Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Anybody else crave buffalo the whole lot and something? Honestly it was by no means my jam till I received pregnant and now I mainly crave buffalo sauce on the whole lot: from my morning eggs, to buffalo hen wraps and sure, even in my mac and cheese.

What may very well be higher than buffalo cauliflower + mac and cheese having a scrumptious little child? The reply: not a lot. I opted to make this buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese recipe vegetarian however you possibly can at all times be at liberty so as to add in some cooked, shredded or cubed hen. Tony particularly cherished this one, although he’s not an enormous fan of cauliflower.

I lightened up this recipe simply barely by including the increase of veggies and skipping the heaviness of cream cheese, however you possibly can completely make it extra indulgent with additional cheeses and even a drizzle of my blue cheese dressing on prime (omg, yum).

Give it a attempt to let me know what you suppose within the feedback under! xo.

What’s buffalo sauce?

In case you’re questioning what makes this mac and cheese recipe to the subsequent degree, it’s buffalo sauce. Buffalo sauce is historically constituted of sizzling sauce (normally a cayenne pepper sizzling sauce), butter, vinegar & additional spices.

The flavour might be delicate or spicy, so you possibly can really make this buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese your personal! My two favourite buffalo sauces are this brand and this one.

The whole lot you’ll have to make buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese

You’ll in fact want some wonderful buffalo sauce, plus some simple pantry staples to make this unbelievable vegetarian buffalo mac and cheese with cauliflower.

• Cauliflower: a stylish increase of veggies you’ll be ok with consuming.
• Pasta: be at liberty to make use of any pasta form you’d like – even gluten free! I really like shells or cavatappi, however conventional elbow macaroni noodles could be good.
• Butter: you’ll want some butter to create the cheese sauce and the crunchy breadcrumb topping.
• Flour: the cheese sauce can also be made with a little bit of flour. Be at liberty to make use of an all goal GF flour in the event you’d like.
• Spices: we’re utilizing onion powder, garlic powder, salt and loads of freshly floor black pepper.
• Milk & cheese: I like to make use of unsweetened cashew or almond milk, however you need to use any milk you’d like. Plus, loads of sharp cheddar cheese! I believe blue cheese crumbles would even be scrumptious on prime.
• Buffalo sauce: the one and solely. Be at liberty to make use of a light or spicy buffalo sauce.
• Panko breadcrumbs: we’re topping this unhealthy boy with a panko breadcrumb combination to offer it that crispy, scrumptious topping. Right here’s a gluten free option.

Can I make this gluten free?

Completely! Merely use gluten free pasta, gluten free all goal flour and gluten free breadcrumbs.

Can I make this buffalo mac and cheese vegan?

I haven’t examined out a vegan model of this buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese, however I believe it could work simply nice utilizing your favourite vegan cheddar model or use my vegan cashew cheese sauce. Vegan butter is a good possibility for the topping, or you possibly can merely omit the breadcrumb topping!

Customise your buffalo mac and cheese

The wonderful thing about this creamy vegetarian buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese recipe is that it’s tremendous simple to customise along with your fav mix-ins.

• Make it spicy. Use a spicy buffalo sauce like this one, spicy shredded cheddar cheese, and/or add some jalapeño slices or chopped jalapeno to the cheese sauce.
• Increase the protein. Be at liberty to stir in some cooked, cubed or shredded hen, bacon and even some chickpeas. Who doesn’t love a buffalo hen mac? It’s an effective way to make use of up rotisserie hen!
• Extra veggies, please. Seeking to up the veggies in right here? Attempt roasting some brussels sprouts with the cauliflower and add it in. You possibly can additionally throw in some spinach earlier than baking!

How one can make buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese from scratch

1. Roast your cauliflower. You’ll kick off the recipe by roasting that cauliflower to perfection.
2. Noodles & sauce. Whereas the cauliflower is roasting you possibly can boil your noodles and make the scrumptious cheese sauce.
3. Gimme the buffalo. After pouring your cheese sauce on these noodles, stir in loads of buffalo sauce and add the cauliflower to your noodle combination.
4. High & bake. Pour the buffalo mac and cheese right into a ready baking dish, prime with the remaining cheddar cheese and the breadcrumb topping, and bake till golden!

Make it forward of time

Crunched for time? You possibly can simply make this vegetarian buffalo mac and cheese forward of time!

