“This is the best thing you’ve cooked for dinner!”
-Mal, 7:01 pm
Unfortunately, I can’t take sole credit for tonight’s dinner. The recipe is from this month’s Real Simple magazine: Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower
I really wish this recipe was mine though! I haven’t eaten comfort food this heavenly in a long time!
Macaroni and Cheese with Cauliflower
Cooking with extra-sharp Cheddar lets you use less cheese without giving up flavor. Tender cauliflower adds fiber and vitamin C.
12 ounces multigrain elbow macaroni
1 head cauliflower, roughly chopped
4 slices multigrain bread, torn*
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups grated extra-sharp Cheddar (6 ounces)
1 1/2 cups reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup 1 percent milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* Instead of bread, I used 1 cup of breadcrumbs.
Heat oven to 400° F. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, adding the cauliflower during the last 3 minutes of cooking time; drain.
Meanwhile, pulse the bread in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Add the parsley, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and pulse to combine; set aside.
Return the pasta pot to medium heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the onion, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, just until soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Mix in the pasta, cauliflower, cheese, sour cream, milk, and mustard.
Transfer to a shallow 3-quart baking dish, sprinkle with the bread crumbs, and bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
Yield: Makes 6 servings
Note: The serving size for this recipe is huge! Together, the pasta and cauliflower were so incredible filing, I could barely finish my portion… but it was sooooo delicious, I managed! 
NUTRITION PER SERVING
CALORIES 537; FAT 23g (sat 9g); CHOLESTEROL 51mg; CARBOHYDRATE 63g; SODIUM 692mg; PROTEIN 24g; FIBER 8g; SUGARS 8g
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My mouth is watering from reading your post! YUM
DAAANG that looks good and if it makes your man happy too, bonus points!
Looks awesomeeeee! What a great dinner to start off the week
I made something similar to this not too long ago! Cauliflower + mac and cheese is a genius combo.
Mmmm, it sounds really tasty!
That looks so freaking good!!! What an awesome recipe…thanks for sharing!
Looks great! I love mac & cheese.
OH. My. GOSH! That looks SO AMAZING. I have tried to “healthify” mac and cheese before with bnut squash but this looks amazing!I love the idea of bulking up comfort dishes with veggies. YUM.
YUM! I had Red Head,Yellow Dog’s version of this a little while ago and it was AMAZING!
This looks amazing! You definitely be seeing this on my blog soon!
Tina I agree! That looks amazing. I think we have the same casserole dish
zesty
Girl, that looks fanfreakingtastic. Cat posted something on her blog not too long ago and had a bunch of us drooling over the addition of cauliflower to mac n cheese. Great idea. The next time my freezer empties out, I’m so on this.
yum! that looks great!
That looks amazing! Honestly, I’m coming over the next time you make it
Thanks for the review! I have that recipe on the list for next week. Now I’m really excited to try it.
Total yum!!! I cannit wait to try this!!!!!!!
looks great! 24 g protein per serving is great to have in a vegetarian dish
looks delicious! 24 g protein per serving is great to have in a vegetarian dish
What a wonderful recipe! It looks so pretty!
Who doesn’t love mac and cheese? Or cauliflower with cheese sauce? Genius. I love Real Simple!
Finally!!! An amazing thing you’ve created I’ve actually made! It is HEAVENLY. Gotta love real simple! Yea….the calorie count always scares me though since it’s hard to stop at one serving!
I was waiting in the check out line at the store today, and I saw that on the cover of Real Simple. I was THIS CLOSE to buying it, just because that mac & cheese looked so damn good, but I didn’t. Payday is Friday though, so perhaps I’ll just need to pick up some new reading
wow. that looks FANTASTIC. a holy yum for sure
YUUUMMM!!
Do you think I could substitute plain yogurt for the sour cream??
I’m totally making this. Totally.
Wow, I sound lame.
Thanks for posting that! I’ll betcha my girls will love it (and I know I will!)
Do you think I could swap the cauliflower for broccoli? I think I might try it – and I’ll let you know!
yum. as a kid my mother ALWAYS served cauliflower with crumb-topped mac & cheese. this sounds even better =).
Oh, this looks delicious! I am definitely doing some sort of mac-n-cheese-n-veggie combo this week.
Even if it wasn’t your idea that looks like a great casserole!!
fantasmic looking recipe! I made something similar with butternut squash that was pretty good too – http://eatingchalk.wordpress.com/2009/01/09/hungry-hungry-hippos/
Certainly looks delish! Real Simple is such a fun magazine.
I can TOTALLY go for this!
It must’ve been amazing if Mr. Mal said that!
Looks great! And what a nice complioment to get from Mal.
Thanks for the recipe.
@saraL: I’m not sure. The sour cream was an amazing addition!
@SH: Yes! I thought the same thing! I might try it next time with broccoli.
@emily: Mmmmmmmmm!
I made this a little while ago, but with substitutions. I should have followed the recipe exactly, because I was disappointed with my end result. I’ll have to make it using the exact ingredients!
OMG, this takes my recipe for cauliflower bake to a whole new level!
I’m so stealing this recipe
yummm, i’ve been eyeing this recipe in real simple, too! glad to see it worked out so well!
OMG, this looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing!
YUMMMMMMMM X 10000000000000
I just made this – AMAZING!!
I am going to try this tonight it looks really yummy and very easy to make. Can’t wait.
Looks wonderful. Really vamps up mac and cheese.
Referred to your post and photo on my blog for tomorrow: http://turquoisegates.blogspot.com/2010/03/comfort-food.html
I made this tonight and added chicken sausage…it was super tasty!!
@SH:
I’m wondering the same thing! Let us know how it turns out!
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