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    Home Β» Dinner

    Keto Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

    Published: May 31, 2023 by Stephanie 58 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. Please read full disclosure.

    Jump to Recipe

    An easy recipe for Cauliflower Mac and Cheese that's a delicious low carb & keto friendly alternative to traditional mac and cheese. This baked cauliflower mac and cheese also includes instructions on how to easily make it in the crockpot.

    Keto Cauliflower mac and cheese in a white bowl garnished with chives and paprika.

    This cauliflower mac n cheese is a great substitute when you're craving a cheesy classic bowl of mac and cheese.

    Cauliflower is also a healthier choice since it's low carb and has added nutrients that you won't get from the traditional mac and cheese.

    And you can easily spice this cheesy cauliflower recipe up by adding nacho jalapeΓ±o slices.

    Cauliflower also makes a delicious base for a pizza crust. So if you're looking for a cauliflower pizza crust then this recipe is our favorite.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love this recipe
    • Ingredients needed
    • How to make keto cauliflower mac and cheese
    • What to serve with cauliflower mac and cheese
    • Frequently asked questions?
    • πŸ“– Recipe

    Why you'll love this recipe

    • It's keto & low carb friendly
    • Can be easily baked in the oven or made in the slow cooker
    • Creamy, cheesy and delicious served alone or as a side dish
    • A great way to get the kids to eat extra veggies
    • Gluten-free, vegetarian & easy to customize

    Ingredients needed

    • Cauliflower- I recommend using fresh cauliflower florets but you can substitute with frozen if necessary.
    • Cheddar cheese- Sharp cheddar cheese is used for optimal flavor.
    • Butter- Unsalted butter
    • Half & half cream- Whole milk can be substituted but it won't be as creamy.
    • Cream cheese- Full fat cream cheese.
    • Seasonings- Garlic powder, onion powder, dried mustard, & paprika
    • JalapeΓ±o nacho slices- optional ingredient if you want to add a little spicy kick to this.

    Ingredients for keto cauliflower mac and cheese. Cauliflower florets, cheddar cheese, butter, half & half cream, seasonings, & cream cheese.

    How to make keto cauliflower mac and cheese

    {step-by-step instructions for baked cauliflower mac n cheese. See recipe card below for full directions & crock pot instructions}

    1. Add your drained cooked cauliflower to pot on stove top on low heat along with remaining ingredients including butter, cream cheese, half & half cream & seasonings.
    2. Stir till everything is thoroughly incorporated.
    cooked cauliflower and remaining ingredients put in pan back on stovetop to combine.
    cauliflower mixture heated through on low until cheese is melted and smooth and creamy.
    1. Pour cheesy cauliflower mixture into a baking dish and bake in preheated oven. Optional- top with additional cheese prior to baking.
    2. Remove from oven and serve.

    cauliflower mac and cheese mixture poured into casserole pan and topped with additional cheese prior to baking.
    cauliflower mac and cheese after it's been baked in the oven in square white baking pan.

    What to serve with cauliflower mac and cheese

    Serve it with a green salad or we love this black-eyed pea salad with this cauliflower mac and cheese.

    I recommend keeping it simple or just think about what you love with traditional mac and cheese.

    These low carb almond flour biscuits are also perfect with it.

    Frequently asked questions?

    How to store cauliflower mac and cheese?

    Once cooled completely store in an airtight covered container in the fridge for 3-4 days.

    Can I freeze cauliflower mac and cheese?

    Yes. Store an a freezer safe container for up to 3 months.

    What kind of cheese is best in cauliflower mac and cheese?

    I recommend sharp cheddar cheese and always make sure to buy the blocks and shred the cheese yourself.

    Can I use frozen cauliflower florets in this recipe?

    Yes. I do prefer using fresh whenever available though.

    keto cauliflower mac and cheese in a white bowl garnished with chopped green onions and a white and green napkin in the background.

    AND IF YOU TRY THIS RECIPE PLEASE BE SURE TO LET ME KNOW IN THE COMMENTS BELOW…..I’d love to hear if you make this & how you like it. Plus please be sure to include a ⭐️ star rating.

    keto cauliflower mac and cheese in a white bowl garnished with chopped green onions sitting on top of a green and white napkin with a silver spoon beside the bowl.

