Creamy Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

This dish cleverly sneaks in nutrient-rich cauliflower to create a velvety, lower-fat cheese sauce paired with fiber-packed whole wheat pasta.

Ingredients

Calories next to each ingredient are for that ingredient across the whole recipe (8 servings), not per serving.

• 1 pound whole wheat pasta shells · 1955 kcal in the whole recipe
• 8 cups water (divided)
• 2 cups chopped cauliflower · 71 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk, divided · 177 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/4 cup flour · 134 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil · 606 kcal in the whole recipe
• 1 cup shredded low-fat cheese · 113 kcal in the whole recipe

Method

1. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large pot, add the whole wheat pasta, and cook for 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

   

2. In the same pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the chopped cauliflower and cook for about 4 minutes until soft, then drain.

   

3. Transfer the cooked cauliflower to a blender, add 1/2 cup of nonfat milk and garlic salt, and blend until completely smooth.

   

4. In a separate pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Whisk in the flour until smooth, then gradually pour in the remaining 1 cup of milk, whisking constantly until the mixture bubbles and thickens.

   

5. Stir the cheese and the blended cauliflower mixture into the sauce. Remove from heat, fold in the cooked pasta until well coated, and serve warm.

   

Adapted from a USDA MyPlate Kitchen recipe (public domain). Portions, macros, diet checks and step photos by Besly.