roasted cauliflower mac and cheese
👨🍳 Chefy Tip: Build the béchamel first — melt butter, whisk in flour, cook the roux for 90 seconds before adding milk slowly. Remove from heat before the cheese goes in or it will separate. Fold in cauliflower last so it maintains texture.
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Ingredients
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Preheat oven to 425°F. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Roast on a sheet pan for 20 minutes until golden at the edges. Set aside.
Cook pasta in heavily salted boiling water until just shy of al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water. Drain.
In a large oven-safe skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds. Whisk in flour and cook 1 minute until lightly nutty.
Pour in milk slowly while whisking. Cook over medium heat, whisking frequently, until sauce thickens enough to coat a spoon — about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stir in cheddar, gruyère, dijon, cayenne, salt, and pepper until fully melted and smooth.
Fold in drained pasta and roasted cauliflower. Add a splash of pasta water if needed to loosen the sauce.
Top with panko breadcrumbs. Broil on high for 3–4 minutes until golden and bubbling. Watch closely.
Rest 2 minutes before serving.
Cauliflower contains glucosinolates that can form sulforaphane, a compound studied for anti-inflammatory properties.