• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Low Carb with Jennifer logo

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Keto Recipes
  • Jennifer's Membership
  • Free Challenge
  • Cookbook
  • About me
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Keto Recipes
  • Jennifer's Membership
  • Free Challenge
  • Cookbook
  • About me
×
  • Home
  • Keto Recipes
  • Jennifer's Membership
  • Free Challenge
  • Cookbook
  • About me
  • Subscribe

Home » Keto Recipes » Keto Side Dishes

Published: Jun 8, 2019 · by: jenniferbanz

The Cheesiest Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

This creamy low carb and keto Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is topped with more cheese and bacon. How could that be bad? I give multiple cooking methods for the cauliflower including boiling, Instant Pot, and roasting. I also share a trick to getting the cheesiest cauliflower possible!

cauliflower mac and cheese topped with bacon

Yes, you read that right.  This is Cauliflower Mac and Cheese and it is so cheesy that you can say goodbye to bland cauliflower forever!  In this recipe I give multiple cooking methods for the cauliflower including boiling, Instant Pot, and roasting.

When I was coming up with this Cauliflower mac and cheese, I was poking around other recipes and I noticed a trend of bland cauliflower even though it was coated in cheese.  I couldn't have any of that so I set out to make my creamy bacony cauliflower mac and cheese extra flavorful...and I think I succeeded!

This cheese sauce coats every nook and cranny of the cauliflower so there is no bland cauliflower here!

I love to serve this cauliflower mac and cheese with my Baked Chicken Thighs, Crock Pot Pork Roast, or Pork Rind Chicken Nuggets!

WHICH CAULIFLOWER CAN I USE?

This cheese sauce can be used with frozen or fresh cauliflower.  You can also use riced cauliflower to make cheesy cauliflower rice!  If you buy frozen cauliflower florets or riced cauliflower, just follow the directions for cooking on the package.  Just note you may want to cut the florets a little smaller after they are cooked.

I usually buy a head of fresh cauliflower because it is the cheapest.  I like to cut the florets off of the stem and cut them as small as possible so the cheese sauce gets all in the nooks and crannies of the cauliflower.

cutting cauliflower for cauliflower Mac and cheese

BEST WAY TO COOK THE CAULIFLOWER FOR CAULIFLOWER MAC AND CHEESE

I have 3 methods for cooking the cauliflower and they all have their advantages.

boiling cauliflower in a sauce pan

Boiling - doesn't use the oven so it's the perfect method for a hot summer day.  Also, the cauliflower doesn't need any extra butter or oil to cook.

To boil the cauliflower florets, take the chopped cauliflower and place it in a sauce pan that has a tight fitting lid.  Cover the cauliflower halfway with water and season with salt.  Bring the pot of water to a boil, then reduce to simmer and cover with the lid.  Cook for 5 minutes. Let drain in a colander while you make the cheese sauce.

Instant Pot - This is probably the easiest method but the cauliflower can overcook really easily.

To cook the cauliflower in the Instant Pot, add the chopped cauliflower to the inner pot along with 1 cup of water and salt.  Place the lid, press the "manual" button, and set the time for zero minutes at low pressure.  When the cauliflower is finished cooking, do a quick release of the pressure.  Drain the cauliflower in a colander while you make the cheese sauce (make it in the Instant pot, too!)

Roasting - This yields the most flavorful cauliflower but it uses more oil, takes the longest, and heats up the oven.

Pre-heat the oven to 450F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.  Place the cauliflower on the baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons of avocado oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes.

HOW TO MAKE LOW CARB CHEESE SAUCE

Start with a small sauce pan over medium low heat and melt the cream cheese with the heavy cream.  Add in the shredded cheddar cheese and stir until just melted.  Remove from the heat and season with mustard powder, salt, and pepper to taste.

low carb cheese sauce in a sauce pan

Now we just combine the cauliflower with the cheese sauce and the bacon (if adding which I highly recommend) and serve!

Of course, more cheese and bacon on top is always an option, too.

CAN YOU BAKE THIS KETO MAC AND CHEESE?

