1.4KThis Roasted Cauliflower Pasta Bake is such a delicious and healthier twist on everyone’s favorite comfort food – mac and cheese! It’s also a great way to use up leftover cauliflower and sneak in some extra veggies!
This Roasted Cauliflower Pasta Bake is such a delicious and healthier twist on everyone’s favorite comfort food – mac and cheese! It’s also a great way to use up leftover cauliflower and sneak in some extra veggies!
This roasted cauliflower mac and cheese is made with organic macaroni pasta, heavy cream, raw cheddar and packed with over a pound of roasted cauliflower. It is so delicious and you will find yourself getting seconds if not thirds!
It works great served as a dinner or a side dish that will leave your guests impressed! You can easily customize it and make it gluten-free by using gf pasta and dairy-free by using coconut milk, skipping the cheese and adding some nutritional yeast!
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER MAC AND CHEESE INGREDIENTS
Cauliflower
Avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
Pasta. You can use any pasta you like!
Full-fat coconut milk for a dairy-free option or heavy cream
Dijon mustard
Spices. Garlic powder. onion powder, salt and black pepper
Cheese. I used raw cheddar. Fontina and gruyère cheese work great too! I also added some freshly grated parmesan!
Butter
Breadcrumbs
TIPS TO MAKE THE BEST BAKED CAULIFLOWER MAC AND CHEESE
Always roast the cauliflower before adding it to the sauce. It brings out so much flavor!
Leave half of the roasted cauliflower to add to the dish. It adds such a great texture!
Use heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk for extra creaminess
Season well with black pepper & salt (I love using pink himalyan salt
If you make this roasted cauliflower pasta bake casserole, don’t forget to use the hashtag #natteats and tag @natteats so I can see your creations! Feel free to reach out via email or leave a comment too. If you’d like to stay updated with my recipes, go ahead and visit my Facebook, Instagram or subscribe!
PrintRoasted Cauliflower Pasta Bake
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 4-5 1x
Description
This Roasted Cauliflower Pasta Bake is such a delicious and healthier twist on everyone’s favorite comfort food – mac and cheese! It’s also a great way to use up leftover cauliflower and sneak in some extra veggies!
Ingredients
Scale
1 1/2 pound cauliflower head, cut into florets
2 tbsp avocado oil or extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
12 oz pasta of choice
1/2 cup reserved pasta water
3/4 cup heavy cream or full-fat coconut milk
1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp garlic powder
3/4 tsp onion powder
sea salt and black pepper
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, fontina or gruyère cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450F. Line a baking pan with a parchment paper.
- Toss cauliflower florets with oil, salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes until it starts to brown.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions on the package. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water and set aside. In a small bowl melt butter and stir in breadcrumbs.
- Place pasta water, coconut milk or heavy cream, mustard, garlic powder, onion powder and 1/2 of the roasted cauliflower in a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer cooked pasta into a baking dish. Pour the sauce, add remaining cauliflower florets, shredded cheese and bread crumbs. Bake at 400F for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes