Mac and cheese is always a crowd pleaser. I have several versions, this Roasted cauliflower Mac and Cheese being the new favourite. While the recipe is my own, the idea to use a sheet pan is one I found on Food 52. Amanda Hesser explains that a baking sheet is the only way to go. It’s crunchy toppings for everyone!
Roasting the cauliflower adds a lovely nuttiness. Most of the ingredients for the recipe are kitchen basics like milk, bread, butter and cheese. The topping for my roasted cauliflower Mac and Cheese is a combination of salty Parmesan and walnuts, although a sharp cheddar or gruyere can also do the job. If you prefer a stringy cheese, mozzarella is the only cheese that can deliver the pull. Pasta doesn’t like hanging about so get everyone around the table, ready to tuck in as it comes out the oven.
This recipe is featured on The Feedfeed along with 50 more drool-worthy mac & cheese’s. A must visit for serious pasta lovers!
Roast cauliflower mac and cheese
Serves 6
Cheese sauce
- 60g butter
- 50g all-purpose flour
- 750ml milk
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups mature cheddar, grated
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 350g macaroni pasta, cooked and drained
Parmesan and walnut crumb topping
- 2 cups ciabatta breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/4 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup parmesan, grated
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the flour and whisk to combined. Add the milk in slowly, whisking all the while. Cook over a medium heat until thickened. Add the mustard and season with salt. Add the cheese and whisk until melted.
- Preheat the oven to 180º C. Spread the cauliflower onto a roasting tray, drizzle with olive oil and season. Toss to coat and roast for about 20 minutes.
- For the crumb topping, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
- Turn the oven up to 200º C.
- Add the roast cauliflower to the cooked pasta. Pour over the cheese sauce and toss gently to coat. Transfer the pasta to a baking sheet and scatter the crumb topping over. Bake for about 20 minutes until golden.
If you’re keen on cauliflower or broccoli, you may want to pop in here:
Whole roast cauliflower cheese
17 Comments. Leave new
I’ve been licking my screen ?
Mmmm. I’m in love. The ultimate comfort food 🙂
No need really. Just get into the kitchen!!
Isn’t it just? Pasta just seems to be the number stop when you need a food hug!
This is one of those “dishlicking” winners ,not only on meatfree Mondays! Thanks Di!
Also a great way to include more veggies!
The photographs demand I make this now! I just woke up and will be distracted until I can eat this.
A very scrumptious distraction it is! Hope it lands on your table tonight Karl.
A definite teenage crowd pleaser… made it last week Friday.
It is Alna. Even my 48 year old ‘teenager’ can’t get enough of this crunchy topped pasta!
I’m not good in math so the conversions are freaking me out!
Hi Tessa. Let me know what system you’re working with and I’ll see if I can help.
[…] casserole is the perfect time to sneak in a couple of extras. As we all know, cauliflower loves a good cheese sauce, as does broccoli, so let’s throw them both in here. These veggies can be rather blah, so a […]
Yum yum yum! This was delicious! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Much more crunch per bite, right? A complete win with my family every time.
Looks wonderful! Can you convert to ounces, tablespoon/teaspoon, and fahrenheit? Will a 9×13 inch glass pan work?
I’m hoping to make this for my son’s 3rd birthday! Thank you!!
Hi there Minh-Hai. Sure. You can bake the pasta at 350 fahrenheit. If you have a slightly bigger dish, you’ll get more topping into each bite. If not, the 9 x 13 will be fine. 1 Tablespoon = 15ml and 1 teaspoon = 5ml. For the weight, 50g = 1.8 ounces and 60g = 2 ounces. Hope that helps.