Definitely!  Pour the cauliflower Mac and cheese mixture in an 8x8 casserole dish and top with more shredded cheese and bacon.  Bake in a 400F oven util hot and bubbly...about 15 minutes.

CAN YOU RE-HEAT CHEESY CAULIFLOWER?

I do believe this cheesy cauliflower has a leg up over traditional macaroni and cheese in the re-heating department.  I think we can all agree that macaroni and cheese doesn't re-heat in the microwave very well.  It gets dried out pretty fast.  Well, I can attest that my cauliflower mac and cheese heats in the microwave beautifully.

You could also re-heat it in a saucepan on the stovetop.

cauliflower mac and cheese topped with bacon

Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

This creamy low carb and keto Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is topped with more cheese and bacon. How could that be bad? I give multiple cooking methods for the cauliflower including boiling, Instant Pot, and roasting. I also share a trick to getting the cheesiest cauliflower possible!
4.91 from 21 votes
PRINT RECIPE SAVE TO FAVORITESSaved! PIN RECIPE
Course: dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 4 Servings
Calories: 375kcal
Author: Jennifer Banz

Ingredients

  • 1 Large head of cauliflower
  • ½ tablespoon Kosher salt
  • 2 oz Cream cheese
  • ⅓ cup Heavy Cream
  • ½ tablespoon Mustard Powder (More if desired)
  • 1 Cup Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese
  • 8 Slices Bacon, diced and cooked until crisp
  • kosher salt to taste

Instructions

  • Cut your cauliflower florets from the stem. You want to make each floret small, no bigger than 1 inch in diameter.
  • Add the florets to a medium saucepan with ½ tablespoon of salt. Add enough water to come half way up the cauliflower
  • Cover the pot and bring to a boil, reduce to low and simmer until cauliflower is just tender, about 5 minutes
  • drain cauliflower and keep it draining for at least 5 minutes
  • For the cheese sauce, in a small saucepan, melt the cream cheese with the heavy cream over medium low heat, add 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese and whisk until melted. Add in the mustard powder and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  • In a medium bowl, add cauliflower and bacon, pour cheese sauce on top and stir to combine
  • Salt to taste
  • garnish with extra cheese and bacon.

Jennifer's tips

  1. Make the florets small so the cheese sauce coats every nook and cranny.
  2. I put ½ tablespoon of mustard powder in the recipe but I added 1 tablespoon to my own dish. It gave it a nice kick!
Servings: 4 Servings

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g

Nutrition is provided as a courtesy only. Please re-calculate on your own with the ingredients and amounts you used for the most accurate data.

Watch how to make it

Keyword :gluten free, recipe for cauliflower mac & cheese

More Keto Side Dishes

  • Crack Green Beans - Fresh or Canned
  • Keto Coleslaw with a Secret Ingredient!
  • Keto Asian Chopped Salad
  • Keto Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread Muffins

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Reviews




  1. Nina says

    December 15, 2022 at 12:58 pm

    5 stars
    I just made this. Delicious! Thank you.

    Reply
  2. Kelley says

    October 23, 2022 at 4:39 pm

    5 stars
    The best cauli mac I have ever had! Thank you so much for sharing your life & recipes!

    Reply
  3. Sam says

    August 06, 2022 at 1:34 am

    5 stars
    I love this recipe so much Mmmmm!
    Thanks Jennifer 😋

    Reply
  4. Carmen says

    January 13, 2022 at 9:15 pm

    5 stars
    Very good

    Reply
  5. Barb B says

    November 25, 2021 at 4:51 pm

    5 stars
    Huge hit at Thanksgiving this year. Thank you so much for this recipe. Helped me stay on track and even the non keto folks loved it!

    Reply
  6. Crystal Johnroe says

    March 14, 2021 at 12:07 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious! I’m not a big fan of cauliflower, but I will definitely put this in my meal rotation.

    Reply
  7. Lori Keim says

    January 07, 2021 at 10:40 am

    5 stars
    Making this creamy cheesy deliciousness again tonight to go with your turkey meatloaf...love love love

    Reply
  8. Dyan says

    September 05, 2020 at 9:42 am

    5 stars
    Delicious!! This is an every week staple for me from now on!!

