Creamy organic English cheddar and crispy bacon come together in a delicious low carb faux mac and cheese dish. Who needs noodles when you’ve got cauliflower? This post is sponsored by Kingdom Cheddar.
I have come to the realization that I have been sadly underestimating cheddar cheese for most of my life. Growing up, cheddar was the “basic” cheese, the cheese that we always had a big block of in the fridge but that didn’t really grab my attention in any big way. It was the cheese we put in and on everything. Cheddar was just there and I didn’t think much of it one way or another, although I liked it well enough. I thought cheddar was just cheddar, that it didn’t really have much variety apart from different brand names, but I was sorely mistaken. Over the past few years, I’ve learned a great deal about cheddar and how it varies place to place, region to region. And how the flavour profile changes with age and with the circumstances in which it was aged. It really is a remarkable cheese, with a long history and an amazing array of varieties. There’s nothing basic about cheddar.
If you’ve ever had English Cheddar, you’ll know what I mean. England is, of course, the birthplace of cheddar, and English cheddar is very distinct from the American varieties. It can be quite sharp, which I love, with a nutty finish. I am probably doing English cheddar a great disservice by lumping it all in together under one name. I am sure it has as many distinct varieties and tastes as American cheddar, but I haven’t yet had the chance to sample English cheddar to that extent.
I did, however, get the opportunity to sample Kingdom Cheddar recently, a British import that is the first and only European cheese to be certified organic by the USDA. This award-winning cheese is true cheddar, in that it actually comes from the Cheddar region of England. But it can be found on this side of the pond now and if you’re a cheese fanatic, it’s a must try. My little tasting tip: try it at room temperature. Cheddar really is best when it’s not straight of the fridge. The flavours mellow and mature and it becomes a little less sharp on the tongue. Check out where to find Kingdom Cheddar here.
I wanted to create a recipe with this lovely cheddar that really played up the English cheddar flavour, without overpowering it. I wanted something simple and healthy and easy to make. The Kingdom cheddar is very smooth and buttery, so I knew it would melt well and be perfect in a low carb cauliflower mac and cheese. I added a little bacon for a heartier dish, and in the hopes that it would entice my kids to eat some. My middle child loved it and has already asked me to make some again, which I will happily do. This was a wonderfully satisfying veggie dish full of great English Cheddar flavour. Noodles and mild cheese need not apply.
PS – the leftovers make a great breakfast!
- 1 medium head cauliflower
- 6 slices bacon chopped
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 5 ounces good English Cheddar such as Kingdom, grated
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 cup sliced green onion
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Cut cauliflower into florets and place into a large pot with about 1 inch of water in the bottom. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and steam until it can be pierced with a fork but isn't mushy, 5 to 10 minutes.
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Drain well, then return to the warm pot for a few minutes to draw out more moisture. Drain again.
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Meanwhile, add bacon to the pot and cook over medium heat until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Remove all but 2 tbsp of bacon grease from the pot and return to heat.
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Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds, then add whipping cream and bring to just a simmer. Add the cheddar and stir until melted.
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Remove from heat and quickly whisk in xanthan gum to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
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Preheat oven to 350F.
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Using your fingers, shred cauliflower into small macaroni-sized pieces and place in the bottom of a casserole dish or a cast iron skillet. Sprinkle with bacon. Pour cheese sauce evenly over the cauliflower and top with additional grated cheese, if desired.
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Bake until bubbly and browned on top, 15 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with green onions and serve.
Serves 6. Each serving has 7.77 g of carbs and 2.17 g of fiber. Total NET CARBS = 5.6 g.
Food energy: 304kcal
Saturated fatty acids: 15.31g
Total fat: 24.54g
Calories from fat: 220
Cholesterol: 87mg
Carbohydrate: 7.77g
Total dietary fiber: 2.17g
Protein: 11.41g
Sodium: 456mg
Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Kingdom Cheddar. As always, all thoughts, opinions, recipes, photography, random tangents and incoherent ramblings are my own.
Margaret says
I find it hard to believe that you have leftovers!
Margeaux Vittoria says
I had no idea that Cheddar was a region in England – you learn something new every day! I’ve been eating a low-carb diet recently but craving mac n’ cheese so I’ll have to try this. Maybe I’ll use some broccoli with the cauliflower because I <3 broccoli in mac n' cheese. Thanks for the recipe.
Judy@lifeonthefoodchain.com says
Carolyn, too early for such deliciousness! The picture is really making me salivate. Probably not the thing to be looking at before breakfast. A suggestion, though for those who don’t keep a thickener like xanthan gum on hand, if you increase the heavy cream by 1/3 to a 1/2 cup and boil it down to reduce it to just one cup, the cream will be thick enough to make a cheese sauce with no additives. Done it many times to make thick low carb sauces.
Carolyn says
Thanks for the tip!