    Until next time- xoxo

    Stephanie

    πŸ“– Recipe

    Print Save Saved! Pin Recipe
    4.10 from 10 votes

    Keto Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

    Savory flavors of cheese and spice bring this cauliflower to a whole new experience
    Course Dinner, Lunch, Main
    Cuisine American
    Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time 2 hours hours
    Total Time 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
    Servings 8 servings
    Calories 251kcal
    Author Stephanie

    Ingredients

    • 1 large head cauliflower
    • Β½ stick butter
    • 4 ounces cream cheese
    • 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese shredded
    • Β½ tsp. garlic powder
    • Β½ tsp. onion powder
    • Β½ tsp. dry mustard
    • β…” cup half & half cream
    • ΒΌ cup diced pickled jalapeno's- optional
    • ΒΌ tsp. paprika- optional

    Instructions

    Prep instructions for both baked or crockpot method:

    • Bring large pot of lightly salted water to a boil
    • Break cauliflower into small bite size florets and carefully add to boiling water
    • Cook about 5 minutes. Remove from heat & drain well. Add back to pot
    • Add remaining ingredients and combine well.

    For Baked Cauliflower Mac and Cheese:

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
    • Pour cheesy cauliflower mixture into a lightly greased casserole pan and top with additional cheese if desired.
    • Bake in preheated oven 25-30 minutes till bubbly and golden brown on top.
    • Cool about 10 minutes prior to serving.

    Crockpot Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Instructions:

    • Pour mixture into crock pot and cook on high heat approximately 2- 2/1/2 hours
    • Remove from crock pot and place in large serving bowl
    • Can top with additional cheese if desired and garnish with paprika or chopped green onions.
    • Allow 10 minutes to cool before serving

    Notes

    Β 
    *Nutrition Disclaimer

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.8g | Protein: 9.5g | Fat: 22.4g | Saturated Fat: 14.1g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 349mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1.1g | Calcium: 247mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @applesforcjblog or tag #applesforcj

    Updated- originally posted December 2015 and updated from August 2019

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Eric

      January 31, 2022 at 10:28 am

      Great recipe! One question though. In the nutritional information, what is the serving size?

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        January 31, 2022 at 1:09 pm

        Thank-you and that would be based off the size of the cauliflower used. But I would say approximately 1/2 cup would be a serving!

        Reply
    2. chris

      April 01, 2020 at 12:41 pm

      Hi, I made this last night, following your instructions. Used high setting on crock pot and only cooked for 2 hours. The final result was a bit watery and cauliflower got very crumbly... Wondering if the setting should have been on low vs hight? Also, I did use heavy cream vs. half/half by mistake. Want to love this and try again.

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        April 01, 2020 at 1:38 pm

        Hi Chris, I make this recipe quite often and never experienced it being watery or even crumbly. Did you pre-cook the cauliflower and drain well before mixing with the other ingredients and putting in the crockpot? And I do use the high setting on the crockpot and usually cook it about 2 1/2 hours. Hope this helps! Let me know if you try it again! πŸ˜‰

        Reply
        • Elaine K

          July 10, 2021 at 4:33 pm

          How big is a large cauliflower head for this recipe? I would prefer to know the weight or an approximate weight. Cauliflower comes in many sizes. Do you include the stems in the recipe, too?
          Thank you
          Elaine

        • Stephanie

          July 10, 2021 at 5:48 pm

          A large head of cauliflower weighs approximately 30 oz. And no I don't include the stems in this recipe.

    3. Alphonse

      November 04, 2018 at 7:37 pm

      Yo! This recipe was sooo good.

      I tweeked it a bit by putting two whole diced fresh jalepenos, 5 cloves of fresh diced garlic, half a diced red onion, and a shredded carrot. I like my food pretty spicy so I put some red chili flakes as well as a few other spices (like curry powder). It was soo good I almost at the whole pot!

      Thank you so much for this recipe, I am definitely doing this again.

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        November 04, 2018 at 8:38 pm

        Thanks!! So glad to hear you Enjoyed it.πŸ‘ This is definitely one of my favorites and I make it often.

        Reply
        • Maria

          October 17, 2020 at 11:15 am

          YUM. And again, YUM. I adore this. Sometimes I throw in green chiles and bacon... the shredded carrot is a brilliant touch too. Keto comfort food at its finest.

        • Stephanie

          October 17, 2020 at 12:10 pm

          Thanks Maria! Glad to hear you adore this.. And I love the idea of shredded carrot! 😘

    4. Jessi

      September 11, 2018 at 9:45 pm

      Oh. My. Gawd. I made this yesterday and I can’t believe I have any left overs. Seriously so easy and sooo delicious. Thank you for this recipe! We’ll be having it weekly.

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        September 11, 2018 at 10:26 pm

        You're sooo welcome Jessi πŸ˜‰ and Thanks for stopping by to let me know. One of my all time favorites too & we also have it on a regular basis πŸ˜€

        Reply
    5. Margaret

      August 31, 2018 at 10:47 pm

      I made this recipe today & I loved it. It is a great Keto alternative to macaroni & cheese.

