Description
Made all in one pot, this Mac and Cheese with Cauliflower and Bacon is a streamlined yet creamy and delicious dinner that the whole family is going to love.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 8 ounces bacon (about 6 pieces), diced into small pieces
- 1/4 head cauliflower, finely diced (about 2 cups)
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 5 cups water (or a combination of water and chicken stock)
- 1-1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt, more to taste
- 16 ounce short cut pasta (such as orecchiette or shells)
- 4 tablespoons cream cheese
- 8 ounce (about 2 cups) grated shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces (about 1 cup) grated gouda cheese
- Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- Chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add bacon and cook until crispy, about 8 minutes. Shut off the heat and remove the bacon and about 1 tablespoon of rendered bacon fat.
- Turn the heat back to medium and add the cauliflower, and cook until it’s beginning to look translucent, about 5 minutes.
- Add the mustard, water / broth, and salt and stir. Turn the heat to medium-high and bring it to a boil.
- Once boiling, add the pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente, stirring often.
- When the pasta is cooked through, turn the heat down to the lowest setting and stir in the cream cheese, cheddar and gouda and cook until fully melted. Stir in the reserved bacon.
- Taste and adjust seasoning, adding in water, salt and pepper as necessary for the desired consistency. Shut off the heat.
- Divide into bowls and serve immediately with a sprinkling of chives.
Notes
This recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease the volume by half.
Freshly grated cheddar cheese is going to melt the smoothest, but I've used pre-shredded in a pinch and it's been ok, too!
Stir the pasta often as it cooks to prevent sticking, especially as the liquid reduces. A nonstick pot helps prevent this, but is not essential.