    Reply
  9. Virginia says

    August 31, 2020 at 8:50 am

    5 stars
    Very good!.
    Do you have the counts on this carbs, calories, fiber, protein?

    Reply
    • jenniferbanz says

      August 31, 2020 at 9:04 am

      Yes, that info is in the recipe card under the video

      Reply
  10. Linda M Roe says

    August 25, 2020 at 12:11 pm

    Is this per serving? If so what is a serving size? What's the net carn count?
    NUTRITION
    Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g

    Reply
    • jenniferbanz says

      August 31, 2020 at 9:11 am

      yes, per serving. 1 serving is 1/4th of the recipe

      Reply
  11. Karen Ellis says

    July 30, 2020 at 5:59 am

    Hi Jennifer I'm in uk and as you are aware European labelingfor carbs already has fibre deducted. I love all your recipes. Does this mean that carbs for this dish for me will be 9 per serving. Thanks Karen

    Reply
    • jenniferbanz says

      July 31, 2020 at 1:25 pm

      I did not know that, Karen. I would calculate the nutrition based on what ingredients you have available.

      Reply
  12. Andrea says

    November 01, 2019 at 8:54 am

    5 stars
    Really great! I forgot to add the mustard powder but it was so delicious that nobody noticed. The cheese sauce came together very quickly and easily and my whole family (including veggie-averse kids) ate it happily and asked that I make it often. This is easily the best kid-friendly cheesy-veg dish I have ever made, and I've tried a lot! Thanks for a great recipe 🙂

    Reply
  13. Judy says

    July 15, 2019 at 6:21 pm

    5 stars
    Made it last night! Absolutely the best low carb I have tasted so far and the only one I will ever make again. Thank you so much for sharing your fantastic recipes.

    Reply
    • jenniferbanz says

      July 17, 2019 at 6:10 pm

      So happy to heat that!

      Reply
      • Kristi says

        September 29, 2019 at 6:25 pm

        Just out of curiosity, why do you recommend grating the cheese yourself instead of using pre-grated cheese?

      • jenniferbanz says

        October 01, 2019 at 10:34 am

        Pre-grated cheese in America is coated on potato starch or some other type of starch that could result in a grainy cheese sauce. I usually use pre-shredded and just deal with the texture.

  14. lisa garcia says

    June 26, 2019 at 5:25 pm

    5 stars
    Outstanding dish! I used sharp cheddar because that is what we like and almost the full tablespoon of mustard. This will be repeated many times at my house!

    Reply
    • Tina Sempek says

      October 28, 2019 at 7:58 pm

      5 stars
      Love it! Definitely making this more often. Everything tastes great with bacon.

      Reply
      • jenniferbanz says

        October 29, 2019 at 9:18 am

        Very true!

  15. Cynthia says

    May 20, 2019 at 9:48 am

    Can I use this with frizen cauliflower rice since I have it on hand?

    Reply
    • jenniferbanz says

      May 20, 2019 at 3:07 pm

      Yes! I love that idea!

      Reply
  16. Catina says

    February 22, 2019 at 7:54 pm

    First, I had just run out of cream, so used condensed milk instead. Second, the cheese sauce was too thick even when I added more milk-maybe causepart of cheese was shredded? I still put it over the cauliflower and liked it enough to try with better ingredients!
    Family doesn’t like cauliflower, so I keep looking for recipes they’ll eat. Although they ate this, they still weren’t thrilled.
    I’ll update this rating when I get it right!

    Reply
  17. Viv says

    November 18, 2018 at 2:19 pm

    5 stars
    Yes! Yes! Yes! My kids said they could eat this every time they come for a visit. I am going to try making it with Greek yogurt as one is lactose unfriendly. Is 2 oz. cream cheese about 2 tbsp.? This low carb recipe is very valuable to me as I am diabetic.

    Reply
    • jenniferbanz says

      November 19, 2018 at 10:35 am

      Thanks for the review, Viv! 2 ounces of cream cheese is about 2 tablespoons.

