I think it is safe to say mac & cheese is a crowd favorite, right? Creamy delicious cheese smothered over delicious pasta – what is not to like?! While it can get a bad rap for being ‘unhealthy’ if we just add in veggies we are all good then, right?
So that is what I did here, add in the cauliflower to bring on in the veggies.
Pro Tip: use frozen cauliflower to cut down on prep time.
While I went with Kerrygold cheddar cheese (one of my fave brands as they are from grass-fed cows) you can always swap for a vegan brand. Shredding from the block of cheese I feel makes it extra creamy and it melts really well, too.
Now for the pasta….
Eat Banza sent me a very nice care package of their pasta and pizzas to try out. Whoo! Hoo! I must say their pasta made from chickpeas tasted the same as regular pasta to me. No complaints from the fam either. They have a lot of other products made from chickpeas if you are looking for more gluten-free options. Plus they have more protein & fiber and fewer net carbs than regular pasta!
Other ingredients you will need are ….
Almond milk, flour, butter & breadcrumbs for that crispy topping at the end – trust me you don’t want to miss this step. This recipe can easily be made vegan & gluten-free. Bonus: Eat Banza pasta is already GF! I am thinking next time to add a little buffalo sauce to kick it up a notch but for now, this recipe worked out just fine as it is!
Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 bag frozen cauliflower (or fresh cauliflower chopped)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz box dry pasta (GF If needed)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 1 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk (or other unsweetened milk)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar (divided) (Vegan if needed)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 3/4 cup breadcrumbs (GF if needed)
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375f. Grease a baking pan well . Add caulifower, il, salt & pepper and mix well. Bake for 25 minues mixing halfway through.
- While cauliflower is cooking boil your noodles.
- While the noodles are boiling make the sauce. In a large pot or pan add butter to the pan over medium heat to melt. Whisk in flour and milk slowly getting rid of all lumps. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer stirring often. Once the sauce has thickened a little add in the spices.
- Add In 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese to the pot and combine well. Drain & add the noodles to the cheese sauce along with the cauliflower. – mix well.
- Spray a 9×13 inch baking pan with oil. Pour the mac & cheese mixture into the pan evengly. Top with remainng cheese and sprinkle the bredcrumbs over the top.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until breadcrumsb are golden brown.
0 Comments