
Mac and Cheese with Creamy Cauliflower Sauce and Ham
A twist on traditional mac and cheese, this recipe is made with a creamy cauliflower sauce. Ham and Kale make it a full meal deal!
Yield: 6-8 main course servings
Ingredients:
1/2 large onion diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large head of cauliflower
2 cups milk
1/2 cup cooking water from pasta
1 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound box of pasta ( I love Cavatappi aka Cork Screw Pasta, but Elbow Macaroni , Rotini, or Farfalle work great too)
16 oz cubed ham (I usually just buy a ham steak)
4 cups kale (you can also use spinach or swiss chard if you like)
Topping:
2 slices fresh bread processed into crumbs in the food processor
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Directions:
Steam the cauliflower until soft. It should take about 15 minutes.
In a saute pan, heat oil then add roughly chopped onion until soft and translucent but not brown about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile cook pasta in salted water according to the directions on the package. You want to make sure it is al dente so it doesn't get too soft when the casserole is baked. I usually boil the pasta about a minute less than is says to on the box. Just before you drain the pasta, set aside 1/2 cup of the cooking water.
Put the cooked cauliflower and sauted onion in a blender with the cold milk and the pasta water. Blend until creamy and smooth.
In the same pan that you cooked the onion in, warm the ham and add the kale. Saute on medium heat until kale has slightly wilted, about 2 minutes.
In the large pot you used for the pasta, on low heat, combine the creamy cauliflower mixture and cheese. Stir until you don't have clumps of cheese but the cheese doesn't have to be completely melted. Add salt and pepper to taste and sriracha sauce (if using). Add in pasta as well as the ham and kale and gently stir until well mixed.
Transfer pasta mixture to a buttered (or sprayed) 3 quart casserole dish. Top with fresh breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese.
Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes or until pasta is bubbly and the top is well browned.
Enjoy!
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