Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my cauliflower mac and cheese recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
How To Make Cauliflower Mac And Cheese
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
Cauliflower – Fresh cauliflower is ideal, but frozen works too—just roast it a bit longer. The amount of sauce in my recipe is for your average head of cauliflower (4 cups of florets), so if yours is very large or small, you might need to scale the sauce up or down a bit. Olive Oil – Or avocado oil. In an earlier version (including my YouTube video), I used melted butter to keep it simple, since it’s already in the sauce below. But with the high roasting temp, I now recommend a heat-safe oil. Sea Salt & Black Pepper – Add 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder if you want more flavor, or a pinch of cayenne pepper if you like a kick.
Shredded Cheese – The base of the sauce, which also thickens it all by its lovely self. Sharp cheddar cheese is my fave, but mild cheddar works, too. You can swap it for any melty cheese, like Gruyere, Gouda, or Monterey jack. Heavy Cream – Makes it rich and creamy. Substituting any kind of milk (except full-fat canned coconut milk) will be thinner, so you’d need more cheese to compensate. Almond Milk – To thin out the sauce and balance the richness. I used store-bought, but you can easily make your own almond milk, or swap in coconut milk beverage for a nut-free option (the liquid kind from a carton, not the canned thick kind). You can also just water down more heavy cream, or use regular dairy milk if you don’t mind the extra carbs. Butter – Make sure it’s unsalted, or your cheesy cauliflower will be too salty. I like this grass-fed brand.
Season the cauliflower. In a large bowl, toss the florets with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until golden. Spread the florets on a baking sheet (I have this one in every size and love them). Roast in the oven until tender and browned on the edges.
Cut your cauliflower florets small. They roast faster that way, and you get smaller pieces in every bite, making the experience closer to regular mac and cheese. I aim for 1 inch pieces. Give the cauliflower enough space when roasting. You want each floret touching the pan to get those browned edges — and to make this process fast. Don’t use a whisk. The shredded cheese will clump and stick to the whisk as it melts. Using a spoon or spatula to stir the sauce works much better. Sauce too thick or too thin? It’s easy to adjust the consistency before mixing with the cauliflower. Keep in mind it will thicken more as it cools from piping hot to warm. But if you need to adjust, add more shredded cheese to make it thicker, or more almond milk or cream to thin it out. Easy! Fold in the sauce gently. The tender cauliflower can break apart if you’re too rough with it. Want an extra cheesy finish, crumb topping, or bacon? Just transfer your cauliflower mac and cheese to a baking dish at the end (I use this one and it’s the perfect size). Sprinkle with more cheddar if you want a melty top, crushed pork rinds for a crumb topping, or crumbled oven baked bacon. Pop under the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown the top.
Comfort Food – Try my low carb chicken nuggets, keto fried chicken, bacon wrapped hot dogs, or a for all the nostalgic vibes. For a homestyle meal, go for slow cooker turkey breast or keto meatloaf. You can even spoon keto chili over the cauliflower mac and cheese. Chicken – My family’s faves are simple baked chicken legs, air fryer chicken quarters, and garlic butter chicken. You can also whip up some buffalo wings for game day! BBQ – You can’t go wrong with my juicy burger (or a lighter turkey burger), quick air fryer brats, or saucy BBQ chicken legs. If you want to get fancy, grill a steak.
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Tips: See my recipe tips above! I’ve got notes to help you get the perfect cheese sauce consistency, options for toppings, and more. Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I don’t recommend freezing. Reheat: Microwave or heat in a 350-degree F oven.
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Easy Keto Carboholics’ Cookbook!
