Roast Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Mac and cheese is sure-fire crowd pleaser. Over the last 7 years of blogging, I’ve shared have several of our favourite versions, this Roast cauliflower Mac and Cheese being one of the all time favourites. 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 ensure everyone has their fair share of crunchy toppings.
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 around so get everyone around the table before 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
Cheese sauce
- 60 g butter
- 50 g (1/3 cup) cake wheat flour
- 750 ml ( 3 cups) milk
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) Dijon mustard
- 2.5 ml (1/2 teaspoon) fine salt
- 120 g (1 1/2 cups) mature cheddar, grated
- white pepper, to taste
Roast Cauliflower
- 30 ml (2 tablespoons) olive oil
- 1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 350 g macaroni pasta, cooked and drained
Parmesan and walnut crumb topping
- 2 cups ciabatta bread crumbs
- 45 ml (3 tablespoons) melted butter
- 35 g (1/4 cup) walnuts, roughly chopped
- 50 g ( 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 cheese and whisk until melted and smooth. Season with salt and white pepper.
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.
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.