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        August 31, 2018 at 11:14 pm

        Yay πŸ˜€ So glad to hear that and Thanks for stopping by to let me know πŸ˜‰

        Reply
    6. Sophia khan

      November 15, 2017 at 8:05 pm

      Hi, recipe looks delish, would love to try. Can I skip the step of pre-boiling the cauliflower and just place it directly with cream and cheeses into crock pot? I’m thinking that to boil first and the crock pot would maybe make it very soggy?

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        November 15, 2017 at 9:01 pm

        Thanks Sophia! It's definitely one of my favorites. Actually by pre-cooking the cauliflower & draining it Well actually helps remove some of the moisture from the cauliflower & makes it less soggy, and easier to mix with the cheese. Feel free to try it that way but I think you'll get much better results following the recipe πŸ™‚

        Reply
    7. June

      November 09, 2017 at 12:56 am

      How would it be with a diced jalapeΓ±o? I didn’t see pickled ones. Sounds wonderful!

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        November 09, 2017 at 2:25 pm

        Hi June, I'm sure it would be good with diced jalapeno as well. The pickled ones are sometimes referred to as nacho slices and a lot of stores have them where you see the taco stuff. Hope that helps πŸ™‚

        Reply
    8. Shelbi Falaniko

      August 04, 2017 at 7:32 pm

      Hello, This looks amazing! I'm hoping my almost 3 year old that loves mac and cheese but hates veggies will like this. How spicy is it with the jalapenos? Do you think I could add them as a topping after it's done cooking with similar taste?

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        August 04, 2017 at 7:57 pm

        Hi Shelbi! And Thanks πŸ™‚ I hope your 3 year old loves this as well. And you certainly can add the jalapenos as a topping. I've actually made it both ways..with and without jalapenos. Love it both ways. To me it's not that spicy but I love spicy food. But I would say for your 3 year old just leave them out and if you like spicy mix some in with yours.

        Reply
    9. Lisa

      August 04, 2017 at 4:27 am

      Do you think I could use heavy whipping cream instead of half and half (& if so, the same amount?) thank you! Looks delicious.

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        August 04, 2017 at 1:38 pm

        Thanks Lisa and I think it would be fine to use cream instead of half & half. I would maybe just do 1/2 cup of that since it is richer. I haven't tried it though so let me know how it works out for you πŸ™‚

        Reply
    10. Lana Blair

      July 31, 2017 at 3:10 am

      I don't see the need for the crock pot. Is it really necessary? Just seems like au gratin cauliflower--why is it called mac & cheese?

      Reply
      • Stephanie

        July 31, 2017 at 1:31 pm

        Hi Lana! Feel free to try it without the crock pot if you like. I have tried this recipe numerous times and this is the way it turned out best to me. The recipe was inspired by my love for mac & cheese and the reason I created it and called it that. When going gluten free I wanted a recipe that incorporated whole foods yet still gave me all the flavor of mac & cheese. Cooking it in the crock pot just intensifies the flavor.

        Reply
    11. Stephanie

      July 29, 2017 at 2:59 pm

      Hi Jan and you actually didn't miss that. I normally don't calculate that for recipes. I usually just follow a diet which includes mostly whole foods and is all vegetarian and gluten free. But I know some people need that information so I was Happy to calculate it for you.

      Per serving: 6 servings
      Fat: 25.09 g
      Carb: 6.7 g
      Protein: 9.3 g

      Hope this helps and also maybe someone else may need this information as well πŸ™‚

      Reply
      • Jan Beaumont

        July 29, 2017 at 9:21 pm

        Thank you Stef. I really appreciate that. ?

        Reply
      • RaeAnn Lamere

        October 11, 2017 at 5:10 pm

        This was AWESOME!! Thanks a ton. Do you have the calories per serving by chance?

        Reply
        • Stephanie

          October 11, 2017 at 5:52 pm

          Thanks RaeAnn and so GLAD you liked it. Definitely one of my favorite go to's as well. And the calories per serving is 281.8.

      • Donna Massengill

        February 09, 2019 at 4:11 pm

        This is very helpful! Is the serving size 1 cup? Half a cup.

        Reply
        • Stephanie

          February 09, 2019 at 5:34 pm

          Hi Donna, I don't normally measure out how many cups in each serving. The nutrition information is based off 6 servings so if you needed that information you could just measure it out after dividing into 6 equal servings.

    12. Jan

      July 29, 2017 at 6:59 am

      Hi Stef. I apologise if I've missed it but do you have a breakdown of fat, protein and carbs? I'm new to this WOE so feeling my way at the moment. Best wishes from New Zealand, Jan x

      Reply
    13. [email protected]

      March 13, 2017 at 2:11 pm

      I am trying to go fully gluten-free and this is a delicious and comforting option.

