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This super easy One Pot Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese is the perfect recipe for sneaking in the vegetables. Short cut pasta and nutrient-packed cauliflower are boiled together until al dente. Then a splash of milk, a handful of sharp cheddar cheese, and just a touch butter are all stirred together for a creamy mac and cheese, that’s cozy yet healthy(ish) too. Added bonus, this simple mac and cheese is made all in one pot, in just about thirty minutes.
Sharing the absolute easiest, coziest, comfort food recipe today. And you guys…it’s the perfect Monday recipe for cold, snowy winter days (which is what is going on here!). Growing up, mac and cheese was never something my dad would make. If my brothers and I were eating mac and cheese it was either the boxed Kraft mac and cheese or Stouffer’s frozen mac and cheese.
Oh my gosh, do you guys remember those days? Pure childhood comfort. I wouldn’t mind going back for just a day or so. Twas the best to come home from school, shower (I always, always showered the minute I got home from school…I was so weird), cozy up by the fire, and enjoy a cheesy bowl of pasta while watching Gilmore Girls.
Simply the best.
Lately, I’ve been drawing some inspiration from my favorite childhood comfort foods. Which made me realize that I don’t have a good stove-top mac and cheese recipe. How that is I have not a clue. But the good news is that I quickly worked to change that and created the perfect (healthy…ish) creamy, one pot mac and cheese.
Enter this stove-top, extra creamy cauliflower mac and cheese.
This. Is. So. Good. Healthy…ish. And easy too.
Here are all the details.
As I said, I’ve been looking to my childhood for some inspiration recently. And, of course, mac and cheese was a beloved staple for my brothers and me while growing up.
I knew I wanted to create the perfect stove-top mac and cheese that was similar to the boxed stuff, but much, much better…and so much healthier. With the addition of cauliflower, I was able to use way less cream, butter, and even cheese. But yet still have a super creamy and cheesy stove-top mac and cheese.
As you can guess, this is so quick and easy. Start by boiling a big pot of water on the stove. Use a pot that will be large enough to hold both the pasta and the cauliflower.
While the water is coming to a boil, start chopping the cauliflower. You’ll want to roughly chop the cauliflower into similar size pieces as your pasta. The idea is that the cauliflower really blends in with the pasta so that you may not even realize it’s there.
Once the water has come to a boil, add the pasta and the cauliflower. Boil together until al dente, then simply stir in all the remaining ingredients, and that’s kind of it. The key is using a touch of cream cheese and creamy dijon mustard for creaminess. This creates the perfect amount of creamy sauce, but still keeps things on the lighter side.
For the cheeses, I love using a mix of sharp white cheddar (for flavor) and creamy fontina and or provolone, for creaminess. Together they create that ideal cheese pull we all love so much.
Then a touch of garlic, a sprinkle of cayenne (to your taste), and fresh herbs for additional flavor and to finish out the recipe.
SIMPLE but GOOD.
Some ideas to switch up the recipe a bit…
If you prefer a baked make and cheese, that works well here too and will be delicious. Just leave out the final cup of cheese and instead transfer the mac and cheese to a baking dish, then top with that reserved cheese. Bake for twenty or so minutes and wallah…you’ll have cheesy baked mac and cheese!
Want to add more vegetables? Spinach and artichokes, roasted broccoli, or crispy mushrooms would all be great as additional stir-ins. Really you can easily adapt this recipe however you’d like. It’s pretty hard to mess up!
So while this isn’t identical to the Kraft box cheese (thank goodness), I’d take this recipe any day. I might be biased, but I think it’s so much better. The real cheese flavor shines through and the creaminess from the combination of cauliflower, cream cheese, and cheese is beyond perfect.
I couldn’t think of a better Monday night dinner. It’s cozy, but healthy..ish, easy and so delicious. Bonus? I am ninety-nine percent sure you can get your kids, husband, and all the picky eaters in your life to eat (and love) this.
Looking for other Mac and Cheese recipes…click here!
Lastly, if you make this one pot creamy cauliflower mac and cheese, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Watch the How To Video:
One Pot Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Servings: 8
Calories Per Serving: 511 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 1 pound short-cut pasta, such as macaroni
- 1 small to medium head cauliflower, roughly chopped
- 3/4 cup canned coconut milk, heavy cream, or whole milk
- 3 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 cup shredded fontina or provolone cheese
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper to taste
- fresh chopped parsley and or chives, for topping
Instructions
- 1. In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons salt,
the pasta, and cauliflower, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Do not drain the water. Stir in the milk, cream cheese, mustard, and garlic powder, and cook until the cream cheese has melted and the pasta is al dente, about 4-5 minutes more. 2. Add the cheeses and butter, and stir until melted and creamy. Remove from the heat. Season with salt, pepper, and cayenne. If the sauce feels too thick, add ¼ cup of milk or water to thin.3. Divide the mac and cheese between bowls. Top with fresh parsley, chives, and pepper. Enjoy!
