Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

As I've mentioned before, I'm not above hiding vegetables in the kids meals. And while this recipe surely started out that way, it is now requested by name. I'm so lucky that the kids are pretty great vegetable eaters, but I'll take any opportunity to get some extra veggies in their bellies.

Making this Cauliflower Mac & Cheese doesn't add any difficulty to my basic Mac & Any Cheese recipe. You can use any cheeses in your sauce, as long as there is at least one melt-friendly cheese. For this batch, I used Trader Joe's Italian Truffle cheese, white cheddar (not sharp) and mozzarella. Just steam a head of cauliflower, add it to the cheese sauce and puree with an immersion blender! 

Add steamed cauliflower to your cheese sauce. No one will know!

Use an immersion blender to puree cauliflower into the cheese sauce.

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

Cauliflower Mac & Cheese

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup all purpose unbleached flour (you can substitute with 4 tablespoons of corn starch to make a gluten free roux)

5 cups whole milk (can substitute with skim or 2%)

4 cups of shredded cheeses (at least one that melts well)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into large florets

16 ounces (1 box) any pasta cooked and drained*

Directions

1. In a large pot with steamer insert, steam cauliflower until very soft.
2. In a heavy bottom pot on medium heat, melt butter. 

3. Add flour and whisk until combined into chunks. 

4. Add 2 cups of milk, while continuously stirring to combine.  

5. When it turns into a thick paste, about 7-8 minutes, add remaining 3 cups of milk.

6. Continue whisking until milk is warmed through and all of the roux (butter and flour) are smooth and combined. No chunks!

7. Turn heat down to low.

8. Add shredded cheeses. You can use chunks of cheese, but the shredded just incorporates faster. Continue stirring until all cheese is melted. 

9. Remove from heat.

10. Add steamed cauliflower to the pot with cheese.

11. Using an immersion blender, puree until smooth sauce forms

12. Taste and add kosher salt and pepper to taste. 

13. Add cooked pasta to the pot. Stir to coat each piece with sauce.

*Depending on how "creamy" you like your mac & cheese, this is enough sauce for anywhere from 1 box of cooked pasta (super cheesy) to 1 1/2 boxes of cooked pasta (just enough to cover the pasta).

Eat, Drink & Be Yummy!