Mac and Cheese is a classic meal that is a part of many people’s childhoods and upbringing. It is the perfect combination of deliciousness and convenience. This article explores various keto-friendly mac and cheese recipes, offering a way to enjoy this comfort food while staying true to a low-carb lifestyle. Traditional mac and cheese doesn’t fit on a ketogenic diet. A single serving of mac and cheese can have over 40 grams of net carbs.
Why Keto Mac and Cheese?
For those following a ketogenic diet, traditional mac and cheese is off-limits due to its high carbohydrate content. The ketogenic diet emphasizes prioritizing fats and reducing carb intake. Fortunately, there are ways to recreate this beloved dish using low-carb alternatives, satisfying cravings without derailing your dietary goals.
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese: A Popular Choice
Many keto mac and cheese recipes use cauliflower as a substitute for macaroni. Cauliflower is a great keto ingredient for any low carb recipe you want to make. It has minimal prep time, and is super low in carbs. Cauliflower is a common ingredient in keto recipes thanks to its versatility. Cauliflower is used to replace pasta for many reasons. The most common reason being that pasta is not allowed on the keto or low carb diet, additionally cauliflower is for it's lower carb , higher fiber value. Another reason is simply that it is a better health food option. Pasta typical has no nutritional benefits and is loaded with calories & carbs.This versatile vegetable is low in net carbs and high in nutrients, making it an excellent choice for those on a keto diet.
Health Benefits of Cauliflower
Cauliflower is not only low in carbs but also packed with nutrients. A member of the cruciferous vegetable group (like Brussels sprouts, kale and broccoli), cauliflower is packed with powerful phytochemicals (plant-based compounds) and antioxidants that help prevent disease. Cauliflower is rich in vitamin C and provides over 70% of the daily value in just one cup. Cauliflower also contains vitamin K, which helps prevent blood clotting, helps to maintain brain function, bone-building, and a healthy metabolism. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower have been shown to slow cancerous tumor growth. Inflammation is one of the root causes for many chronic diseases. Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower have an abundant source of antioxidants.
Key to Perfect Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
- Texture: To really mimic noodles you don’t want the cauliflower to cook too much and be mushy. With this keto recipe a good rule of thumb is to undercook it a bit in the pan and let it spend extra time in the oven.
- Roasting: Roasting the cauliflower instead of boiling or steaming prevents excess moisture, resulting in a better texture. Often times cauliflower mac and cheese recipes will call for boiling, steaming or baking the cauliflower. Instead, we pan roast the cauliflower to perfection with bacon. The cauliflower will absorb all of the flavor of the bacon and it will also have a much better texture than other preparation methods. We achieve a perfect al dente cook on the cauliflower, as well as a nice golden brown color.
- Seasoning: Cauliflower is a blander vegetable so it’s super important you add seasoning to cauliflower recipes. If you use bacon like the recipe calls for, you may need less salt because bacon and cheese are already salty.
- Crispy Topping: In place of bread crumbs, we’re using pork rinds. Pork rinds crisp up just as nicely and give a lovely flavor to the final dish.
- Broiling: The last step is to bake and broil this cauliflower mac and cheese. I’d recommend keeping an eye on it the entire time it is broiling to make sure it doesn’t burn. This will also allow you to pull it out when you have achieved the exact amount of crispiness you want.
Tips for the Best Cauliflower Mac and Cheese
Cheese sauce seasoning, cook time, and final broil time are all important in creating the best overall keto mac and cheese. These tips should help you create the perfect mac.
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- Don't Boil the Cauliflower: We specifically roast the cauliflower to prevent excess moisture in the recipe ahead of time.
- Avoid Frozen Cauliflower: As stated above frozen vegetables will not work as well in this recipe. They have too much water and can thin out the sauce. If you choose to use frozen, still make it has been thawed and roasted ahead of time. When a vegetable is frozen the water molecules expand and push on the cell walls, stretching them out and causing the water based vegetable to go mushy.
- Undercook the Cauliflower: Keto recipes that use cauliflower will often have you cook it quite a bit to soften. Unlike pizza crusts and other cauliflower recipes, cheesy cauliflower mac is much better with a bit of a bite than soft.
- Watch the Broiling Time: The broiling time we recommend is 3-5 minutes, but this can vary a lot from oven to oven.
Cauliflower Mac and Cheese Recipe
This recipe is hearty with a big serving size that you could eat as a meal. This dish has a few moving parts, but overall you’ll be happy to hear it’s an easy dish to prepare.
Ingredients:
- Cauliflower florets
- Thick-sliced bacon
- Onion
- Garlic
- Heavy cream
- Cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, fontina, cream cheese)
- Butter
- Shredded cheese
- Crushed pork rinds
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Optional: sliced green onions
Instructions:
- Prepare Ingredients: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Dice the bacon and separate the cauliflower into “macaroni” sized pieces. Dice the onion, finely chop the garlic.
- Cook Bacon and Cauliflower: Heat a skillet on medium heat. Add bacon and cauliflower to the skillet and allow to cook for 5-7 minutes, or until the bacon is nearly fully cooked. If you like the bacon extra crispy add it to the pan first and get it started cooking before the cauliflower. Add onion and garlic to the skillet. Cook for 10 more minutes or until the cauliflower is cooked and the onions are translucent. You’ll want to cauliflower to be slightly al dente so that it cooks the remainder of the way in the oven.
