Hello beautiful Macaroni and Cheese.
I love you.
Please be mine.
Would you like to dance?
Let’s be friends.
These are all ways I like to greet this macaroni and cheese. Its real special.
This macaroni and cheese mixes a bunch of cut up cauliflower with pepper jack jalapeno cheese to add some spice. Then it’s all melted over pasta shells. Oh and there’s bread crumbs on top to add a bit of crunch.
Do you love pepper jack jalapeno cheese as much as I do? I love the kick of it. When I saw it the grocery store I threw it in my buggy right away. I knew I had to make something with it (besides eating it by the slice because I did alot of that too). Next time you’re in the supermarket try to look for this!
The cauliflower comes straight from the garden. In the winter. Seriously. We still have vegetables growing under the green house. It makes my gardening heart pretty happy to go up to the roof in my winter coat and cut off a cauliflower head (and then cover it in cheese).
Next time your’e craving macaroni and cheese, give this a try!
Pin for later:
Ingredients
- 2 cups pasta shells
- 3 cups cauliflower cut up into pieces
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 10 ounces pepper jack jalapeno cheese
- 1/4 cup bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Boil water and cook pasta shells as instructed on box. When there are 3 minutes left, add your cauliflower to the boiling pot. Drain and set aside.
- In a large saucepan melt your butter over medium heat. Slowly add flour, dry mustard and pepper until smooth.
- Add your milk and cheese slowly and keep stirring until it's smooth and melted. Take off burner.
- Add your macaroni and cauliflower to cheese mixture saucepan and stir until all shells are coated.
- Transfer your mixture to a baking dish and sprinkle bread crumbs on top.
- Cover and bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.
- Enjoy!
Kathleen says
Happy new year! My daughter (15) and I just made this together for a potluck new year’s eve dinner party that she is going to. So easy and delish. I’m so sad that she’s taking it away from us! We doubled the recipe, so hopefully so will come back home with her tomorrow.
Thank you for a delicious recipe, Pamela.
terrie says
Love this recipe. I make homemade Mac n cheese all the time but have never used pepper jack cheese. Can’t wait to make this! I did notice that your recipe leaves out when to add the cheese. While most people know to add to your milk mixture I was wondering if maybe the instruction should be included. Thank you for a great recipe.
Pamela says
Great call Terrie, I fixed it. Enjoy this mac and cheese!
Lori @ Foxes Love Lemons says
Yessss….I love spicy mac and cheese. The spicier the better! This looks right up my alley!
Sasha says
Looks amazing! Great idea to add veggies to an otherwise uber-indulgent dish.
Sarah & Arkadi says
this mac and cheese is so fancy! love it!
[email protected] says
I love all cauliflower dishes and this one looks really good, especially with the chilli cheese. Delicious!
Mary Frances says
Yum! Looks like an amazing twist on a classic comfort food. Great for soggy, slushy winter days like this one!
Lidia says
Oh, I’d like to dance with that Mac & Cheese! 🙂
Sophia @ NY Foodgasm says
This looks simply amazing and I love that you added some veggie to this- cauliflower was a GREAT choice, YUM!
Maryea {happy healthy mama} says
I just have to say that I am extremely jealous of the cauliflower from your winter garden. And this looks fabulous. That is all.
Simply Life says
what a FABULOUS idea for mac and cheese!
Laura @ Lauras Baking Talent says
I wish I was ahead on blog posts. I spent too much of december being lazy 🙂 This cauliflower mac n cheese looks amazing. Love!
Chris @ The Café Sucré Farine says
This is the bomb Pamela ( whether kids say it or not). What a wonderful combination of healthy and indulgent, love it!!
Jess says
This looks heavenly ! I can’t wait to try it 🙂
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
Oh wow, this looks amazing! Pepper jack is one of my favorites, but I’ve never had pepper jack jalapeno. I love the little zip pepper jack has, so you better believe I’ll be on the lookout for the jalapeno variety! Yum. 🙂
Consuelo @ Honey & Figs says
This is happening tomorrow.
Oh.
My.
Gosh.
Best mac & cheese I’ve seen in a while. The cauliflower addition is awesome <3
Erin | The Law Student's Wife says
Yes, 1,000 times yes! Mac and cheese + spicy + I’m getting my veggies??? This is the real-deal!
Tara says
Wow wow wow, now this looks like something I can make! I am so saving this recipe. I already have most of the ingredients at home!
Michelle says
That looks awesome!! I love experimenting with macaroni and cheese recipes! I have a Food Network Mag recipe in the “Lighten Up” section that uses cauliflower and evaporated milk. Lately I have been roasting sweet potato for my vegetable filler. Hoping to perfect it well enough to post on my blog. I know this does not make it completely dairy free, but substituting veggie stock for milk is what I do. I have also noticed imitation cheese at the grocery store…something to consider trying if you are going through withdrawals, especially after posting this!
Nora says
This looks insanely good. I have seen cauliflower puree stand in for cheese sauce before so that’s where I though you were going with this, but using the real thing makes such a difference. I love cheese (and have been avoiding dairy like you, so I miss it like crazy)!
The Squishy Monster says
Delicious brilliance for sure, Pamela!!!
Debra says
I am going to the fridge now to get a slice of pepper jack!
Davida @ The Healthy Maven says
I might make this as my first meal in my new place! Super easy and very few dishes required. My kind of meal! Plus I love pepper jack 🙂
Suzanne says
Love the cauliflower in the mac an cheese and of course the pepper jack. Looks really delicious!
Prudy @butter, basil, and breadcrumbs says
This is a beautiful thing… I absolutely love pepper jack, and with the cauliflower and pasta…it’s a winner!! Like a “Prudy could sit down and eat the whole thing” winner!! Love it! 🙂
Shashi @ http://runninsrilankan.com says
Pepper Jack Jalapeno Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese is a BRILLIANT idea! Love, love, love the addition of the cauliflower to this one!
Mary Frances says
I love pepper jack cheese. And the dripping, gooey cheesiness combined with the cauliflower and noodles is pure amazingness. So pinning this! Alas, I’m also dairy free for a little bit 🙁 so I’m joining you in crying over these photos 🙂
Tina @ Tina's Chic Corner says
I’ve been wanting to make a “mac & cheese” using cauliflower instead but I’ve been afraid that it will come out too bland. I’m totally digging how you used jalapeno cheese! First of all, love that kind of cheese. Second, that will surely fix any of my concerns that I had about blandness because this looks like it’s full of flavor. Have a lovely weekend my friend! 🙂
Amy | Club Narwhal says
Oh, MAN does this look incredible! I don’t know what it is about winter but when it hits I just want to eat mac and cheese every day. And this addition of cauliflower will help because, healthy, right? Can’t wait to try this!