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Cauliflower mac & cheese bake with crumb & tomato topping recipe family meal plans

Cauliflower mac & cheese bake with crumb & tomato topping

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings 4 people
Appliance/Function:

Equipment

  • Baking dish
  • 1 Steamer pot

Ingredients

  • oil spray

Cauliflower

  • ½ cauliflower

Veggies

  • 1 leek
  • 1 zucchini
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 tbsp olive oil

Sauce

  • 2 tbsp flour or gluten-free flour
  • 1 cube vegetable stock
  • 1 cup milk
  • 100 g cheddar cheese

Macaroni

  • 200 g macaroni pasta or gluten-free pasta

Topping

  • 1 tomato
  • ½ cup panko breadcrumbs or gluten-free breadcrumbs
  • 1 bunch fresh thyme or 1 tbsp dried thyme

Instructions

Before you start

  • Bring a large steamer pot of hot tap water to a boil. Spray a baking dish with oil spray.

Steam cauliflower

  • Slice ½ cauliflower including the stem into bite-sized chunks. Add to the steamer pot of boiling water and cook for 8 minutes or until tender. Set the cauliflower aside in the top steamer pot. Reserve the bottom pot with water.

Cook veggies

  • Slice 1 leek in half lengthways, then thinly slice. Grate 1 zucchini. Peel and mince 4 cloves garlic. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large frypan on medium-high heat. Add the leek, zucchini and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.

Make sauce

  • Stir in 2 tbsp flour and 1 cube vegetable stock. Gradually pour in 1 cup milk and 1 cup of hot water from the reserved steamer pot. Grate in 100 g cheddar cheese and stir until combined then simmer for 5 minutes, or until thickened, stirring regularly.

Cook macaroni

  • Meanwhile, bring the reserved steamer pot of water back to a boil - top up the water if needed. Add a pinch of salt and 200 g macaroni pasta and cook according to packet directions. Drain and add the macaroni pasta and cauliflower to the sauce mixture. Gently stir to combine and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Topping

  • Preheat the oven grill. Thinly slice 1 tomato. Pick the leaves off 1 bunch fresh thyme. In a small bowl combine the thyme leaves and ½ cup panko breadcrumbs. Season with salt and pepper and stir until combined.

Bake

  • Transfer the macaroni mixture to the prepared baking dish, place the slices of tomato over top, then sprinkle with the breadcrumb topping. Grill for 5 minutes, or until golden.

To serve

  • Divide the cauliflower mac and cheese with crumb and tomato topping between plates.

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 264mg | Potassium: 705mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g | Calcium: 316mg | Iron: 2mg