- Make Cheese Sauce: Combine butter, cheddar cheese(1 cup), and heavy cream in a small saucepan. Cook on low heat until everything is melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper. Don't use pre-shredded cheese in this dish- freshly grated cheese will give a creamier sauce.
- Assemble and Bake: Place the cauliflower mixture into a baking dish. Pour the cheese sauce over top and mix everything together with a spoon. Top with crushed pork rinds and the remaining cheddar cheese. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes and then broil for 3-5 minutes to crisp up the topping. Make sure you’re on standby! Oven temperatures vary for broil, so turn the light on and watch it as it finishes.
Variations
- Buffalo Mac and Cheese: Cook and shred some chicken thighs seasoned with pepper and salt.
- BBQ Mac and Cheese: Cook or pick up smoked pork barbecue (un-sauced).
- Add Other Veggies: You don’t have to just use cauliflower.
Serving Suggestions
This keto mac and cheese is PERFECT as a side dish for low carb dinner. It is also a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving. Pair Perfect Keto Mac & Cheese with vegetables, a meat side, or a fruit dessert.
Low Carb Mac and Cheese with Keto Pasta
Now, there is plenty of low carb mac and cheese recipes out there. If you have a quick look, nearly all of them call for cauliflower instead of pasta. While delicious, cauliflower is NOTHING like macaroni. If you are looking for a recipe with real macaroni, this option might be for you.More and more health food and specialty stores are now stocking low carb macaroni and pasta.
Key Ingredients
- Keto macaroni: Use a low-carb elbow macaroni. They look and taste like real macaroni, yet contain a mere 7 grams of net carbs per serving. Avoid using ones that are konjac-based, often referred to as shirataki noodles. These do not have the right texture to hold onto the cheese sauce and will separate.
- Heavy cream: Also known as thickened cream or double cream.
Low Carb Mac and Cheese Recipe
Ingredients:
- Low carb elbow macaroni
- Heavy cream
- Shredded cheeses
- Salt and pepper
Instructions:
- Cook the pasta: Cook the keto pasta until al dente, around 10-12 minutes. Drain and set aside.
- Make the cheese sauce: In a small saucepan, add the heavy cream and place over medium heat. Once the cream begins to simmer, reduce to low. Add the shredded cheeses, salt, and pepper, and let it melt into the cream. Stir for 4-5 minutes, until thick and smooth.
- Combine: Add the drained pasta into the cheese sauce and remove from the heat. Mix until combined and serve immediately.
Storing and Reheating
Keto macaroni and cheese should always be stored in the refrigerator, covered. To reheat: Add 1-2 tablespoons of water or milk and microwave for 30-40 seconds, or until warm.
Perfect Keto Mac & Cheese: A Convenient Option
Perfect Keto Mac & Cheese is a Keto Certified pasta. Perfect Keto Mac & Cheese is completely grain-free. This option offers a convenient way to enjoy keto-friendly mac and cheese without the need for extensive preparation.
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Benefits
- Convenience: Perfect Keto Mac & Cheese is for anyone who loves mac & cheese but also wants to get some nutritional value from it.
- Nutritional Value: Perfect Keto Mac & Cheese is a high fiber food.
- Macronutrient Balance: Always read the nutrition information of a mac & cheese brand to ensure that it fits your macros.
Key Ingredients and Their Benefits
- Lupin: Perfect Keto Mac & Cheese is made from Lupin flour. In other parts of the world, it is ground to make Lupin flour.
- Fiber: Fiber is a very important nutrient well-known for its role in maintaining digestive health. A prebiotic is a substance that acts as a source of food for the good bacteria in the gut.
- Protein: Protein, as you may know, is essential for the growth, maintenance, and repair of body structures.
- Seeds: Seeds are one of the most keto-friendly foods.
- Vitamin E: Vitamin E is a fat-soluble vitamin with strong antioxidants properties.
- Soluble Tapioca Fiber: It is made from tapioca starch but during processing, the product loses all of the starch and digestible carbohydrates. Soluble tapioca fiber helps to prevent sharp spikes in blood glucose levels after eating.
Considerations
- Serving Size: Each box of Perfect Keto Mac & Cheese has 2.5 servings of mac & cheese. However, feel free to portion the contents as you please. You can have smaller or bigger servings.
- Pairings: You can pair Perfect Keto Mac & Cheese with vegetables, a meat side, or a fruit dessert. If you have no access to vegetables, a fruit-based dessert like a keto-friendly fruit salad will do just as well.
General Tips for Keto Mac and Cheese
- Cheese Selection: Yes, cheese is totally acceptable on a low-carb and Keto diet, but don’t add it to every meal.
- Dairy: Dairy, like other animal products, should be of the highest quality you can reasonably afford. Some forms of dairy are not keto-friendly. Milk, half-and-half, and condensed milk contain moderate-to-high amounts of carbs, primarily because of the sugar content. When using dairy in keto recipes avoid dairy with high lactose content.
- Experiment: You can follow this recipe as suggested, or you can experiment and have fun with it.
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