This recipe is adapted from the Soho House Macaroni Cheese, which is probably the best macaroni cheese recipe you’ll come across. Add cauliflower and kale and you have yourself a Cauliflower and Kale Macaroni Cheese – a super delicious and Meat Free Monday meal.
Cauliflower and Kale Macaroni Cheese
For the best tasting Cauliflower and Kale Macaroni Cheese you need to make sure you are cooking with a good quality, tasty, mature cheddar. I try to use Godminster Vintage and a little Godminster Smoked Cheddar when available. The Godminster sends this already fabulously, cheesy dish off the scale amazing. Godminster is widely available in the UK, even Waitrose stock it on their deli counter. In Hong Kong GMT Foods periodically import it, but I’m afraid I just used the last of their stock – very sorry!
Method:
Cook the macaroni in a large pan of salted, boiling water, for 10 minutes, or until al dente. After five minutes add the cauliflower pieces. Don’t overcook as it will continue to cook in the oven later.
Drain well and add in the baby kale (you can also use baby spinach or a mix of the two if you like). Stir in gently, the leaves will wilt down from the heat of the pasta. Set aside.
In a separate large, oven-proof pan melt the butter. Mix in the flour and keep cooking for a few minutes, stirring all the time until the mixture forms a roux. Add the mustard powder and mix into the roux. To save on washing-up make the cheese sauce in a large solid pan which can be transferred directly to the oven and then to the table.
Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time, and cook over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Stir continuously and cook until you have a smooth, shiny sauce the thickness of single cream. If your sauce looks too thin, don’t worry, it will thicken up once you add the grated cheese and after cooking in the oven.
Take the sauce off the heat and add half the grated cheddars and half the parmesan into the sauce. Taste first before adding salt – you may not need much depending on the saltiness of the cheese used. Godminster smoked cheddar and Parmesan add lots of lovely, umami saltiness to a dish so you probably won’t need to add any more salt. Add a couple of grinds of black pepper, stir until all the cheese has melted.
Preheat the grill as high as it will go. Pour the macaroni into the sauce and mix everything together and sprinkle over the remaining cheddar and parmesan.
Grill (or place into a hot oven for 15 minutes), until the mixture is golden and bubbling with a crisp top. Serve immediately.
Cauliflower and Kale Macaroni Cheese
I couldn’t fit all mine into one pot, so I made one extra for the freezer.
If you try this recipe, let me know what you think by leaving a comment below
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gx
- 400 g small elbow macaroni
- 50 g butter
- 50 g plain flour
- 700 ml whole milk warmed
- 300 g grated mature cheddar
- 100 g grated parmesan
- 1 tsp English yellow mustard powder
- 300 g cauliflower 1 medium head
- 150 g kale or baby spinach or a mix of the two
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Cook the macaroni in a large pan of salted, boiling water, for eight to 10 minutes, until al dente.
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After five minutes add the cauliflower pieces. Don't overcook as it will continue to cook in the oven later.
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Drain well, add in the baby kale or kale and spinach mix.
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Stir gently so the leaves wilt down, then set aside.
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In a separate large, oven-proof pan melt the butter.
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Mix in the flour and keep cooking for a few minutes, stirring all the time until the mixture forms a roux.
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Add the mustard powder and mix into the roux.
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Gradually whisk in the milk, a little at a time, and cook over a low heat for 10 to 15 minutes.
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Stir continuously and cook until you have a smooth, shiny sauce the thickness of single cream.
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Take the sauce off the heat and add half the grated cheddars and half the parmesan into the sauce. Taste first before adding salt.
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Add a couple of grinds of black pepper, stir until all the cheese has melted.
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Preheat the grill to high.
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Pour the macaroni and vegetables into the pan of cheese sauce and mix well until everything is evenly combined.
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Top with the remaining cheddar and parmesan.
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Grill (or place into a hot oven for 15 minutes), until the mixture is golden and bubbling with a crisp top.
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Serve immediately.
Nutrition facts were calculated by Nutrifox.com
Made this the other night and it was a hit! Kept the kale/spinach on the side because how dare I mix green into a dish?! Scandalous! 😉
The cauliflower went over well. And the sauce was rich and creamy.
Where can I send you a photo?
Whitney, As long as they eat it is all that matters, whether it’s on the side or mixed in doesn’t really matter at the end of the day! If you have instagram then it’s easy to tag the photo #gillianskitchendotcom or tag me @gillians_kitchen. I think you can share a photo on the Facebook page too. gx
Can I use large rigati pasta for this? I love the pret one and trying to get it to taste as close to that as possible. Also, what’s the difference between mustard powder and the chilled mustard? Do you recommend a touch of fresh garlic ?
Hi Sonia, Yes, I’m sure large rigatoni pasta would work just fine. Dry mustard is just ground mustard seeds from which the liquid form of mustard is made from. It is English mustard powder that I use but if you don’t have mustard powder you could substitute for the already mixed variety in jars. I would go with mustard rather than garlic for a cheese sauce. gx
Hello, do you think I could do this without pasta? Maybe doubling the cauliflower?
Hi Karen, You can definitely can do this without pasta, just add more cauliflower as you say ! g 🙂