauce so much that I wrote a whole cheese sauce post on it! It’s perfect for keto cauliflower mac and cheese, and I also use it for topping roasted broccoli. You’ll need:
- Shredded Cheese – The base of the sauce, which also thickens it all by its lovely self. Sharp cheddar cheese is my fave, but mild cheddar works, too. You can swap it for any melty cheese, like Gruyere, Gouda, or Monterey jack.
- Heavy Cream – Makes it rich and creamy. Substituting any kind of milk (except full-fat canned coconut milk) will be thinner, so you’d need more cheese to compensate.
- Almond Milk – To thin out the sauce and balance the richness. I used store-bought, but you can easily make your own almond milk, or swap in coconut milk beverage for a nut-free option (the liquid kind from a carton, not the canned thick kind). You can also just water down more heavy cream, or use regular dairy milk if you don’t mind the extra carbs.
- Butter – Make sure it’s unsalted, or your cheesy cauliflower will be too salty. I like this grass-fed brand.
How To Make Cauliflower Mac And Cheese
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Cook The Cauliflower
You can use any method you like, but I highly recommend roasting! Sometimes I air fry the cauliflower for smaller batches. You can also steam the cauliflower for a quick option. To roast:
- Season the cauliflower. In a large bowl, toss the florets with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.
- Roast until golden. Spread the florets on a baking sheet (I have this one in every size and love them). Roast in the oven until tender and browned on the edges.
Make The Cheese Sauce
In a saucepan over low heat, stir together the cheese, cream, almond milk, and butter, stirring frequently until smooth. Alternatively, you can simply microwave the ingredients until the cheese melts, then stir until smooth. Be careful not to overheat.
Mix Together
Transfer the cooked cauliflower to a large bowl (you can even reuse the one from earlier!). Pour cheese sauce on top and mix to coat evenly. I like a little fresh cracked pepper over the cauliflower mac and cheese at the end.
My Recipe Tips
- Cut your cauliflower florets small. They roast faster that way, and you get smaller pieces in every bite, making the experience closer to regular mac and cheese. I aim for 1 inch pieces.
- Give the cauliflower enough space when roasting. You want each floret touching the pan to get those browned edges — and to make this process fast.
- Don’t use a whisk. The shredded cheese will clump and stick to the whisk as it melts. Using a spoon or spatula to stir the sauce works much better.
- Sauce too thick or too thin? It’s easy to adjust the consistency before mixing with the cauliflower. Keep in mind it will thicken more as it cools from piping hot to warm. But if you need to adjust, add more shredded cheese to make it thicker, or more almond milk or cream to thin it out. Easy!
- Fold in the sauce gently. The tender cauliflower can break apart if you’re too rough with it.
- Want an extra cheesy finish, crumb topping, or bacon? Just transfer your cauliflower mac and cheese to a baking dish at the end (I use this one and it’s the perfect size). Sprinkle with more cheddar if you want a melty top, crushed pork rinds for a crumb topping, or crumbled oven baked bacon. Pop under the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown the top.
Storage & Meal Prep
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing cheesy cauliflower, as the texture of the sauce changes.
- Meal prep: Cut and roast the vegetables, make the cheese sauce, and store separately. When ready to serve, reheat the cauliflower and sauce (I often just use the microwave for lunch), then toss together.
- Reheat: Cauliflower mac and cheese is more mushy after reheating, but still so delicious! You can microwave it, or use your oven at 350 degrees F.
Serving Ideas
I’ve totally enjoyed a big bowl of this easy cauliflower mac and cheese all by itself! But it’s also super versatile with proteins for a more balanced meal:
- Comfort Food – Try my low carb chicken nuggets, keto fried chicken, bacon wrapped hot dogs, or a for all the nostalgic vibes. For a homestyle meal, go for slow cooker turkey breast or keto meatloaf. You can even spoon keto chili over the cauliflower mac and cheese.
- Chicken – My family’s faves are simple baked chicken legs, air fryer chicken quarters, and garlic butter chicken. You can also whip up some buffalo wings for game day!
- BBQ – You can’t go wrong with my juicy burger (or a lighter turkey burger), quick air fryer brats, or saucy BBQ chicken legs. If you want to get fancy, grill a steak.
