This recipe for keto roasted cauliflower “mac” and cheese is a great substitute for traditional macaroni and cheese. Stop missing pasta with an easy, delicious, gluten-free low-carb option.
It’s a comfort food craving silencer. A recipe that is sure to stop pasta cravings.
I love how a low-carb cauliflower macaroni and cheese that uses roasted cauliflower is the perfect replacement for pasta. This is not only a delicious recipe; it’s a fantastic way to incorporate more cauliflower into your diet.
The fact that the cauliflower is roasted rather than boiled means it adds another dimension of flavor and retains more of its nutrition.
It is a healthier cauliflower mac and cheese casserole that even the pickiest eater will enjoy. It’s a recipe that can be enjoyed as a complete meal or served alongside your favorite protein.
This recipe was inspired by our keto cauliflower broccoli mac and cheese casserole, which is well-loved.
In this recipe, I made the cauliflower the main ingredient and roasted it to elevate it to another level.
The creamy cheese sauce is rich and decadent, and that is what makes this a delicious low-carb cauliflower mac. It’s an excellent keto recipe since it only has 2.7 grams of net carbs.
Compared to regular mac and cheese, which has 53 grams of carbs and 50 net carbs, roasted cauliflower mac n’ cheese is the way to go when doing a ketogenic diet.
Be sure to visit our keto cauliflower recipes for more delicious options!
Keto Cauliflower Mac And Cheese Casserole
If you have never tried cauliflower as a pasta alternative, you are in for a real treat. Sure, it’s not actual pasta, but it tastes much like traditional pasta but made with a cauliflower head.
Although cauliflower does not exactly have the same texture and mouthfeel as pasta, it has several advantages. One is that it has a bland flavor, and two, it absorbs all the flavor it’s paired with.
As long as you don’t overcook your cauliflower, the texture also works beautifully. When I served this to my family for our Sunday after-church lunch, my family could not believe it wasn’t a pasta-based recipe.
They raved on and on, and let’s just say there were no leftovers. The mac and cheese sauce is made using a combination of heavy cream, parmesan cheese, and sharp cheddar cheese.
It’s a creamy cheddar cheese sauce that needs absolutely no wheat flour to thicken it.
Winning! Who says you can’t enjoy comfort foods on a keto diet? With just a few key ingredients, you can enjoy this keto “mac” ‘n’ cheese recipe that will fool your tastebuds.
What I love about using vegetables to replace pasta is that if cooked correctly, you can get the perfect mouthfeel that traditional pasta has without the massive amounts of carbs, gluten, and loads more nutrition.
The Ingredients Needed
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The following are the ingredients needed to make this cheesy cauliflower bake. Note that the full printable recipe card is at the bottom of the page.
- Cauliflower florets
- Olive oil or avocado oil
- Heavy cream
- Parmesan cheese
- Sharp shredded cheese
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Sea salt
- Black pepper
- Red pepper flakes
- Nutmeg
- Fresh parsley
- Bacon strips crumbled, garnish
- Unsalted butter
How To Make A Roasted Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
Making this keto-friendly mac and cheese recipe is pretty straightforward and, therefore, simple to make. You’ll need to start by cutting your cauliflower so that you are only using the florets.
Using only the cauliflower florets ensures that it bakes evenly. The cauliflower is tossed in oil-seasoned seasoned and then roasted in a single even layer, leaving enough room between the pieces to roast evenly.
Roast the cauliflower until golden brown and fork-tender.
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Once the cauliflower is roasted, you’ll make the cheesy cream sauce. The sauce is easily made in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat.
Start by sautéing the minced garlic with butter until tender. Then add the heavy cream, sharp cheddar cheese, seasonings, and Parmesan cheese.
Be sure to stir the sauce constantly until it thickens and combines well. After the sauce is made, pour the hot, cheesy cheese sauce over the cauliflower florets and toss until all the cauliflower is covered in the sauce.
Butter a 7×11-inch baking dish, spread the prepared low-carb mac and sprinkle the reserved Parmesan cheese and cooked bacon pieces. Bake the casserole for 30-35 minutes until bubbly and golden brown.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two days.
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Keto Roasted Cauliflower Mac And Cheese (Gluten-Free)
Keto roasted cauliflower "mac" and cheese uses roasted cauliflower as the perfect gluten-free pasta alternative. It's a delicious keto casserole that is sure to fool your tastebuds. The best part is it's an easy recipe that can be used as a side dish or main course.
Ingredients
- 2 large cauliflower heads cut into florets about 8 cups
- 1/4 cup of olive oil or avocado oil
- 2 cups of heavy cream
- 1/2 cup of parmesan cheese divided
- 2 cups of sharp shredded cheese
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoons of sea salt, separated
- 1 1/4 teaspoons of black pepper, separated
- 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or a pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 minced garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons of fresh parsley chopped, garnish
- 4 cooked bacon strips crumbled, garnish
- 1/4 cup of unsalted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with the oil, one teaspoon of salt, and one teaspoon of black pepper. Set it aside.
- Using one large flat-rimmed baking sheet covered in parchment paper, add your cauliflower florets in a single layer, leaving enough room to roast evenly. Roast the cauliflower until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes, until fork-tender and golden brown.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.
- Place the roasted cauliflower back into a large bowl and set aside.
- Butter well a 7x11 inch baking dish and set it aside. Proceed to make the cheese sauce.
- Cheese Sauce: In a medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat, saute the minced garlic with butter until tender. Add the heavy cream, sharp cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, and nutmeg powder. Stir the sauce constantly until it thickens and is well combined.
- Pour the hot sauce over the roasted cauliflower florets and toss well until fully covered.
- Add the cauliflower coated in the cheese sauce into the prepared baking pan.
- Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese and bacon pieces and bake for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown.
- Garnish with the chopped fresh parsley.
- Store the leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Notes
You can make this roasted cauliflower casserole ahead of time by roasting the florets and making the sauce up 24 hours ahead. Then the day of warm the sauce and pour over the florets and bake in the oven.
This recipe can be halved easily.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 375Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 150mgSodium: 200mgCarbohydrates: 5.8gNet Carbohydrates: 2.7gFiber: 3.1g
