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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.
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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.
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.
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!
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
Ingredients
- 1 pound short-cut pasta, such as macaroni
- 1 small to medium head cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup canned coconut milk, heavy cream, or whole milk
- 3 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded fontina or provolone cheese
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, to taste
- fresh chopped parsley and or chives, for topping
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!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
So so creamy and delicious. My kids didn’t even know there was cauliflower, I chopped it up tiny.
Hey Bethany,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed. Have a great weekend☀️ xTieghan
Can I sub cream cheese with whole milk ricotta?
Hey Jenda,
Sure, I bet that would work well for you. I hope you love this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
Wow! The best and easiest recipe! Ty
Hey Sandy,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it!! xTieghan
Should I make any adjustments when using frozen cauliflower?
Hey Melissa,
I would thaw and drain your cauliflower first:) I hope this dish turns out amazing for you, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I cut this in half since it was just for 2 people (my husband and myself) and it still made A LOT! It was really tasty, I followed the directions exactly, and the only thing I would change is to not use coconut milk. It totally overpowered the yummy flavors of the man n cheese. Regular milk or cream would be perfect.
Hey there,
Fantastic!! Love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! Have a great Sunday:) xxTieghan
Just made this! It’s quite yummy but I think I should’ve done sharp cheddar, instead of extra sharp. Mine turned out a little too tart! Is there any way to balance this?
Hey Rachel,
Fantastic! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am it was enjoyed! Sorry, I’ve never experienced a tart flavor with Mac and cheese. was there anything you adjusted? xTieghan
I googled “best Mac n cheese” then remembered the half baked harvest blog. I’ve never been able to make delicious homemade Mac n cheese until now! You did it again, Tieghan!! All of Tieghan’s recipes are delicious. ?I highly recommend this recipe!
Hey Beth,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy Monday! xTieghan
Let me begin by saying that I literally use your recipes for 85-95% of my cooking throughout the week. Breakfast, lunch, dinner the whole gambit. Your extra little touches and insanely good flavor profiles are what keeping me coming back day after day. This recipe I must say is by far the easiest, creamiest, dreamiest little one pot wonder. My 2 year old, one year old and my large man child devour it every time I make it. I have mixed in baby spinach at the end for extra veggies, subbed in half broccoli when that was all I had, used whatever cheese I had in the fridge and it always works. Plus, I can basically cook this with one arm which is a bonus since currently my littlest thinks the ground is hot lava. Keep up the amazing work!
Hey Sara,
I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xxTieghan
I’ll definitely make this again! It was delicious and enjoyed by all. I sautéed leek and green onions and mixed it through at the end. Thank you for a lovely recipe!
Hey Christine,
Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try, I am delighted that it was enjoyed!! Have a great weekend! xTieghan
This was great. I’ve tried making homemade mac before (with/without cauliflower) and have never really loved how it turned out. This is by far my favorite! I used medium shells that I had on hand and gave them a quick pre-cook before adding the cauliflower (which I cut into pieces that were probably a little small) because I knew the cook times would be very different, and it came out great! Everything was the perfect texture, the sauce was nice and smooth and cheesy, and the cauliflower was totally disguised. Definitely recommend!
Hey Kerry,
Awesome! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
This is AMAZING. I love the simplicity and flavor! I did just under a pound of pasta because I never trust recipes to have enough sauce (haha, sorry) but in this I could have totally used the entire box. It’s nice and cheesy and saucy, just how I like it! It was fast and not too many dishes, easy to make during my toddler’s nap. Thanks for this! Will be making again for sure!
Hey Nikki,
Awesome! I am thrilled that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it! Happy Friday:) xTieghan
Woooooow this is GOOD and really easy. I did a really good cheddar, jack, and parmesean + asparagus and peas and it’s ridiculously good. Thanks for the easy one pot meal x
Hey Danielle,
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for giving it a try! xTieghan
Hi!
Looking forward to trying this recipe. Curious – why does the macaroni NOT need to be drained?
TIA!
Hey Edina,
The water will be used to cook the cauliflower as well as the pasta and makes for a creamy sauce. I hope you love the dish, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
This recipe looks incredible!! If I were to add broccoli or spinach, where do you think I should add it in? Thank you so much – all of your recipes are delicious!
Hey Annie,
I would add the broccoli with the cauliflower. I hope you enjoy this recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I loved it! It was very creamy and delicious. I used whole milk and rotini pasta. Loved how it’s just one pot!
Hey Kim,
Thanks for making this recipe! I am so glad it was a hit! xTieghan
Hi, can I use different cheeses? I’m not a fan of sharp cheddar.
Hey Jaimie,
Absolutely, any cheeses you enjoy will work here! I hope you love the recipe, let me know how it turns out! xTieghan