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Cheesy, creamy and tasty – cauliflower spinach mac and cheese. Made in individual ramekins and topped with crunchy Parmesan – bread crumb topping.

Cauliflower-Spinach-Mac-And-Cheese
Cauliflower Spinach Mac And Cheese

Mac and cheese is one of my favorite dishes. Too bad, I do not make it very often! And the reason for this recipe is not necessarily to make mac and cheese healthy. Using cauliflower spinach sauce brings an amazing flavor, while it keeps it very creamy.

I used Havarti cheese, which made the mac and cheese very buttery. I’ve noticed that different people like to add different kinds of cheese, according to their taste, so feel free to do so.

Not a fan of spinach? You can totally skip it. The cauliflower sauce is good enough, but I love the addition of spinach.

Cauliflower-Spinach-Mac-And-Cheese
Cauliflower Spinach Mac And Cheese

I made it in 2 ramekins, but it could also be baked in a larger one, or oven safe skillet.

No roux, but I love the light and creamy spinach cauliflower sauce, packed with nutrients.

This recipe is quick and easy to put together!

Cauliflower-Spinach-Mac-And-Cheese
Cauliflower Spinach Mac And Cheese

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Cauliflower-Spinach-Mac-And-Cheese
5 from 4 votes

Cauliflower Spinach Mac And Cheese

By Lyubomira from CookingLSL
Cheesy, creamy and tasty - cauliflower spinach mac and cheese. Made in individual ramekins and topped with crunchy Parmesan - Panko bread crumb topping. Serves 2 generously.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 2
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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup elbow macaroni
  • 3 cups water to boil pasta
  • pinch of salt

For the sauce:

  • 2 cups cauliflower florets
  • 1 cup spinach, , packed
  • 1 1/2 cups broth from boiling the cauliflower, , or chicken/vegetable stock
  • 1/4 - 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 tbsp butter
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 6-8 oz Havarti cheese, , grated or chopped

For topping:

  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1/2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp parsley, (dried could be used)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions 

  • Preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Spray a casserole dish or ramekins with cooking spray.
  • Prepare the sauce:
  • Steam or boil cauliflower in salted water (or stock) for 10 minutes. Transfer to a blender, add spinach and 1 1/2 cups stock (or liquid left from boiling cauliflower). Puree until smooth. Add milk and butter, season with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thick, add some more liquid to make it thinner.
  • Bring water to a boil. Add salt and pasta. Cook pasta until al dente.
  • In a large bowl combine pasta, cheese and sauce, mix well. Transfer to prepared ramekins (casserole dish).
  • In a small bowl combine bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Add olive oil and parsley, mix with your fingers to combine. Sprinkle on top of mac and cheese.
  • Bake for 20 minutes, until top is crispy and sauce is bubbling.

Nutrition

Calories: 874kcal, Carbohydrates: 79g, Protein: 45g, Fat: 42g, Saturated Fat: 23g, Cholesterol: 112mg, Sodium: 2481mg, Potassium: 680mg, Fiber: 5g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 2475IU, Vitamin C: 52.8mg, Calcium: 894mg, Iron: 3.4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: side
Tried this recipe?Mention @cookinglsl or tag #cookinglsl!

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Hi! I'm Mira.

I share simple, mostly low-carb and Keto recipes, that don't take a lot of time to make and use mostly seasonal, easy to find ingredients. I'm a supporter of healthy eating, but you'll also find some indulgent treats too.

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33 Comments

  1. That cauliflower sauce looks so good! What a great spin on mac and cheese! Pinned!

    Reply

  2. I am definitely down for adding a bit of health to my mac and cheese! So this cauliflower addition means I can have TWO bowls, right?! 😛

    Reply

  3. Oh, gosh. This mac ‘n’ cheese seriously looks SO good! Loving the sound of that cauliflower spinach sauce. I’m definitely adding this one to the dinner menu for next week!

    Reply

  4. Mac & cheese is the ultimate comfort food and I love that you lightened it up! The cauliflower and spinach sauce sounds incredible! Such gorgeous photos too!

    Reply

  5. Mira, oh my gawd, I LOVE this!!! what a great idea!!!! I might even try this with no pasta at all. . love love love !!!

    Reply

  6. Wow – that mac and cheese looks amazing!! It looks so savory and hearty!! Pinned to try!! 🙂

    Reply

  7. Oh this mac and cheese looks just perfect, Mira! I love the combination of cauliflower and spinach. Sounds so delicious! And your pictures are just gorgeous. Pinned!

    Reply

  8. A healthy mac and cheese? I’m in. I love that you used havarti, it is a perfectly melting creamy cheese, can’t wait to try this.

    Reply

  9. That first picture where the cheese is stringing down from the fork? Perfection. You managed to make a favorite comfort food of mine healthy! Wahoo! Pass the mac and cheese, please!

    Reply