This Keto Mac and Cheese is absolutely perfect for a low-carb diet! It’s made the traditional way with real fresh cheese, nutmeg, and cream.
Pasta dishes always seem so hearty and comforting when you see them on Food Network. They always leave me feeling bloated and miserable though. While there is no real low-carb pasta option on keto that resembles elbow noodles or my favorite, spirals…just one bite of this Keto Mac and Cheese is enough to take me back to my childhood.
When you think of vitamin C, you probably think of oranges, but cauliflower is absolutely packed with vitamin C and K. Cauliflower is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family along with broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage.
As one of my favorite authors, Mark Twain, once said, “A cauliflower is nothing but a cabbage with a college education.” While I love cabbage, there are just too many nutritional benefits of cauliflower to be ignored.
In college, I ate my fair share of Mac and Cheese (easy mac style), where you had to microwave the water and noodles before adding the powdered cheese product. That was what my immature palate thought was tasty. Then Lauren made a lobster Macaroni and cheese with nutmeg and my world was shattered.
Everything I knew was a lie…I didn’t know flavors like that existed. I think that may have been a turning point in my appreciation of food, and while it was far from Keto, it helped shape how in view food and helped me branch out of my comfort zone and try foods I never would have tried before.
To read more about the benefits of cauliflower:
- 28 Science-Baked Health Benefits of Cauliflower
- Top 8 Health Benefits of Cauliflower
- Worlds Healthiest Foods – Cauliflower
How to make Keto Mac and Cheese:
- You’ll start by par-boiling the cauliflower florets. You don’t want them to be mushy so just a few minutes (about 10) will do!
- Next, you’ll make the cheese sauce – we’re using a trio of gouda, cheddar, and parmesan – YUM.
- Then you’ll add in the drained cauliflower, freshly grated nutmeg, and pop it under the oven broiler to get nice and bubbly.
How to store and reheat:
You can store this in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 6 months. To reheat simply add it to your cast iron skillet and heat until the cheese is bubbly.
Tasty Mac and Cheese additions:
- lobster
- broccoli
- chicken
- spinach
- bacon
- green onions
- blue cheese (SO good!)
- steak
Keto Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower 750g
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1.5 cups sharp cheddar cheese
- 3.5 ounces gouda
- 2 ounces parmesan divided
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower into small florets and place in a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil for 10-15 minutes or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork. Drain and set aside.
- Preheat your broiler to high. In a large cast iron skillet melt the butter and cream together until bubbly over medium heat. Stir in the grated cheddar, grated gouda, and one ounce of the parmesan. Once the cheese has melted stir in the nutmeg and salt, continue to cook for 5-7 minutes until thick. Stir in the drained cauliflower and top with remaining parmesan and the Italian seasoning.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven under the broiler for 2-3 minutes until the top is browned and bubbly.
Nutrition
Loved the end result, but … didn’t boil the cauliflower since it tends to hold water so well. I put it in the microwave with a couple of tablespoons of water and it came our perfectly cooked and "dry". Alternately, next time I make this I am going to roast the cauliflower which should give it a heartier taste. The other thing that I noticed was that I didn’t need to continue cooking the sauce after the cheese melted, it was already thick.This is a great recipe, my granddaughter and I really enjoyed it!
Really glad to hear you guys enjoyed it!