Mac and cheese with cauliflower sauce

Votes: 1

Time: 50 min.
Complexity: average
Servings: 4

Nutritional value per serving:

Serving size: 1 of 10
Calories 281, total fat 9 G., saturated fats 5 G., proteins 13 G., carbohydrates 36 G., fiber 2 G., cholesterol 43 mg, sodium 347 mg, sugar 4 G.

This recipe for macaroni and cheese sauce is just as delicious as traditional mac 'n' cheese, but lower in calories. Instead of heavy cream, the sauce is made with unsweetened condensed milk, low-fat cheddar, and Neufchâtel (a low-fat cream cheese). Its secret ingredient is boiled cauliflower, which is blended into the cheese sauce. You won't taste it, but it makes the mac 'n' cheese lighter and healthier, as cauliflower adds fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Try this cauliflower cheese sauce with other dishes.

The recipes use measuring containers with the following volumes:
1 glass (st.) - 250 ml.
3/4 cup (st.) - 180 ml.
2/3 cup (st.) - 160 ml.
1/2 cup (st.) - 125 ml.
1/3 cup (st.) - 80 ml.
1/4 cup (st.) - 60 ml.
1 tablespoon (tbsp) - 15 ml.
1 teaspoon (tsp) - 5 ml.
1/5 teaspoon (tsp) - 1 ml.

Ingredients for the recipe:

1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 can (340 g) of low-fat, unsweetened condensed milk
1/4 - 0.5 tsp mustard powder
A pinch of cayenne pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
1 small clove of garlic, finely grated
4 cups cauliflower florets (half a head, about 340 g)
4 cups medium pasta shells
170 g extra-sharp low-fat cheddar (preferably Cabot), coarsely grated
2 tbsp. l. grated parmesan
60 grams of American Neufchâtel
Toasted whole grain breadcrumbs, for serving

Ingredient Substitution Suggestions

We recommend

Cooking the dish according to the recipe:

In a bowl, combine the egg, condensed milk, mustard powder, cayenne pepper, nutmeg, garlic, salt and black pepper to taste; set aside.
Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Cook the cauliflower until tender and almost falling apart, 8-10 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. Add the pasta to the same water and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes. Drain, reserving about 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Set the pan aside.

Combine the egg mixture and cheese in an empty saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the cheese melts and the sauce begins to thicken, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Add the cauliflower and blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Add a little of the pasta cooking water if the sauce is too thick. Add the pasta to the sauce and stir, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Serve sprinkled with breadcrumbs, if desired.

Note

This light cheese sauce is perfect for other dishes too, such as a topping for steamed broccoli, baked potatoes or asparagus.

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