This post was originally published on February 17, 2020
Just made this tonight on a frigid night in the fingerlakes! So easy and delicious. I used a mis of fontina and sharp provolone. Gotta live a one pan meal!
Hi Jami,
Happy Sunday! Thanks a lot for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was a winner! xxTieghan
Loved this recipe and that it was all in one pot. I was a little skeptical about just 4 cups of water, but it worked perfectly. I used chickpea pasta for extra protein and fiber. I didn’t’ have cream cheese so substituted some Camembert I had in the refrigerator. Used Fontina and a white sharp cheddar. Great combo. I also put crumbled bacon on the top. Delicious. Thank you!
Hi JoAnn,
Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it. Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
This decadent and delicious. I roasted the cauliflower and stirred it in later in the process, because I love the texture and nuttiness that roasting adds.
Hi Kate,
Wonderful! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it. Have the best weekend:) xTieghan
Sometimes you just NEED mac’n cheese, you know?
And this more than filled the bill. This was sooooo good – another big hit for my family. I really appreciate that I didn’t even have to drain the pasta – genius! I used provolone, sharp cheddar and cream cheese, and really liked how they melded together, and it will also be fun to experiment with other cheeses.
Hi Karen,
Happy Friday!! Love hearing that you enjoy this recipe, I so appreciate you giving it a try! xxT
This recipe was delicious and so easy to make! I added some shrimp and spinach to make it a meal and served it with garlic bread. It turned out so good! I’ve made several of your other recipes and I haven’t had one I didn’t like yet!
Hi Kayla,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Love how creamy this looks. Can I use frozen cauliflower rice or does it have to be fresh cauliflower?
Hey Atika,
I bet that would work well for you. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xTieghan
I used it. Thawed first to not cool the water cooking the pasta, added about a minute before the cream. Turned out amazing.
Awesome!!
For some reason, my homemade macaroni and cheese has always turned out terribly. For years and years, I’ve just accepted that and made it from a box, which hurts my heart because I make everything from scratch that I can. This recipe has saved my mac and cheese game! It turned out perfectly! It was very easy to follow the instructions and my husband had zero clue that there was cauliflower in it. I did probably quadruple the cayenne pepper, which hit that level of spicy where I could actually taste it but it wasn’t too much for my husband. He said he would happily eat it again (which is good because this made plenty of leftovers!)
Hey Bea,
Awesome! Love to hear that you liked the recipe, thanks a bunch for trying it out! Happy Holidays! xx
Hi Tieghan,
Happy Holidays to you and your family! Thank you for all your wonderful recipes! Planning to make this for Christmas dinner and was wondering if you were to add a little color to this recipe, what would you suggest? The chives definitely do give some green. I was thinking Pimentos, but would love to hear what you would suggest? *My mom is in my ear that we don’t have any colorful recipes on the menu with what everyone is bring, but this sounds too good not to make, lol!
Thank you so much!
Hi Meredith,
Pimentos would be a fun idea, I never thought of that! I think that would work well for you:) I hope you love the recipe, happy holidays! xTieghan
Hi Meredith,
If you want some color, I think it would also be great if you replace the cauliflower with broccoli.
I was making a couple of your recipes at once so I enlisted the help of my husband to do this Mac and Cheese. He was very reluctant of the cauliflower but by the time it was done he kept repeating “oh that’s good” “wow that’s really good” “that is so good”. You add so much flavor to everything to kick it to the next level! Cayenne pepper in Mac and Cheese? Crazy good zip!!
Hey Sharon,
Thanks so much for trying this recipe out, I am thrilled to hear that it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I have made this for my family so many times! My husband was blown away the first time. He couldn’t believe it was a one pot meal. I have added chicken, mushrooms, and other vegetables to mix things up. My daughter loves it too! Thanks for the recipe.
Hi Caitlin,
Fantastic! I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try! Have the best week:) xTieghan
I have made this several times. It’s amazing with coconut milk, whole milk, and we have even had success with almond milk. Just made it for Friendsgiving this past week! Thanks for another hit, Tieghan!
Hi Sara,
Thanks so very much for giving this recipe a go, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! Happy Thanksgiving! xTieghan
So good!!! Made it for a potluck tonight and it was a huge hit. Didn’t have cheddar on hand, I used Brie, Parmesan & Colby jack. I topped it off with some rosemary, which made it all come together! Love the cauliflower idea, made it more of a guilt free Mac&cheese. Thank you!!!
Hey Abigail,
Happy Friday!! Love to hear that you liked the recipe, thanks for giving it a try! Have a great weekend. xTieghan
About to halve or 3/4 this recipe. I presume we reduce the amount of water as well, otherwise it would end up being soup, yes? lol
Hi there! Yes, that is correct 🙂 xTieghan
Made this tonight to eat with fiance and my 2 stepsons. It was good! The kids loved it. I like the fact that it was packed with cauliflower 🙂 thanks
I didn’t have provolone so I used smoky Gouda. This recipe was easy and the family loved it. You make home cooking fun.
Hi Mia,
I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, I truly appreciate you giving it a try!!? xTieghan