Buffalo Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Prep Time: 30 min Cook Time: 45min

Total Time: 1hr 15 min

YIELDS: 6 servings

Incredible buffalo cauliflower mac and cheese made with sharp cheddar, your favorite buffalo sauce and a boost of veggies from roasted cauliflower. This easy buffalo mac and cheese with cauliflower is baked to perfection with a crumbly topping and will be a family favorite!

This is a great meal to make ahead of time that has hidden veggies. Perfect for holiday potlucks or weeknight dinners.

Cooked meals like this are perfect for living in harmony with the fall weather! In the summer, the warm yang nature of the season helps us digest raw foods. But as temperatures begin to drop in the fall, you should eat more cooked and warming foods. This prevents further strain on your digestion and Spleen, and helps your body conserve energy to protect itself from illness. Soups, porridge, and stews are easier on the digestive system. Try to also steam or cook your food at low temperatures for longer periods of time – this cooking method helps support and nourish the yin.

In addition to eating within the season, remember to wear a scarf as the winds pick up this season. The nape of the neck is where wind can most easily enter the body and cause illness. Stay bundled!

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INGREDIENTS

For the cauliflower:

• 4-6 cups cauliflower florets

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil

• Freshly ground 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 purpose flour (or sub whole wheat or GF all purpose flour)

• ½ teaspoon onion powder

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 3/4 cups unsweetened cashew milk, almond milk or dairy milk

• 6 oz sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese)

• ½ cup medium to hot 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:

• Green onion, (green part only)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Add cauliflower, drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss well to coat the cauliflower in the oil. Roast for 25-30 minutes or until tender and slightly golden, flipping cauliflower halfway through cooking. Keep heat in the oven.

2. While the cauliflower is cooking you can boil your noodles and make the sauce: boil the noodles in a large pot until al dente, according to the directions on the package. Once done cooking, drain and return noodles to the large pot.

3. While the noodles are boiling, make your mac and cheese sauce: in a large skillet, add butter and place over medium heat. Once butter is melted, whisk in a little bit of the flour and then slowly add in milk, a little bit at a time, alternating with the flour and vigorously whisking away any lumps. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes stirring every so often, until the sauce thickens up a bit. Stir in garlic powder, onion powder, salt and LOTS of freshly ground black pepper.

4. Next add in 6 ounces (or about 1 ½ cups) of shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the sauce and stir until completely melted. Pour the cheese sauce over the noodles, then add in buffalo sauce. Stir to completely coat the noodles, then add in your roasted cauliflower and stir again.

5. Spray a 2-quart baking dish or 9x9 inch or 11x7 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray, or grease with olive oil or butter. Pour in the cauliflower mac and cheese and spread out. Top with remaining ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese if you like extra cheesiness!

6. In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top of casserole and bake for 25 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serves 6.

NOTES

You can use whatever milk you'd like for this recipe, plant-based or dairy! If you want a richer mac and cheese, use 2% or whole milk. We recommend shredding your own cheese from a block of cheese. It generally melts better.

photo and recipe credits to Ambitious Kitchen