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This super easy One Pot Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is the perfect recipe for sneaking in the vegetables. Short cut pasta and nutrient-packed cauliflower are boiled together until al dente. Then a splash of milk, a handful of sharp cheddar cheese, and just a touch butter are all stirred together for a creamy mac and cheese, that’s cozy yet healthy(ish) too. Added bonus, this simple mac and cheese is made all in one pot, in just about thirty minutes.

overhead close up photo of One Pot Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Sharing the absolute easiest, coziest, comfort food recipe today. And you guys…it’s the perfect Monday recipe for cold, snowy winter days (which is what is going on here!). Growing up, mac and cheese was never something my dad would make. If my brothers and I were eating mac and cheese it was either the boxed Kraft mac and cheese or Stouffer’s frozen mac and cheese.

Oh my gosh, do you guys remember those days? Pure childhood comfort. I wouldn’t mind going back for just a day or so. Twas the best to come home from school, shower (I always, always showered the minute I got home from school…I was so weird), cozy up by the fire, and enjoy a cheesy bowl of pasta while watching Gilmore Girls.

Simply the best.

Lately, I’ve been drawing some inspiration from my favorite childhood comfort foods. Which made me realize that I don’t have a good stove-top mac and cheese recipe. How that is I have not a clue. But the good news is that I quickly worked to change that and created the perfect (healthy…ish) creamy, one pot mac and cheese.

Enter this stove-top, extra creamy cauliflower mac and cheese.

This. Is. So. Good. Healthy…ish. And easy too.

raw cauliflower head

Here are all the details.

As I said, I’ve been looking to my childhood for some inspiration recently. And, of course, mac and cheese was a beloved staple for my brothers and me while growing up.

I knew I wanted to create the perfect stove-top mac and cheese that was similar to the boxed stuff, but much, much better…and so much healthier. With the addition of cauliflower, I was able to use way less cream, butter, and even cheese. But yet still have a super creamy and cheesy stove-top mac and cheese.

As you can guess, this is so quick and easy. Start by boiling a big pot of water on the stove. Use a pot that will be large enough to hold both the pasta and the cauliflower.

While the water is coming to a boil, start chopping the cauliflower. You’ll want to roughly chop the cauliflower into similar size pieces as your pasta. The idea is that the cauliflower really blends in with the pasta so that you may not even realize it’s there.

Once the water has come to a boil, add the pasta and the cauliflower. Boil together until al dente, then simply stir in all the remaining ingredients, and that’s kind of it. The key is using a touch of cream cheese and creamy dijon mustard for creaminess. This creates the perfect amount of creamy sauce, but still keeps things on the lighter side.

For the cheeses, I love using a mix of sharp white cheddar (for flavor) and creamy fontina and or provolone, for creaminess. Together they create that ideal cheese pull we all love so much.

Then a touch of garlic, a sprinkle of cayenne (to your taste), and fresh herbs for additional flavor and to finish out the recipe.

SIMPLE but GOOD.

overhead photo of One Pot Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Some ideas to switch up the recipe a bit…

If you prefer a baked make and cheese, that works well here too and will be delicious. Just leave out the final cup of cheese and instead transfer the mac and cheese to a baking dish, then top with that reserved cheese. Bake for twenty or so minutes and wallah…you’ll have cheesy baked mac and cheese!

Want to add more vegetables? Spinach and artichokes, roasted broccoli, or crispy mushrooms would all be great as additional stir-ins. Really you can easily adapt this recipe however you’d like. It’s pretty hard to mess up!

So while this isn’t identical to the Kraft box cheese (thank goodness), I’d take this recipe any day. I might be biased, but I think it’s so much better. The real cheese flavor shines through and the creaminess from the combination of cauliflower, cream cheese, and cheese is beyond perfect.

I couldn’t think of a better Monday night dinner. It’s cozy, but healthy..ish, easy and so delicious. Bonus? I am ninety-nine percent sure you can get your kids, husband, and all the picky eaters in your life to eat (and love) this.

Looking for other Mac and Cheese recipes…click here!

overhead close up photo of One Pot Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Lastly, if you make this one pot creamy cauliflower mac and cheese, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!

Watch the How To Video:

One Pot Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Author: Tieghan Gerard
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 511 kcal

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • 1. In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons salt,
    the pasta, and cauliflower, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Do not drain the water. Stir in the milk, cream cheese, mustard, and garlic powder, and cook until the cream cheese has melted and the pasta is al dente, about 4-5 minutes more.
    2. Add the cheeses and butter, and stir until melted and creamy. Remove from the heat. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. If the sauce feels too thick, add ¼ cup of milk or water to thin.
    3. Divide the mac and cheese between bowls. Top with fresh parsley, chives, and pepper. Enjoy!
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Comments

  2. 5 stars
    Simple and delish like allllll other HBH recipes. Recipe instructions are written perfectly and are super easy follow. Added some frozen peas to clean out the freezer. This would totally be a great base for a baked mac & cheese with a crunchy bread crumb topping. Will make again!

    Reply

  3. This was awesome! Perfect for Monday night. I used local chive cream cheese and also added smoked paprika . Definitely a keeper. Bacon would be great and a dash of white wine. Pinch of nutmeg next time. Sooooo creamy

    Reply

  4. 5 stars
    Wow! My new go-to macaroni and cheese recipe. This is the definition of comfort food, and I love the texture and nutrition added by the cauliflower. I put in a sprinkle of Old Bay seasoning and some crumbled bacon. Then, I topped it with a mixture of bread crumbs and cheese and baked it for 20 minutes at 350. So good!

    Reply

  5. 5 stars
    You have amazing recipe skills & Patience!! I am astonished that people ask the same question – over, and over, and over!! I trusted you and it was great!!!

    Reply

  7. This was sooo yummy! i made a big batch so as to have leftovers and it was just as good (if not better in that awesome leftover way) the next day! Thank you so much! One of meany recipes of yours i love!

    Reply

  8. This Mac and Cheese is so good! I love that it is so easy to make and uses pantry staples. Thank you so much for this recipe!

    Reply

  10. Made these for the Super Bowl and it was delicious! I love anything that tastes like comfort food and also sneaks in veggies. I will definitely make this again. Thanks!

    Reply

    1. Hey Mary Kate,
      I am so glad the recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have a great week! xTieghan

      Reply

  12. Hi! I would like to use frozen cauliflower–should I thaw it or just throw it in frozen with the pasta? Thank you!

    Reply

    1. Hey Kit,
      I would thaw the cauliflower so you can drain any excess liquid. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan

      Reply

  13. 5 stars
    This was creamy and delicious and my 22 year old son, who refuses to eat cauliflower, didn’t even know it was in there! My only issue was that I only wanted to make half so I halved all the ingredients including the water. I only used 2 cups and that wasn’t the best choice. I kept adding water as needed. Should I have used the full 4 cups even if I only used half the pasta and cauliflower? A little Franks red hot sauce on top and this was the best comfort food I’ve had all week. Also one pot…what could be better?

    Reply

    1. Hey Patti,
      Thanks a lot for giving the recipe a go, I am so delighted that it was enjoyed! Yes, I would have kept the same measurements for the water. Have a great week:) xTieghan

      Reply

  15. 5 stars
    Very good will definitely make again. I use low carb pasta and found it needed more water during first 8minutes. I added 2c water and that worked. Will 1/2 this recipe next time and add more cauliflower.

    Reply