I’ve got the most DELICIOUS recipe to share with you today, for my grain-free and dairy-free paleo mac & cheese! I originally shared this recipe with my newsletter subscribers a couple months ago, so if you aren’t already on my email list, be sure to sign up!
I basically grew up on mac & cheese (ya know, the kind straight from the box), and haven’t had in in years, so when a reader reached out to ask if I had a recipe for a paleo-friendly version of mac & cheese, I was inspired to create this recipe! I LOVE hearing the meals that you want to see made into healthier versions!
One of the best parts of this recipe is that it’s a GREAT way to get in veggies without even realizing it! I’ve made this paleo mac & cheese several times, and I brought it to the trainers at my gym to try. They gave it RAVE reviews…and when they love it, I know the recipe is a keeper! We all decided that it would be even better with crumbled bacon on top (what isn’t better with bacon?!), so I’ve added that as an option to the directions as well. Feel free to get as creative as you want and add anything that you’d like to this paleo mac & cheese!
If you’re anything like me and seem to forget when the broilers on…definitely set a timer 😉
Enjoy this recipe for my Paleo Mac & Cheese!
Paleo Mac & Cheese
Equipment
- Stovetop
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee, grass-fed butter, or bacon fat, melted
- 1 medium sized head of cauliflower, chopped into ½ inch pieces (about the size of macaroni)
- 1/3 cup crushed pork rinds
- 3-4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (optional)
- 2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped
For the Cheese Sauce:
- 1 cup raw cashew pieces, soaked (see directions below)
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- Place the cashews in a clean bowl. Bring a small pot of water to a boil, and then pour the water over the cashews to soak. The cashews should be fully immersed in the water. Set aside to soak for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Toss the melted ghee/butter and cauliflower directly in a 9" cast iron, oven-proof skillet or 9" casserole dish. Roast the cauliflower for 15 minutes. Toss the cauliflower and roast for another 5-10 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, let's make the "cheese" sauce! Drain and rinse the cashews. Place the cashews, water and lemon juice into your blender and blend on high until smooth. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and blend once more until smooth.* A high-speed blender (such as a Vitamix) works best for this, but other blenders will work, you'll just need to scrape down the sides of the blender often until the cashews are completely broken down.
- Mix the "cheese" sauce with the cauliflower and spread into an even layer. Top with the crushed pork rinds. Move your oven rack towards the top of your oven and broil the mac & cheese just until the top begins to brown, being careful not to let it burn. Top with the crumbled bacon (if using), chives, and season with salt and pepper. ENJOY!
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Oh! How I miss mac and cheese! It takes me back to my childhood and the homemade mac and cheese my mom use to make (NEVER from a box!)! My son was just saying the other day, he doesn’t ever remember having mac and cheese. That’s because he was diagnosed with multiple food allergies when he was little and I had to figure things out on my own before all you lovely bloggers came along! Bless you! But my heart broke a little when he said this because I have such a fond memory of this comfort food. This recipe looks so much like my mother’s recipe! Unfortunately, again because of MTHFR, we are unable to have the nutritional yeast. 🙁 Could we possibly subsitute with the equivalent amount amount of goat’s milk cheddar? Thank you!