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Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese

Julie Deily · 4 Comments

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Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

Macaroni and cheese is my favorite…absolute favorite. And cauliflower, probably one of my favorite vegetables. I'm completely obsessed and love to eat it raw.

So when Horizon® approached me to make a recipe with their mac & cheese, I was excited! Their box mac & cheese is really good and you can feel good about eating it. I thought long and hard about the recipe and then thought, cauliflower would be perfect to hide in Horizon® Pasta Shells and white cheddar macaroni & cheese!

Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

This recipe is really quick and easy to make. First bring a pot of water to boil. Add the cauliflower florets and cook for just one minute. Remove with a slotted spoon. This is optional, you can also add the cauliflower straight to the mac & cheese if you like it crunchy (like I do).

Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

But if you want to really truly hide the veggies, boil them for one minute. Then, boil the macaroni in the same water, no need to change it out.

Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

Drain the water and add the butter, cheese powder packet and milk (I increased the milk to 1/2 cup). Mix well.

Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

Then, add the cream cheese and sharp white cheddar.

Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

It's nice and creamy.

Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

Add the cauliflower.

Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

Now you can't even see it!

Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and add the mac & cheese. Use a spatula to smooth it out and level the top.

Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

Sprinkle the panko breadcrumb mixture on top.

Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes.

Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

And then you have this creamy goodness. I'm absolutely in love with this recipe. It's really easy to make and it's fast; super convenient to use Horizon Mac & Cheese and you can feel good about enjoying it.

Be sure to try out the Horizon MAC-N-ATOR™ tool, it's an online tool where you can take the ingredients that you have in your kitchen and it creates a recipe for you (which includes Horizon Mac & Cheese).

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Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net
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Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 4 to 6

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cauliflower, or frozen, be sure to thaw it, cut into small florets
  • 1 box Horizon® Pasta Shells and White Cheddar Cheese
  • 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1/2 cup reduced fat milk
  • 2 ounces cream cheese
  • 1/3 cup shredded sharp white cheddar cheese
  • 2/3 cup plain panko breadcrumbs
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of water to a boil. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Add cauliflower florets to the pot and boil for one minute. Remove with a slotted spoon.
  • Add pasta shells and follow instructions on the Horizon package except add 1/2 cup milk instead of 1/4 cup.
  • After draining the macaroni, add cream cheese and cheddar cheese and mix well until combined and cheese is melted. Add cauliflower and mix. Taste and add salt & pepper if needed.
  • Melt 2 tablespoons butter. In a small bowl, mix together panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper.
  • Spray a ceramic or glass baking dish with cooking spray. Add macaroni and cheese into baking dish. Use a rubber spatula to smooth out the top. Pour breadcrumb mixture over the top.
  • Bake for 15 to 17 minutes at 375 degrees F, until the breadcrumbs are golden brown.
Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net
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Baked Cauliflower Macaroni & Cheese from thelittlekitchen.net

Enjoy Horizon Mac & Cheese as a versatile meal and keep your family happy.  Try different vegetables in the dish to promote alternative uses of Horizon products or let your imagination take over.

Horizon is a pioneer in the organic industry.  Every choice they make is carefully considered with National Organic Program (NOP) guidelines in mind.  Horizon Mac & Cheese is made with these guidelines and the happy family in mind.  For more information, visit Horizon’s website for more information.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Horizon. The opinions and text are all mine.

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Categories: Pasta, Recipes, Side Dishes, Sponsored, Vegetarian Tags: Butter, cauliflower, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, milk, panko, pasta Posted: March 17, 2015 Updated: February 7, 2022

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Julie of The Little Kitchen

Hi, I'm Julie!

Welcome to The Little Kitchen! I'm Julie and I love to cook, bake, eat and share (not necessarily in that order). I share easy recipes, stories about my family (which includes my pets) and my travels. And I actually do have a little kitchen.

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    1. Ros Emely @ stressfreemommies says

      March 18, 2015 at 10:46 am

      This looks so good! My kids love mac and cheese, so this would be a great recipe to try.

      Reply
    2. Medeja says

      March 18, 2015 at 5:49 am

      Yummy! I think cauliflower really makes it more delicious 🙂

      Reply
    3. Robyn Stone | Add a Pinch says

      March 17, 2015 at 5:22 pm

      This mac and cheese looks amazing, Julie! So creamy, cheesy and crave-worthy! Delish!

      Reply

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    Julie of The Little Kitchen

    Hi there, friend!

    Welcome to The Little Kitchen! I'm Julie and I love to cook, bake, eat and share (not necessarily in that order). I share easy recipes, stories about my family (which includes my pets) and my travels. And I actually do have a little kitchen.

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    Subscribe today to start getting my latest recipes in your inbox.

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