      Reply
    14. helene dsouza

      March 13, 2017 at 7:35 am

      Your spicy cauliflower mac & cheese is a gorgeous dinner idea during the week. Especialy now because I am looking for lent recipes for my mother in law. She likes western food and try different things once in a while. Thanks for the great share!

      Reply
      • Stef

        March 13, 2017 at 1:30 pm

        You're welcome Helene!

        Reply
    15. sara | belly rumbles

      March 13, 2017 at 5:54 am

      Perfect timing to discover this recipe as the cooler months are just hitting Australia now. I am going to have to give this one a go, looks truly delicious.

      Reply
      • Stef

        March 13, 2017 at 1:28 pm

        Thanks Sara!

        Reply
    16. shashi at runninsrilankan

      March 13, 2017 at 5:16 am

      I am a huge fan of veggie up classics and Im thinking this would fool my daughter! Delicious!

      Reply
    17. Alyssa @ A Bite of Inspiration

      March 13, 2017 at 4:36 am

      I go through phases with my crockpot too, but everytime I start using it again, I'm like "why am I not using this all the time??" haha You're right-- it's just so darn easy. You can make a delicious meal with almost no work. Like this one! This mac and cheese looks fabulous! Love the nutrition boost from the cauliflower and the pickled jalapenos are such a great idea. Can't wait to pull out my crockpot and make this delicious sounding dish. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Stef

        March 13, 2017 at 1:28 pm

        You're welcome Alyssa πŸ™‚

        Reply
    18. [email protected]

      March 12, 2017 at 11:23 pm

      I'm trying to go completely gluten-free and this is a lovely dish to satisfy my comfort food craving.

      Reply
    19. karleen

      March 03, 2017 at 8:57 am

      Half and half????

      Reply
      • Stef

        March 03, 2017 at 2:34 pm

        Yes Karleen. It's half & half cream. Let me know if that answers your question πŸ™‚

        Reply
      • mindy

        March 19, 2018 at 5:00 pm

        I make half and half by using my cream and adding water to it. 3/4 cream to 1/4 water.

        Reply
        • Stephanie

          March 19, 2018 at 5:51 pm

          Thanks for the tip Mindy πŸ™‚

    20. Allison - Celebrating Sweets

      October 29, 2016 at 11:51 pm

      I love anything spicy and this looks AMAZING! What a creative idea!

      Reply
      • Stef

        October 30, 2016 at 2:09 pm

        Thanks!

        Reply
    21. CookingOnTheWeekends (@cookingweekends)

      October 29, 2016 at 11:29 pm

      This is the most delicious, comforting dish I've seen all day -- and I wish it was in front of me!

      Reply
      • Stef

        October 30, 2016 at 2:09 pm

        Thanks! It really is easy to make and so good.

        Reply
    22. CC

      October 29, 2016 at 11:14 pm

      I think I've discovered how I can eat cauliflower!! I dislike it on its own, but bet this would be delicious!

      Reply
    23. John @PreppyKitchen

      October 29, 2016 at 5:53 pm

      Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables, add some cheese and spice and it's heaven, must make immediately.

      Reply
      • Stef

        October 29, 2016 at 8:21 pm

        Thanks John! Mine too. Hope you enjoy.

        Reply
    24. Platter Talk

      October 29, 2016 at 5:03 pm

      I love this new mac & cauliflower recipe! The peppers liven up the dish and making in the crock pot is easy! Thanks.

      Reply
      • Stef

        October 29, 2016 at 5:11 pm

        You're welcome. Yes, the peppers give it a little more flavor although it's also good without them!

        Reply
    25. Mimi

      July 01, 2016 at 9:25 pm

      Do you shred the cheddar cheese or just put in the whole block?

      Reply
      • Stef

        July 01, 2016 at 9:57 pm

        Hi Mimi, you want to use shredded cheddar cheese. After you pre-cook cauliflower and drain, then add shredded cheddar cheese along with other ingredients and mix well. Then just pour in crock pot. Hope this helps πŸ™‚

        Reply
        • Mimi

          July 01, 2016 at 9:58 pm

          Thanks

    26. Nancy

      April 30, 2016 at 11:50 pm

      I can't wait to try this crockpot recipe. I love cauliflower and I have never had pickled jalepenos. I must look for them as well. Thank you so much for these recipes. I have Celiacs disease so I have to be very careful. But I love cauliflower and cheese.

      Reply
      • Stef

        May 01, 2016 at 2:09 pm

        You're welcome Nancy. All of my recipes are gluten free since I'm following that diet. I've never been diagnosed with Celiacs but I know I started feeling a lot better when I quit eating gluten. I hope you enjoy this. It is one of my favorites and I think you can find the jalapenos pretty much anywhere. Let me know how it goes πŸ™‚

        Reply

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