Cauliflower mac ’n’ cheese with rye crumbs

Our vegetarian, low-calorie cauliflower mac ‘n’ cheese with rye crumbs recipe is so easy. There's no white sauce or whisking required! Freezes well, packed full of goodness, the family will love this for dinner or lunch.

Serves: 6

Time to make: 55 mins

Hands-on time: 30 mins

Ingredients

More weights & measures

250g small dried pasta
4 cups small florets broccoli
²/³ cup mixed frozen peas and corn
3 cups small cauliflower florets
1 cup skim milk
black pepper
¾ cup mozzarella
200g piece light rye bread, crust removed
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon zest of lemon
6 cups mixed salad leaves
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

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1 Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly grease an 8-cup capacity baking dish.

2 In a large saucepan of boiling water, cook the pasta, following packet instructions, until al dente. Add broccoli and frozen veges for last 2 minutes of pasta cooking time. Drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Return pasta and veges to pan.

3 Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan of boiling water, cook cauliflower for 10 minutes, or until very soft. Drain. Transfer to a food processor. Purée with the milk until mixture is smooth. Season purée with pepper.

4 Add cauliflower purée, reserved cooking liquid and cheese to pasta mixture. Stir to combine. Transfer pasta mixture to prepared baking dish.

5 In a small food processor, place bread, thyme and zest. Process until crumbs form. Scatter crumbs over pasta mixture. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden. Dress salad leaves with oil and lemon juice. Serve mac ’n’ cheese with salad.

Variations

Make it gluten free: Use gluten-free pasta and bread.

HFG tip

Suitable to freeze.

NOTE: If you have a nut allergy and are using packaged goods in recipes, please check the allergen warning on the packet regarding nuts.

Nutrition Info (per serve)

Calories 372 cal

Kilojoules 1560 kJ

Protein 18 g

Total fat 8 g

Saturated fat 3 g

Carbohydrates 50 g

Sugar 7 g

Dietary fibre 8 g

Sodium 270 mg

Calcium 300 mg

Iron 2.5 mg

Note: This nutrition analysis is a guide only. Nutrition composition will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. See our guides on your optimal daily nutrition intake, and supermarket shopping.