Joshua Hampton says
I’ve been craving mac ‘n’ cheese lately, but I find I can’t handle eating any more noodles for now. Glad to learn cauliflower makes for a great alternative. Thanks for the recipe.
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
Cheddar cheese is one of my faves. . and this cauliflower mac and cheese is brilliant and gorgeous!! Although I’m a WI cheddar gal, I’ll have to take a look-sie at Kingdom Cheddar . . looks delish!
Carolyn says
You can love English cheddar and still love Wisconsin cheddar too 🙂
Seraphina says
I’m in England now haha! Just made this tonight and had it with raw endive leaves (my latest food obsession) – so good! I did not have xantham gum so the sauce was very watery, but I drank it like soup. I’m thinking adding some blue stilton to the mix would be nice, as would be topping it with roasted, chopped walnuts… Thanks for a great recipe again Carolyn 🙂
Carolyn says
Yum, sounds good to me!
Julie says
Any idea how many ounces is in a “medium” head of cauliflower? I often buy it prepped and bagged at Costco.
Carolyn says
No real idea in ounces but I’d say it’s about 4 or 5 cups in florets.
Bridget says
This is called cauliflower cheese in England, though we do not use garlic or gum and it is a regular side to the traditional Sunday roast dinner – at least in the area I come from.
The bacon and onions are just trimmings – as long as you have a decent cheddar, don’t overcook the cauliflower and can make a bechamel sauce with cheese, you are good to go! The better the quality of cheese, the less you need. As this is a low-carb site, substitute flour with arrowroot powder to thicken sauce. You can also reduce the milk content by using some of the cauliflower cooking water (I don’t use cream unless it’s Christmas – no need for extra calories!!). I also cook the cauliflower whole with a few leaves attached or in quarters to reduce the risk of overcooking.
Sprinkle breadcrumbs and grated cheese on top – put under the grill (broiled) until brown – it makes an excellent supper dish on it’s own too.
Here’s a secret – if you are serving with steak/roast beef, substitute most of the cheddar with Blue Cheese – preferably a good Stilton – ignore the ‘smell’ it’s delicious!!
I cannot emphasize enough how important a good quality cheese is for this dish.
I’ve also found this to be a great convalescent meal and for anyone that hasn’t ‘been’ for a while, this will sort you out in no time!!! 😉
I have to say the pictures above are the most attractive I’ve seen of this staple dish and even I, a hardened UK cook will have to give it a try.
Carolyn says
Arrowroot still has a some carbs so I tried not to use that and we definitely don’t do bread crumbs…but the idea is certainly the same!
Cookin Canuck says
I used to feel the same way about Cheddar cheese. That is, until I went to Vermont and sampled several cheeses from the small, local purveyors there. And now I’ll be on the lookout for Kingdom! This mac ‘n cheese looks like a great way to highlight it.
Deborah says
As a cheese lover, I know I’ll be looking for some of this!! I don’t think I’ve ever tried an English cheddar and I’m obviously missing out!!
tiffany says
THANK YOU!!!! I’ve been watching my kids eat their mac and cheese and losing my mind because I can’t have any!
Amy at Living Locurto says
This looks amazing! I just started my low carb diet again and can’t wait to try this recipe.
Lisa says
This was so, so good. We added diced jalapeño peppers when we sautéed the garlic in bacon grease too! This dish was the perfect combination of flavors, spice and seasonings. We are still in awe!
Michaela says
Thank you! This was amazing, the English cheddar was delicious. So nice to find a no pasta alternative to mac & cheese!
Lori @ RecipeGirl says
This is my kind of dish! I need to make this for my family soon.
Emily Bites says
This looks amazing, I’m a cheddar addict! I love the use of cauliflower to lighten the dish up a bit – leaves more room in the calorie budget for bacon and good cheddar! 😉
Alida says
This is a must-make for my family!
Becky says
This looks REALLY good! I have to ask, is there any reason why one couldn’t just microwave the cauliflower until tender? I cook it this way often and if I cover the dish and use NO water, the cauliflower pretty much steams itself. Less nutrients lost in the water. Am I wrong in doing it this way?
Carolyn says
Sure, you absolutely can do that. When I am cooking smaller batches of cauli, I do the microwave too sometimes.
Pattyg says
Just made this and it is Delish!!!!
Anne O says
Just made for the second time. It is unbelievably a delicious savory meal, side dish or snack. Many thanks again Carolyn.
Michele says
Hi Carolyn,
I just made this and it was delicious! I microwaved the cauliflower and used cheater precooked bacon to save time. I sautéed the garlic in olive oil since I didn’t have the bacon fat and it worked out great. Thank you!
Suzy @ The Mediterranean Dish says
This is the perfect comfort bite! Love cauliflower.
S M says
I made this the other day, and it was delicious! I’m still enjoying the leftovers.