1. Put together the mac and cheese absolutely up till the purpose the place you add the whole lot to a baking dish.
2. Cowl the baking dish with foil and place it within the fridge till you’re able to bake it.
3. Lastly, bake it whenever you’re prepared! Chances are you’ll want so as to add a couple of extra minutes of baking time. FYI: This mac and cheese might be prepped as much as 3 days forward of time.

Storing suggestions

You possibly can retailer any leftovers in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4-5 days. Merely reheat within the microwave.

I’d not recommend freezing this recipe because the cheese sauce gained’t possible reheat effectively.

Extra scrumptious recipes utilizing buffalo sauce

Attempt these fantastic pasta recipes

Get all of my pasta recipes here!

I hope you like this creamy, scrumptious buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese recipe! Should you make it you should definitely depart a remark and a score so I understand how you appreciated it. Get pleasure from, xo!

Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Whole Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Unbelievable buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese made with sharp cheddar, your favourite buffalo sauce and a lift of veggies from roasted cauliflower. This simple buffalo mac and cheese with cauliflower is baked to perfection with a crumbly topping and might be a household favourite!

Substances

• For the cauliflower:
• 4-6
  cups
  cauliflower florets
• 1
  tablespoon
  olive oil or avocado oil
• Freshly floor salt and pepper
• For the mac and cheese:
• 8
  ounces
  dry pasta shells or cavatappi (or any pasta you’d like, gluten free if desired)
• 2
  tablespoons
  butter
• ¼
  cup
  all goal flour (or sub entire wheat or GF all goal flour)
• ½
  teaspoon
  onion powder
• ½
  teaspoon
  garlic powder
• 1 3/4
  cups
  unsweetened cashew milk, almond milk or common milk
• 6
  oz
  sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese)
• ½
  cup
  medium to sizzling buffalo sauce
• For topping:
• 2
  oz
  sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and reserved for the topping (or about ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese)
• ¾
  cup
  panko breadcrumbs
• 1
  tablespoon
  melted butter
• To garnish:
• Inexperienced onion, (inexperienced half solely)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 levels F. Line a big baking sheet with parchment paper. Add cauliflower, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss effectively to coat the cauliflower within the oil. Roast for 25-Half-hour or till tender and barely golden, flipping cauliflower midway by cooking. Hold warmth within the oven.

2. Whereas the cauliflower is cooking you possibly can boil your noodles and make the sauce: boil the noodles in a big pot till al dente, in response to the instructions on the package deal. As soon as completed cooking, drain and return noodles to the massive pot.

3. Whereas the noodles are boiling, make your mac and cheese sauce: in a big skillet, add butter and place over medium warmth. As soon as butter is melted, whisk in just a little little bit of the flour after which slowly add in milk, just a little bit at a time, alternating with the flour and vigorously whisking away any lumps. Carry combination to a boil, then cut back warmth and simmer for a couple of minutes stirring every now and then, till the sauce thickens up a bit. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, salt and LOTS of freshly floor black pepper.

4. Subsequent add in 6 ounces (or about 1 ½ cups) of shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the sauce and stir till utterly melted. Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles, then add in buffalo sauce. Stir to utterly coat the noodles, then add in your roasted cauliflower and stir once more.

5. Spray a 2-quart baking dish or 9×9 inch or 11×7 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, or grease with olive oil or butter. Pour within the cauliflower mac and cheese and unfold out. High with remaining ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese in the event you like additional cheesiness!

6. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle breadcrumb combination on prime of casserole and bake for 25 minutes or till breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serves 6.

Recipe Notes

I usually make this with unsweetened almond or cashew milk as a result of we do not purchase common milk. Nevertheless you need to use no matter milk you need. If you need a richer mac and cheese, use 2% or entire milk.

I like to recommend shredding your personal cheese from a block of cheese. It typically melts higher.

For a heartier possibility, be at liberty so as to add in shredded or cubed cooked hen breast earlier than baking the mac and cheese!

Vitamin

Servings: 6 servings

Serving measurement: 1 serving (primarily based on 6)

Energy: 442kcal

Fats: 22.4g

Saturated fats: 12g

Carbohydrates: 44.7g

Fiber: 3.7g

Sugar: 2.8g

Protein: 15.9g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Formidable Kitchen | Pictures by: Eat Love Eats

This submit was initially revealed on February 1st, 2021, and republished on February 2nd, 2023.