Spicy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Casserole

Spicy Cauliflower "Mac" and Cheese Casserole

This Spicy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Casserole recipe is a mock macaroni and cheese recipe made with fresh steamed cauliflower instead of pasta. It is a low carb and healthier macaroni and cheese option.

Is this cauliflower mac and cheese with no pasta really a macaroni and cheese recipe? No, of course not. But if you love cauliflower recipes,  are on a low carb diet, keto diet or are avoiding pasta for dietary reasons it is a good substitution.

It does have 2 tablespoons of flour in it so if you are eating gluten free you will have to use a gluten free flour substitute. I have never tried using another thickener to make this homemade cheese sauce recipe so I have no idea if that will work. If you try it please let me know how it turned out.

Low Carb Pasta Substitutes

If you are on a low carb diet than you know one of the things you miss the most while low carbing is macaroni and cheese or pasta recipes.

Substituting cauliflower for pasta kind of gives you the same texture and can satisfy some of those pasta cravings.

This spicy and cheesy cauliflower casserole bake recipe does not have cream cheese or sour cream in it. I made the cheese sauce using my favorite homemade white sauce recipe that starts out with a roux.

Homemade Macaroni and Cheese Sauce recipe

This basic homemade white sauce recipe can be used to make so many different recipes once you master the art of making it. It is not hard to make but you can't rush the technique or you will end up with a pot full of scalded and curdled milk. Once the milk has scalded and burnt to the bottom of the pot there is no fixing it and you will have to start over.

This Spicy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Casserole gets the spicy flavor from roasted peppers. onion and garlic. The roasted vegetables add a deliciously spicy flavor you won't get if you just chop the vegetables.

It would probably still taste very good with the chopped vegetables but I love the flavor roasted vegetables can add to a recipe. You could even go as far as roasting the cauliflower if you like.

I've used Montery Jack cheese as the main cheese for this cauliflower mac and cheese recipe and topped it of with a a layer of more Montery Jack cheese with some shaved Parmesan cheese. You could use sharp white cheddar instead.

How to make Spicy Cauliflower "Mac" and Cheese Casserole recipe

• 1 head of cauliflower, steamed and cut into florets (or 4 cups frozen and thawed cauliflower florets) I used my (affiliate link) Instant Pot to steam the cauliflower.
• 1 roasted poblano pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 large roasted jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 medium roasted onion, chopped
• 5 cloves of garlic, roasted and chopped
• 2 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons of flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• 2 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese or Sharp White Cheddar
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Roast the vegetables following the instructions here. Place the hot roasted peppers into a container with a lid and allow to cool. Once cool remove skin from the peppers and chop. Chop the onion and garlic. Set the chopped vegetables aside while making the cheese sauce.
2. Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan on medium heat. Add the flour, salt, pepper and paprika to the melted butter and whisk for 1 minute. Slowly pour half the milk into the pot whisking continuously until all lumps are gone. Add the remaining milk and bring the sauce to a boil whisking the entire time.
3. Once the milk comes to a boil it will begin to thicken. Continue boiling on medium high heat for about 8 minutes whisking the entire time to prevent scalding. Remove the pot from the heat and stir 2 cups of the shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or Sharp White Cheddar) into the hot milk mixture. Once the cheese has melted set the pot aside.
4. Preheat oven to 375 F. degrees.
5. Mix the cauliflower and roasted chopped vegetables together in a large bowl. Pour the cheese sauce into the bowl and gently fold until combined.
6. Pour the cauliflower mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Monterrey Jack cheese over the top. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the top.
7. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and it is bubbling.
8. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
9. Makes 6 servings.

 Print the Spicy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese recipe below.

Spicy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Casserole

Arlene Mobley - Flour On My Face

Satisfy your pasta cravings with this Cauliflower "Mac" and Cheese recipe made with steamed cauliflower, two cheeses and roasted peppers, onion and garlic.

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Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 325 kcal

Ingredients  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 head cauliflower (steamed and cut into florets (or 4 cups frozen and thawed cauliflower florets) I used my (affiliate link) Instant Pot to steam the cauliflower.)
• ▢ 1 roasted poblano pepper (seeded and diced)
• ▢ 1 large roasted jalapeno pepper (seeded and diced)
• ▢ 1 medium roasted onion (chopped)
• ▢ 5 cloves garlic (roasted and chopped)
• ▢ 2 cups milk
• ▢ 2 tablespoons flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground pepper
• ▢ ½ teaspoon paprika
• ▢ 2 ½ cups shredded Monterey Jack Cheese or Sharp White Cheddar
• ▢ ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

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Instructions 

• Roast the vegetables. Place the hot roasted peppers into a container with a lid and allow to cool. Once cool remove skin from the peppers and chop. Chop the onion and garlic. Set the chopped vegetables aside while making the cheese sauce.
• Melt the butter in a medium sauce pan on medium heat. Add the flour, salt, pepper and paprika to the melted butter and whisk for 1 minute. Slowly pour half the milk into the pot whisking continuously until all lumps are gone. Add the remaining milk and bring the sauce to a boil whisking the entire time.
• Once the milk comes to a boil it will begin to thicken. Continue boiling on medium high heat for about 8 minutes whisking the entire time to prevent scalding. Remove the pot from the heat and stir 2 cups of the shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or Sharp White Cheddar) into the hot milk mixture. Once the cheese has melted set the pot aside.
• Preheat oven to 375 F. degrees.
• Mix the cauliflower and roasted chopped vegetables together in a large bowl. Pour the cheese sauce into the bowl and gently fold until combined.
• Pour the cauliflower mixture into a baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining Monterrey Jack cheese over the top. Sprinkle the grated Parmesan cheese over the top.
• Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese has melted and it is bubbling.
• Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 325kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 20gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 679mgPotassium: 536mgFiber: 3gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 789IUVitamin C: 68mgCalcium: 558mgIron: 1mg

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Here are a few recipes using a homemade white sauce as the base

•  Easy Homemade Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce #1 Flour On My Face recipe
• Cheesy Veggie Mac recipe
• Sweet Onion Tart recipe
• Cream Roasted Asparagus Soup recipe
• Crock Pot Cream of Chicken Soup