Baked Cauliflower Mac and Cheese (with pasta!)
A delicious cheesy cauliflower pasta bake with a crispy panko breadcrumb topping.
Servings: 4 people (6 as a side)
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ head cauliflower (you need 350 grams cut florets)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small onion, cut in half and sliced into thin half moons (my onion was 220 grams)
- 3 cloves garlic (finely diced)
- 250 grams short pasta shape of your choice (I used rigatoni)
For the topping
- 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 60 grams butter (melted)
- 30 grams parmesan cheese (very finely grated)
- 1 tablespoon thyme leaves (or rosemary!)
- 1 zest of a lemon
For the cheese sauce
- 70 grams butter
- 50 grams flour
- 750 mls whole milk
- 300 grams grated cheese (see notes)
- 1.5 teaspoons black pepper
- 2 tablespoons thyme (or rosemary!)
- 1.5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- salt to taste
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 400f (200c)
- Cut the cauliflower into florets, don't cut them too small, you want quite big florets so they don't get too soft. Arrange on a baking sheet and toss with the olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper.
- Roast in the oven for 20 minutes. It should have a touch of color but still be firm. When done remove from the oven, set aside and turn oven down to 350f.
- Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a fry pan over medium heat and gently fry the onions for 5 - 6 minutes, adding a pinch of salt half way through. Cook until soft and glassy. You don't want lots of colour on them so lower the heat if you need and keep moving round.
- Add the garlic and cook for a further minute then set aside.
- Make the topping by combining all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
- Boil your pasta in well salted water, undercooking by 1 - 2 minutes from package instructions. Toss pasta with a knob of butter after draining while you make the cheese sauce. It doesn't matter if it's cold by the time you mix so boil it at any stage in the process.
- In a large saucepan heat the butter over a medium heat and when sizzling, add the flour.
- Whisk vigorously for a minute.
- Lower the heat slightly and add the milk in a slow stream or a cup at a time, whisking the whole time making sure you get all the flour mixture from the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Cook for 3 - 4 minutes until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a wooden spoon.
- Turn the heat right down to lowest and add the cheese in three lots, whisking well and letting it melt in between each addition. It doesn't matter if there is the odd lump.
- Add the black pepper, herbs and lemon juice and mix through well.
- Take off the heat and mix in the cooked pasta, roasted cauliflower and onion.
- Have a taste and add ½ - 1 teaspoon salt if you need.
- Pour into a baking dish (I used a 30cm x 12cm dish). Sprinkle the topping on top and bake at 350f (180c) for 25 - 30 mins until bubbling and golden brown.
- Let it sit a few minutes before serving.
Notes
Cheese - Choose cheese that melts well and also that you love the flavor of. I do a mixture of gruyere and cheddar. For this one I did 100 grams cheddar, 100 grams gruyere and 100 grams smoked cheddar. Monterey Jack, fontina or Gouda are also good, feel free to play around with a combination.
Pasta - I used rigatoni as I felt like a traditional macaroni shape might be too small next to the cauliflower but please use whatever you like!
Cooking the pasta - Boil the pasta at whatever stage of recipe you like. I often get it on when the cauliflower goes in the oven. Drain it and toss with a knob of butter. It doesn't matter if it is cold when mixed through sauce.