More Low Carb Cauliflower Recipes
If you like my cauliflower mac and cheese, you’ll probably also love my other comforting cauliflower recipes:
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (6 Ingredients)
Make my easy, cheesy cauliflower mac and cheese with 6 ingredients in just 25 minutes! It's the ultimate healthy, low carb comfort food.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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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.
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
- Tips: See my recipe tips above! I’ve got notes to help you get the perfect cheese sauce consistency, options for toppings, and more.
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing.
- Reheat: Microwave or heat in a 350-degree F oven.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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© 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.
Cauliflower Mac And Cheese
285 Comments
Victoria
0Excellent
Julie Cottrell, MS, RD, LD
0I made this recently and I love it! My husband said, “I wouldn’t call it mac n cheese, I would call it cheesy cauliflower” and I understand that…but I think it does a great job of satisfying that craving in a much healthier way. I’ve seen other recipes that use cream cheese but this is the one I am choosing to share with patients because it is much lower in calories while still bursing with yummy flavor. 🙂
Sue
0Really nice, it tastes lovely. Quite quick to make the sauce. Had with roast beef instead of potatoes.
Chrissmackie
0Hi Maya,
Great recipe, thank you!! My only gripe is the measurements of the cauliflower and the cheese, which can vary widely when you are closely following your macros as well as your calories. I have had cauliflower heads range in size from 1.5 lbs to 7!! Additionally, based on how tightly packed the shredded cheese is in your cup, that varies as well. So this can definitely give you inaccurate numbers if you are logging them.
I realize it is a lot more work to weigh the ingredients when creating a recipe, but it is SO appreciated for those of us that are on a mission to lose weight. Also, it will keep those of us doing so coming back to your site for accurate nutritional values in your recipes.
For this reason, I am deducting 2 stars.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Chris, At the top of the recipe card, you can change the ingredients from US customary to metric, which will give you the weights. To give some context, though, my cauliflower mac and cheese recipe is for an average head of cauliflower, or about 4 cups of florets. You can definitely make it with larger or smaller ones, but like you said, the macros will vary and you might need more or less sauce.
Gail
0Just made this and really enjoyed it! Not really mac and cheese, but it was a very good cauliflower cheese dish! Will make again!
sandy campbell
0It tastes very good but not like mac and cheese more like your cheese veggie side dish. Still I was very satisfied with the look and flavor.
Shari Power
0This is our favorite cauliflower “mac and cheese”. It is so easy to make and tasty. We will definitely be making this many more times!!!!
LisaRupe
0Great prep.
Chris J
0This is really good! I love to use this dish in our rotation along with whatever meat dish I am serving. I like to add about 1/4 tsp. of xanthan gum to the sauce right before I pour it over the cauliflower – makes it a bit thicker.
Cathy
0This dish is perfect! I think roasting the cauliflower gives it such a great taste. My only addition is, after preparing, putting it in a casserole dish and baking for 20 mins at 325. It browned up the top and gave it that baked Mac N Cheese look. Just delicious.
Karey
0I will follow your recipe exactly and I’m sure it will be delicious. When I make regular mac&cheese, what my family likes about it is that it’s baked till the top gets browned. So I am going to try this as well.
Cheryl
0Can you use Butternut Squash instead of the cauliflower ? I have a bunch and thought this would be good for a party I am hosting.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Cheryl, I haven’t done that yet, but yes, you definitely can! Just roast butternut squash and then toss with the cheese sauce.
Johanna Faulk
0I cook dinner for my daughter and her husband who are on a Keto diet and they love everything I have made of yours so far (only four recipes yet, but, obviously, I will keep using all your other ones!) Thank you for making it good and simple and tasty, particularly as I have to eat it as well!
Hannah Mosebach
0Love love love this recipe!!!
Van
0Can this recipe be made a day ahead? And can I roast broccoli with cauliflower? I need to make in advance for a dinner party?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Van, Yes to both! You can use this sauce with any roasted vegetables you like. It’s also pretty good reheated, though a bit more mushy.
Charlotte
0Awesome
Shanea Wilson
0I made this and it’s good! The cheese sauce is so good, I just made the pretzel recipe you have referenced in the ‘snacks to take along’ section, and I made this cheese sauce to dip them in, it was yummy, plan to use this cheese sauce recipe often!
Dana
0This was so good… We added some crumbled up bacon and swapped milk for half and half.
Martha
0I love this recipe and keep coming back to it. As everyone else has said it is so easy.
