Well, we were talking the other day about comfort foods.  One classic comfort food is macaroni & cheese.  But if you’re gluten-free, this is a toughie.  You can buy gluten-free noodles and just make traditional mac & cheese with those.  But, frankly, gluten-free noodles are just crazy-expensive.  I can actually buy meat for less per pound than what I pay for GF pasta!  So alternatives are in order.

When I saw this Loaded Cauliflower Casserole on Pinterest, I thought it had great potential as a “Not-Mac & Cheese.”  I’ve chased this recipe all over the internet and I can’t for the life of me figure out who posted it first (I had a hard time even finding the actual recipe), so I’m sorry for not giving credit to a particular source.  I didn’t change much – mostly just omitted the bacon (which you can totally add back in if you want, but isn’t necessary) and – I think – baked it in a pan of a different shape.  And renamed it.  Because for me, “Loaded Cauliflower Casserole” sounds like a side dish.  “Not-Mac & Cheese” is a main dish!  We ate ours with broccoli and it was yummy!

One last note before I share the actual recipe: I really think you could use more cauliflower in this.  The flavor was good, but I felt like it had a pretty high cheese-to-cauliflower ratio, as far as texture goes.  Like it was mostly “sauce” with little “tooth.”  I couldn’t taste the cauliflower at all, so I think you could up it to 2-1/2 or maybe even 3 lbs. and still be good.  If you try it, let us know in the comments how it works.  And I’m going to try increasing it the next time, too.

Not-Mac & Cheese

Rachel Ramey

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course Main Dish

Cuisine Gluten-Free

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 2 lbs. cauliflower florets I used frozen.
• 8 oz. cream cheese softened
• 8 oz. cheddar cheese shredded, divided (1-1/2 cups, 1/2 cup)
• 8 oz. monterey jack cheese shredded, divided (1-1/2 cups, 1/2 cup)
• 4 Tbsp. cream If you don't have cream, I wouldn't buy it just for this. I'd just use milk.
• garlic powder salt, & pepper

Instructions

 

• Steam cauliflower until just fork-tender. (Don't overdo it, or it will become mush later.)
• Meanwhile, cream together the cream cheese, cream/milk, and 1-1/2 cups each of the cheddar and mozzarella.
• Season to taste with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. (Keep in mind that you're essentially salting the cauliflower, too, so don't go too light.)
• Drain the cauliflower if/as necessary, then mix into the cheese mixture.
• Spread cauliflower/cheese mixture in a greased 9x13 baking dish.
• Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup each of cheddar and monterey jack.
• Cover and bake at 350 for 25 minutes, then remove the cover and continue baking until cheese is bubbly and beginning to brown.

Notes

If you like, you can add cooked, crumbled bacon to the cheese & cauliflower mixture.