Jen says
Just thinking “out loud” a bit here.. I first made I Breathe I’m Hungry’s Chorizo & Green Chili Cauliflower Mac & Cheese because I had some chorizo I had inexplicably bought for something. The flavor was amazeballs, but it was runny. A few weeks later, I decided to try again & stumbled upon this. So I used the rest of my chorizo instead of bacon (cooked some bacon for broccoli salad and used the fat from that because chorizo is pretty greaseless). Also used a full small drained can of mild green chilies. Liked the cooking directions for the cauliflower, especially the reminder to dry it in the hot pan. My sauce was still runny. I was reluctant to change anything because I wasn’t sure how the xanthan would behave. But I think what I would try next is cooking down and thickening the cream more and adding more cheese to the sauce rather than on top. Thanks for all the wonderful recipes!
Mike & Linda Brumfield says
We made this tonight & it was yummy. We added fresh kale & sausage along with the bacon, topped with sunflower seeds.
The British cheddar has a great flavor, thanks for the tip. Next time we make this we are gonna substitute the whipping cream with either sour cream or cream cheese.
Carolyn says
Great ideas!
Terri says
Is there any sub for the whipping cream? My son can have aged cheddar – no lactose – but he can’t have the whipping cream. Sometimes I sub mayo or coconut milk but wondered what your opinion would be for a substitute! thank you!!
Carolyn says
Coconut milk might work.
Kate says
I’d use he cream layer from the top of the can, or heck, just more cheese 🙂
Rachel says
The first time j made this my fiance was skeptical, now he loves it. In fact he came home from work today having took leftovers and asked if I would make a double batch next time so he could have it for lunches all week long. Well done, and thank you!
Andi says
Oh my, this was sooooo good. Used a little flax meal to thicken (its all I had).
Sam says
AMAZING!!! Used chorizo instead of bacon and it was divine…
Carolyn says
I adore chorizo!
Deborah says
Carolyn, this dish is absolutely amazing! I just got done devouring a bowl and had to go back for seconds. I also like the fact that it was very easy to make!
Kylee Jones says
Do you think this recipe could be frozen?
Carolyn says
I think it might get pretty watery upon thawing.
Maria says
Made a big batch. Froze half of it. It does become watery, and not as flavorful.
Theresa Coddington says
I cannot eat aged cheese. Do you think mozzarella might work?
Carolyn says
It certainly should!
Maria says
It works great! Love this stuff!
Kate says
I made this with roasted cauliflower – less watery and an additional layer of flavor…yummmmmmm
Cecilia says
Made this awesome recipe last night for a mac & cheese party. It was a hit! I did add some diced hot peppers and ramps. Went to the party 2 hours late and it was the first pan to be completely empty
Linnae Bosma says
I really should stop making this!! I’m not sure how you get 6 servings from this recipe – the most I ever get is 3. haha I’m so thankful my SO doesn’t like melted cheese because then I never ever have to share. Honestly – this is one of my favorite recipes, and I am so glad you shared it!
martine says
Made another similar recipe and was disappointed when the sauce ended up splitting. Will the Xantham gum prevent this, for this recipe?
Carolyn says
It should. I haven’t had any complaints on this one. Make sure you don’t overcook the sauce though.
Mary Ann Brown says
This is the BOMB. I made it for my fiancee who is a serious meat and potatoes guys. Trying to bring him to the low carb way if life. He LOVED this. I added an extra clove of garlic and some extra bacon. I also used cheddar as I couldn’t find the specific cheese. Very yummy. Few leftovers on purpose so we can have it for lunch tomorrow.
Rebecca {foodie with family} says
I could definitely dig this! I love that this hits those mac and cheese notes without making you feel weighed down!
Karly says
Cauliflower mac and cheese is one of my favorite sides! Love that you added bacon!
Erin @ Dinners, Dishes, and Desserts says
Gotta love all the bacon in there!
Liz says
Ooooh, I keep away from pasta dishes, but do have a love of mac and cheese! I can’t wait to try this yummy, low carb version!!!
Lindsay Cotter says
Simple, healthy, and delicious! I love everything about this cauliflower mac ‘n cheese!
Cookin Canuck says
LOVE that you use English Cheddar – the sharper, the better in my opinion!
Gerry Speirs says
Perfectly healthy 🙂
Katie | Healthy Seasonal Recipes says
I love the idea of using cauliflower in place of noodles and the English cheddar! Delish!
Lisa Lilly says
I served this tonight, paired with your BBQ Meat Balls, for an extended family dinner, and everyone LOVED it! They’re not even keto eaters. 🙂 And BTW, I found Kingdom cheese at Costco. Thank you for your lovely recipes. Just got your Everyday Ketogenic Kitchen cookbook and look forward to getting the next one soon!
Carolyn says
Thanks, Lisa!
Pam says
Prepared this dish to take to a picnic. Picnic got rained out so our kids were forced to eat grilled chicken and Cauliflower Mac’ n Cheese. By kids, I mean our adult children, who happen to be some very picky eaters. They loved this cauliflower dish! Thanks for sharing this recipe!