Baked Penne with Cauliflower and Cheese

Serves 6

by Ellie Krieger
from Fine Cooking
Issue 121
Last Edit Date: 12/27/2012 9:52:16 AM

Cauliflower and cheese are a classic combination, and here they come together in a sophisticated take on macaroni and cheese. The cauliflower adds flavor and beneficial nutrients, and it lightens up the calorie count of each portion.

more about:

4 cups 1-1/2-inch cauliflower florets (about 1 lb.; from 1/2 head)
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Fine sea salt or table salt
12 oz. dried penne
2 cups 1% milk
1 tsp. dry mustard
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
2 oz. coarsely grated sharp white Cheddar (about 1/2 cup)
1-1/2 oz. finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1-1/2 cups using a rasp grater)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F.

Put the cauliflower, onion, and garlic in a steamer basket set over 1 inch of boiling water in a 6- to 8-quart pot. Cover and steam until the cauliflower is tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower, onion, and garlic to a blender.

Fill the pot three-quarters full of salted water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for 3 minutes less than the package timing. Drain and return the pasta to the pot.

While the pasta cooks, add 1 cup of the milk, the dry mustard, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper to the vegetables in the blender and purée until smooth. Transfer to a 3-quart saucepan and stir in the remaining 1 cup of milk and the thyme. Heat over medium-low heat until hot but not boiling, about 3 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix the Cheddar and Parmigiano. Add all but 1/2 cup of the cheese to the sauce and stir until the cheese is melted. Add the sauce to the pasta and stir to combine. Transfer the pasta and sauce to an 8-inch square baking dish and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake until heated through and the cheese is beginning to brown, 20 to 30 minutes.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 350; Fat (g): 8; Fat Calories (kcal): 70; Saturated Fat (g): 4; Protein (g): 18; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 2; Carbohydrates (g): 52; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 1; Sodium (mg): 790; Cholesterol (mg): 20; Fiber (g): 5;

Photo: Scott Phillips

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by Jason123, 5/17/2013This dish was so so. It most definitely has a much grainier texture than traditional mac and cheese. My daughter took the substantial left overs and said it was better once she added alot of goat cheese. This probably smoothed out the texture.

by cmnursey, 3/9/2013Very tasty! Easy and hard to believe it is low calorie. I would make this again!! My husband even liked it, added some marinara sauce on the "leftover" night. Yummy!!

by LoveRecipes, 3/8/2013I found this dish to be quite satisfying. I shredded too much cheddar, so I used only cheddar in the sauce and then sprinkled a little parmesan and cheddar on the top before it went into the oven. I also used whole wheat penne. I broiled the dish for the last few minutes because I was too impatient to let it brown at 375 degrees. It was really good! I will make this again. Thanks Ellie!

by perlgrrl, 1/13/2013I made this tonight and really liked it. It was rich tasting and comforting. It was hard to believe it was a healthy recipe! The cauliflower puree was tasty even on its own. I may make it another time and see about serving it as a soup. My husband liked it as well, although thought there should have been more black pepper. The only ingredient change I made was to substitute the 2 oz. cheddar with 2% Velveta, as I needed to use it up. And I made it in an 11x17" pan, as I wasn't sure it would fit into the 8x8". Update: Like others, I wondered how the cauliflower, onion, and garlic puree would taste as soup. I was looking for a cauliflower soup recipe, and thought - why not try this? I did and it was wonderful. I poured the whole 2 cups of milk into the veggies to make it easier to puree them. I added a bit of extra cheese and it was perfect. It's now my go-to cheesy cauliflower soup recipe.

by TheMomChef, 2/25/2013The fact that my cauliflower-hating 6 year-old like this says everything. Yes, the texture doesn't have the creaminess of normal mac and cheese, but the flavor is wonderful. The whole family enjoyed this casserole. You can read my full review at Taking On Magazines: http://bit.ly/13hI07r

by lucyg22, 1/23/2013We really enjoyed this. I made half the recipe for 2 of us, using a little less than 6 oz. of mini penne, and subbing aged gouda for the cheddar. I put a layer of ham bits in the middle of the casserole. The texture is not EXACTLY like regular mac & cheese, but it's fine, if you puree the veg for long enough in the blender. I don't make mac & cheese at home, since I like the Stouffer's red box stuff so much I just buy it (infrequently, when I want to indulge.) I will definitely make this lighter version again, trying different cheeses and additions.

by queenie703, 1/15/2013I thought this was ok, but my husband didn't like it. There was something a bit off about the texture. So, I wouldn't make this again as written. However, I probably would make a 1/2 recipe of the puree and add it to my next batch of mac & cheese. I think I would up the garlic, and maybe add a touch of nutmeg to the puree though - and more pepper.

by cie, 1/6/2013This is a fabulous recipe. I much prefer it to regular mac & cheese. The sauce is amazing. I didn't have fresh thyme so I substituted saffron. Delicious!!