This Cauliflower Mac and Cheese, made with gnocchi instead of macaroni is so creamy and so cheesy, it’s hard to resist eating it all up! Have a bowl of this mac n cheese and eat your veggies too!
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
It’s Monday, it’s Monday, and I have like a zillion million things to crank out before our afternoon playdate with the cousins…
and how is it practically afternoon already?
Trying to work from home with a little squirmer baby is challenging. I’m such a newbie at this whole working from home mom thing.
You know they say sleep when the baby sleeps… yeah right!
When baby sleeps it’s a mad dash to get as much work as I can finished in what I call my “window of opportunity.”
Ohhh but sometimes I just feel like curling up in the chair with a cup of coffee. Ah the life… and that’s what mommy dreams are made of peeps.
Quite time on the couch with coffee, a comfy blanket, and a sleeping baby.
And {sometimes} I do just that, but today I have a yummy Cauliflower “Mac” less Mac n Cheese. It’s mac-less because I used mini gnocchi instead of macaroni noodles. And it’s dabomb dot com.
Gnocchi is mostly potato based so it’s minimal gluten compared to regular mac but if need 100% gluten free, you can find gluten free mini gnocchi that would be excellent in this recipe.
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Cauliflower “Mac” n Cheese
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
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This Cauliflower Mac and Cheese, made with gnocchi instead of macaroni is so creamy and so cheesy, it’s hard to resist eating it all up! Have a bowl of this mac n cheese and eat your veggies too!
Ingredients
- 10 ounces (3 cups) chopped cauliflower florets
- 17 ounces mini gnocchi
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups 2% milk
- 6 ounces Cabot Farmhouse Reserve Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In large pot of salted water, bring cauliflower to a boil stir in the gnocchi cooking until they float to the top.
- Drain cauliflower and gnocchi in a colander and rinse with cold water. Set aside.
- In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter and stir in garlic cooking until aromatic.
- Whisk in flour and slowly add milk whisking to incorporate, bring sauce to a low boil to thicken.
- Stir in cheddar cheese until melted and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place gnocchi and cauliflower in a baking dish and coat with cheese mixture.
- Top with bread crumbs and drizzle or mist bread crumbs with olive oil or cooking spray.
- Bake 20 minutes or until mac and cheese bubbly and topping is browned.
- Category: Oven
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 recipe
- Calories: 273
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 582mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 29g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 12g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: cauliflower Mac and cheese, Mac n cheese
Hi I’m Kristina LaRue, RD (registered dietitian nutritionist), Peloton addict and mama to two active and hungry boys. On Love & Zest, you’ll find healthy-ish recipes that fuel the whole family. I’m all about veggie-filled breakfast, meal prep recipes, healthier sweets, and easy weeknight dinners made in the Instant Pot or sheet pan.
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Simple yet delicious. I’ve used this recipe multiple times and I’m always pleased with the results.
★★★★★
So glad to hear it 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
This looks amazing! Who would miss the mac with all that yummy cheese 🙂
★★★★★
How long do you bake it for? That step was left out.
Sorry about that! I updated the instructions– bake for 20 minutes or until it’s bubbly and cheese is browned on top.
Ok this was AMAZING!!! Oh man and so easy. I didn’t have panko so used crackers. Hope little Parker is doing great! 5 stars.