I microwave steam the cauliflower or broccoli then sauté it in a little butter before adding the cheese sauce. I usually keep vegetable and sauce separate since it’s just me I’m cooking for. Then I can add just what I want.
I have also added chopped up jalapeño poppers to the mix.
Thanks for the great recipe.
Jennifer
0Who needs pasta? This was amazing and so easy to make! I didn’t even miss the noodles!
Mandy Applegate
0Oh this cauliflower mac and cheese was SO good!
Wholesome Yum A
0We made this last night and loved it! The sauce was perfectly cheesy, and I love the heartiness that the cauliflower gave the whole dish.
Liz
0I’m not keto but sometimes I just want to make a lower carb version of my favorites. This cauliflower is so good!
Gen
0This was incredibly delicious and the picky eater in the house didn’t make a fuss about their veggies. Thanks for a great recipe!
DEBORAH TYMURA
0Omg soooo good. I’m in love!!!
Shelby
0This came out so creamy and a great way to sneak some extra veggies into my kiddos!
Jennifer
0I keep coming back to this recipe! It’s so good and easy and filled with flavor!
Jackie Wenrich
0I made this yesterday. It was delicious. I used whole milk. Only thing is it says it only takes 6 ingredients when actually there’s 8.
Geannie
0Usually, when you see “X ingredient recipes” they don’t count salt & pepper, unless it a key ingredient.
Bryant
0Love
Heather
0Amazing!
Moop brown
0I think replacing the noodles for cauliflower here is really unique and I also like that it is low carb and keto!
Loreto and Nicoletta
0This looks absolutely amazing, cheesy and with cauliflower. Perfect pair. Love this as an alternative to regulay mac and cheese! Thanks!??
Katie Crenshaw
0This is now my favorite way to eat cauliflower. It turned out so delicious. No complaints by anyone at the dinner table. We all loved it.
Lou
0So so good!
Cathleen
0I’m not usually a fan of cauliflower, but you have definitely changed my mind with this mac and cheese recipe! This will for sure be on a regular rotation at my house, thanks so much for the recipe 🙂
Lauren Michael Harris
0I love anything and everything. made with cauliflower, but especially a creamy, comforting cauli mac and cheese like this one – looks amazing!!
Kathryn
0This Mac and cheese looks so delicious and cheesy! Love how it’s low-carb too!
Mikayla
0All the great flavor and texture of regular Mac n Cheese without the carb load of pasta. Definitely feel good eating this for dinner.
Kayla DiMaggio
0This keto cauliflower mac and cheese was so easy and delicious!
Marta
0I made this keto cauliflower mac and cheese for a friend who just has surgery. She was so grateful to receive it and that it tastes so amazing. It was such an easy recipe to follow, which I loved.
Lyndy
0This is delish! It has a good cheesy flavor. I used a Mexican blend as I didn’t have sharp cheddar. I think I need to cut the cauliflower into smaller pieces though or bake a little longer as mine was just a little crunchier than I like for “mac and cheese”.
Debra Gash
0I’ve made other versions, but this one was quicker and easier. I add diced shallots to the cauliflower, and seasoned with smoked paprika and sriracha salt. I tossed a handful of raw cashews in OO with s&p over the roasting mix at about the 7 minutes left mark. I added a pinch of dry mustard to the sauce. I used some homemade kefir for the milk, and it worked well (no detectable sour taste). Good recipe!
Christine
0Comfort food is back!
Sandy Peterson
0I was pleasantly surprised it was so good and almost Mac and cheese instead of calif and cheese. I will definitely make it again. I will also make the cheese sauce. Thanks!
Katie
0I love how smoothly the cauliflower gets incorporated here. Still delicious while being just a little healthier.
Kristyn
0Wow!! I think I’ll be having this mac & cheese version all the time! It was incredibly cheesy & so good!
April
0I looooooove this recipe! We make it as a side dish, but I would totally eat the whole pot of it if I could, it’s that good.
Heather Rose
0Wow, this is really good! Exactly the comfort food I was craving, thank you.
Sami
0My kids were hesitant to try this at first but everyone ended up loving it! I thought the cheese sauce was fantastic and roasting the cauliflower took everything up a notch. Thanks for a more wholesome spin on mac & cheese!
Nancy Romain
0I loved roasting the cauliflower first. Makes a huge difference. I tried other recipes but this is the best. I changed up the cheese sauce a bit though.
Kim Hallock
0This was delicious!!!!