Amy's Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

This is my Sicilian grammy's cauliflower mac and cheese recipe and it has been a family favorite for years. Now it is Sammy's favorite! It's very simple, only a few ingredients, easy to prepare, and delicious! It tastes even better the next day. I love it cold!

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 50 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins
• Calories: 318 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 (16 ounce) package elbow macaroni
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes (Optional)
• 4 cloves garlic, or more to taste, minced
• 1 head cauliflower, cut into chunks

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Bring 2 large pots of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook elbow macaroni in the first pot, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Cook cauliflower in the second pot, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, 3 to 6 minutes. Drain macaroni and cauliflower.

Step 3

Return 1 empty pot to the stove. Add olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add garlic to the hot oil and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in red pepper flakes. Add drained cauliflower, reduce heat to medium-low, and saute for 2 minutes.

Step 4

Add the cooked macaroni to the cauliflower mixture. Add 1 3/4 cups each mozzarella and Cheddar cheeses and stir until all ingredients are well combined. Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Cheddar.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until nice and bubbly, about 30 minutes.