      Reply
  18. Angela Taylor says

    November 01, 2018 at 11:41 pm

    5 stars
    What a great alternative to Cauliflower rice, which honestly, I've never really liked and wasn't going to make anymore after throwing most of the last batch out. This is delicious and I actually had to hold myself back from eating double portions. I added salt at the end and won't next time, as it really didn't need more. I made it with the crispy chicken thighs and both are great. Glad I found this blog.

    Reply
    • jenniferbanz says

      November 02, 2018 at 8:37 am

      I'm glad you found my blog too, Angela!

      Reply
  19. Michelle says

    October 13, 2018 at 4:10 pm

    5 stars
    Delicious... I will be making this a staple in my recipe reportiore!!!

    Reply
  20. Vicki says

    October 01, 2018 at 11:41 am

    So, has anyone tried using frozen cauliflower? Have a bag on hand!

    Reply
    • jenniferbanz says

      October 01, 2018 at 12:39 pm

      You definitely could! You would just skip the boiling part and cook the cauliflower via the instructions on the bag

      Reply
    • ginny says

      April 30, 2019 at 7:06 am

      yes and it was great we loved it. I did use shredded cheese and mine was still d
      elic.

      Reply
  21. jennifer says

    September 26, 2018 at 8:39 pm

    OH MY GOD
    Are you freaking kidding me?
    I wasn't quite sure if I'd like this. I only made half the recipe. I want to eat it all. I didn't read ahead and used pre-shredded cheese. It wasn't all that bad. I had to add more cream to smooth it out. Now I can't wait to make it the way intended!

    Reply
    • jenniferbanz says

      September 26, 2018 at 9:53 pm

      ? it is quite addicting!

      Reply
  22. Dee says

    August 06, 2018 at 11:43 am

    hello, can you please advise the nutritional info? thx

    Reply
    • Julie says

      October 18, 2018 at 11:41 am

      I figured it out per serving to be;
      286 cal
      15.4 g protein
      6.1 g net carbs
      21 g fat

      Reply
  23. Mary Lynne says

    March 03, 2018 at 5:03 pm

    5 stars
    OH MY GOODNESS! And lots of it!! I didn't have cauliflower but I did have broccoli so I used that and it was sooooo good!! I will be making this with either of those veggies again! Thank you so much!

    Reply
  24. Donna Eliasen says

    December 02, 2017 at 5:18 pm

    5 stars
    I have now made this 3 times since Thanksgiving. This is so delicious!! I did add the mustard powder. I added a tiny bit of nutmeg and it gave it amazing taste! Thank you for this wonderful recipe! <3

    Reply
    • jenniferbanz says

      December 02, 2017 at 6:00 pm

      I’m so glad you like it!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

Jennifer

Hey there, I'm Jennifer! I’m the creator behind Low Carb with Jennifer and author of the cookbook Live Life Keto. 

I've been cooking low carb/keto for the past 10 years and it has helped me shed over 70 pounds!

My keto recipes reflect my philosophy on cooking...everything needs to be easy, fast, exceptionally delicious, and use common ingredients.

Read More Here

Search for your favorite recipe

Most popular

keto cheesecake with a slice missing

The Best Keto Cheesecake

crispy whole chicken in the air fryer

Air Fryer Whole Chicken

chocolate keto mug cake in a ramekin

Keto Mug Cake - Chocolate, Vanilla, or Peanut Butter

keto chicken thighs in an air fryer

Air Fryer Chicken Thighs - Super Crispy!

sliced keto zucchini bread

Easy Keto Zucchini Bread - Sweet or Savory

a stack of protein pancakes on a white plate

Protein Pancakes Recipe

keto chocolate chip cookies all in a row

Keto Chocolate Chip Cookies

grilled cheese made with keto bread

Keto Bread in 90 Seconds!

crispy chicken thighs recipe on a baking rack

Keto Crispy Chicken Thighs Recipe

keto chocolate mousse

Keto Chocolate Mousse - Ready in only 10 minutes!

Footer

↑ back to top

  • Privacy Policy
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Sign Up! for emails and updates
  • Contact

Copyright © 2022 JMHA, LLC

The contents on our website are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to diagnose any medical condition, replace the advice of a healthcare professional, or provide any medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your physician before starting any nutrition or exercise program.