As you can probably tell by reading this blog, I love a comforting, carb-loaded, cheesy pasta dish. It has been a bit of a struggle in the heat of summer, however to convince my husband that A) it is good for our diet and B) turning the oven on in this heat is a great idea. I am definitely a Pinterest person, and I had been seeing lots of Cauliflower sauces for pasta recently popping up on my feeds. That’s when it clicked! If I could take care of problem A, I could definitely get away with problem B, and this dreamy dish was born, and let me tell you, there wasn’t much convincing needed! Pasta, cheese but less of the calories? Done.
But if I was going to make Mac & Cheese that totally revolved around cauliflower, I would forgo my usual breadcrumb crust and make a crispy cauliflower confection that would bring crunch and a bit of a kick with some heat of cayenne pepper. It is not as much a crust as it is a topping, but it gives a great textural contrast to the creaminess of the Mac & Cheese. Try making the Cauliflower sauce for other types of pasta dishes as well, like an Alfredo, or pouring on top of sliced potatoes or other vegetables for a healthier take on scalloped potatoes! My favorite dishes have elements that I can use lots of different ways, and this cauliflower sauce is definitely one of them. My husband said this was the best Mac & Cheese I have ever made and it will be kept on our list of healthier dinner ideas.
Ingredients
- Butter for greasing a baking dish
- Salt?
- Olive oil
- 2 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 large cauliflower, cored and separated into large pieces
- 8 ounces whole wheat macaroni or like pasta shapes
- 3/4 cup grated sharp cheddar
- 1/4 cup low fat or fat free cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, or to taste
- Black pepper, to taste
- Cayenne pepper
- 1 large head cauliflower, cleaned, core removed and chopped into small, bite-size pieces
- Olive oil
- Sea salt
- 2 tbsp freshly grated parmesan
- Cayenne pepper, about 1/2 teaspoon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil to prevent sticking. Pour a drop of olive oil onto the prepared baking sheet and rub it in with your hand or a towel.
- Spread prepared cauliflower pieces onto baking sheet. Make sure that they fit in a single layer and are not too crowded. We want nice, evenly browned and crispy pieces! If there is not enough space, use two baking sheets.
- Drizzle cauliflower pieces lightly with olive oil, about a tablespoon, and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Toss together to coat and spread into an even layer.
- Place baking sheet in the oven and cook until cauliflower is tender. It should be lightly browned all over, with some dark brown spots. This can take between 30 and 50 minutes depending on the size of the cauliflower pieces and the strength of your oven. If the cauliflower pieces still seem somewhat hard inside, you’ll need to cook them a bit longer.
- In a medium bowl, mix the parmesan, cayenne and any additional seasoning and set aside. When cauliflower pieces are finished cooking, transfer to the bowl to coat in seasoning mixture. Spread back onto baking sheet to stay dry and prepare the macaroni.
- Grease a baking dish with a little butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While waiting for water to boil, put the stock with the bay leaves in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When small bubbles appear along the sides, about 5 minutes later, turn off the heat and let stand.
- Cook the cauliflower in the boiling water until very tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Scoop the cauliflower out of the water with a slotted spoon and transfer it to a blender or food processor. Alternatively, use a glass bowl with an immersion blender.
- Next, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until still somewhat chalky inside and not yet edible, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the bay leaves from the stock. Carefully process the cauliflower with 2 cups of the stock, a drizzle of olive oil, the grated cheese, cream cheese, mustard, nutmeg, salt and pepper. (You may have to work in batches.)
- For an extra kick, add a dash of Cayenne. If the sauce seems a bit too thick, add the remaining 1?2 cup stock. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Pour the sauce over the pasta, toss, and spread the mixture evenly in the dish.
- Bake until the pasta is bubbling and the crumbs turn brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven, add the crispy cauliflower crust, and bake for a further 5 minutes. Serve hot and enjoy!