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This Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is a healthy, low-carb, and keto-friendly recipe that satisfies all your cheese cravings. With simple ingredients and minimal prep time, you can enjoy a comforting dish that works as a quick meal or a delicious side dish.
Try this next: If you love cheesy low-carb recipes, try our Cheesy Broccoli Casserole or Homemade Cheddar Biscuits.
You know those signs that say, “In our family, we do fun, messy faces, and movie nights”? I want one that says, “In our family, we do CHEESE.” We put cheese on just about everything.
This Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is a must in our house. My kids love cheese, but vegetables? That’s another story. Thankfully, a generous amount of cheese makes anything more appealing. This dish will surely be a hit if your family is anything like mine.
Wait. This Isn’t Mac & Cheese?
Let me explain if the “Mac & Cheese” title threw you off. While there’s no pasta here, the cauliflower has a nutty flavor and a firm bite that mimics traditional macaroni. Paired with a rich, creamy cheese sauce, it delivers all the comfort of classic mac and cheese—without the carbs.
Pin this recipe for later!Why We Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy to make in just one pan.
- Packed with cheesy goodness while staying low-carb.
- A great way to get kids (or picky eaters) to eat their veggies.
- Perfect as a side dish or a satisfying main course.
Recipe Walk-Through
Ingredients For Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Cauliflower – Provides a hearty texture that mimics al dente pasta.
- Cheddar Cheese & Parmesan – Melts into a creamy, flavorful sauce.
- Cream Cheese – Helps create a rich, smooth consistency.
- Smoked Paprika – Adds a hint of smoky depth to the dish.
How To Make Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
This simple side dish will be a huge hit at your next dinner! So easy to throw together, and hits all the right notes.
- Prep Your Ingredients – Cut the cauliflower into small florets. Shred the cheese, if you are not using pre-shredded.
- Cook Cauliflower – Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add cauliflower and cook for about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain well.
- Season & Stir – Return the cauliflower to the pot over low heat. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika, stirring to coat.
- Mix In Cheeses – Add cream cheese, shredded cheddar, and grated Parmesan. Stir until everything is melted and combined into a creamy sauce.
- Garnish & Enjoy – Remove from heat, garnish with chopped parsley, and serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions
- This is the perfect side for Brown Sugar and Pineapple Glazed Ham!
- Serve it alongside grilled chicken kabobs or steak for a complete meal.
- Our Cajun Pork Tenderloin would make a perfect pairing with this, too!
- Add more vegetables to your table with our Air Fryer Broccoli, Garlic Green Beans, or these Roasted Brussels Sprouts.
Storage Tips
Storage and Reheating
This dish is best enjoyed fresh, but if you have leftovers:
- Store covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat gently in the microwave at 50% power to maintain the creamy texture.
- Freezing is not recommended, as cheese sauces tend to separate when thawed.
Recipe Tips
- Try swapping cheddar for Gruyère or Monterey Jack for a different twist.
- Add crumbled bacon for extra savory flavor.
- Spice it up with a pinch of red pepper flakes, cayenne, or a few tablespoons of Buffalo sauce.
More Easy Recipes
- Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
- Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
- Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes
- Slow Cooker Cheesy Jalapeno Corn
One Pan Cauliflower “Mac” & Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 cups Cauliflower florets approximate, depending on the size of the head of cauliflower
- Kosher salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Smoked paprika
- 2 ounces Cream cheese softened
- 2/3 cup Freshly shredded cheddar cheese
- 2 tablespoons Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Minced parsley
Instructions
- Cut cauliflower into small florets.
- In a large pot, boil 6 cups of salted water. Add cauliflower and boil for about 5 minutes or until tender. Drain.
- Return cauliflower to the pot over low heat.
- Add a pinch of salt and pepper, garlic powder, paprika and stir to coat. Stir in cream cheese, cheddar cheese and Parmesan until melted and combined.
- Remove from heat and garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
I thought this was great. I overcooked the cauliflower a little, so next time I will cook for less time or make the florets larger. I also added a pinch of cayenne pepper which gave it a little kick. Overall very nice.
Love the feedback Pat! Thanks for stopping by.
I haven’t tried it yet but love the easy part! Can’t wait to try it! Thank you!
You are so welcome Sylvia! Thanks for stopping by.
I understand substituting the cauliflower for the pasta. However, the cream cheese and full fat cheese is horrible! What is the fat and cholesterol in this recipe?
Hi Lisa, if you are concerned about the fat and cholesterol in this recipe, you certainly don’t have to make it. You are also welcome to use low-fat cheeses in your own kitchen. Since I am not a dietician or nutritionist, I am not comfortable providing this sort of information. However, you can plug the ingredients into your favorite fitness tracker to get the results.
It is mentioned above that this is a keto friendly recipe, which is a high fat low carb lifestyle. Thanks for sharing Kristin.
What are the carbs and serving size? I see the calories.
Recipe is updated – 6 carbs. Serving size is listed as around 1.5 cups.
This was amazing!!! Creamy & cheesy. Like it just as much as regular Mac n cheese! Will definitely make it again.
This was so good!!! I’m glad I found your recipe so now I don’t have to do without “mac and cheese” for the rest of my life!! LOL Li
Thank you Lisa!
Soo good! Added some ground turkey to make it sort of a “hamburger helper” type meal. Super easy, love this recipe!
Nice! Thank you Jessica.
I made this for the second time last night. The first time came out a little bland, so for round 2, I poured a lot of salt in the boiling water. I also added more spice and some goat cheese. I’d pick this over regular mac and cheese any day of the week.
Hi Brittian, I love that you were able to make it work for you! thank you so much for sharing your positive feedback.
Wow, sounds delicious. I just made cauliflower salad…super yummy.
Thx for the recipe ??
You’re so welcome Natasha! thank you so much for stopping by!
One pot cauliflower Mac & cheese…..Amazing recipe! Me & my daughter are trying the Keto diet and this is made several times a week at our house! So delicious but most importantly low carb! Thank you!
Can you use frozen cauliflower?
If you thaw it first and drain any residual liquid, sure.
Making this for the 3rd time since beginning of the year. It’s great tasting. Huge fan of Mac n cheese but stay away from actual pasta. Thanks for posting the recipe.
Thanks Ed! Thanks for sharing your feedback!
I served this with fish cakes and it was soooo good! My husband and I are watching our carbs and really enjoyed this. The recipe really reminded me of traditional mac and cheese… a real treat!
Thank you Nancy!