Golden Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
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Total: 50 mins
Cauli cheese and macaroni cheese join comfort food forces in this creamy pan of pasta and organic cauliflower florets, baked in a rich mix of mozzarella, cheddar and a dollop of mustard, and served with pan-fried kale on the side.
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1133 kcal
(per portion)
Ingredients you'll need
  • 1 onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 100g cheddar
  • 125g mozzarella
  • 200g Chifferini pasta
  • 1 cauliflower
  • 30g plain flour
  • 1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
  • 500ml full cream milk
  • 200g kale
  • 1 lemon
From your kitchen
  • Sea salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tbsp cold water
You'll need
  • 2 large pans with lids
  • Ovenproof pan or casserole dish
Step by step this way
  • 1.

    Preheat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Fill a large pan with water. Add a pinch of salt, pop on a lid and bring to the boil.

  • 2.

    Peel the onion and thinly slice it. Peel the garlic and crush or finely grate it. Set the onion and garlic to one side. Grate the cheddar. Drain the mozzarella and tear it into small pieces. Pop both cheeses into a bowl.

  • 3.

    Pour 1 tbsp olive oil into a pan and warm over a medium heat. Add the onion and garlic with a pinch of salt and pepper and fry for 5 mins, stirring occasionally, till softened.

  • 4.

    While the onion and garlic cook, trim the base off the cauliflower. Break off and reserve the leaves. Cut the cauliflower into 6 large wedges.

  • 5.

    The water in the pan should now be boiling. Tip in the pasta and the cauliflower wedges and leaves. Simmer for 8 mins, then drain.

  • 6.

    Sprinkle the flour into the onion pan and stir well. Continue to fry for 2 mins. Whisk in 1 tbsp mustard and a quarter of the milk, scraping the bottom of the pan, till the onions thicken into a paste. Slowly pour in the rest of the milk, continuously whisking, till combined. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the cheddar and mozzarella.

  • 7.

    Tip the pasta and cauliflower into a large ovenproof pan or casserole dish. Pour over the cheese sauce and give everything a stir to coat. Dust with a pinch of black pepper. Slide into the oven and bake for 20 mins, till bubbling and golden brown at the edges.

  • 8.

    While the cauliflower mac and cheese is baking, trim any woody cores out of the kale. Roughly shred the leaves into small pieces. Pour 1 tbsp oil into a frying pan and warm to a medium-high heat. Slide in the kale. Add 3 tbsp water and a little salt and pepper. Stir fry for 4-5 mins, till tender. Squeeze in the juice from the lemon and stir well.

  • 9.

    Heap big scoops of the cauliflower mac and cheese onto a couple of warm plates, and serve with the lemony kale on the side.

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