Make a healthier macaroni cheese, pasta or white pizza with this creamy cauliflower sauce. It’s made with roasted cauliflower for its wonderful flavour. Suitable for vegans.
Macaroni cheese is a real favourite dinner for many families.
We love it too. But I love this healthier version even more.
If you've visited Sneaky Veg before then you'll know that I try to get a portion of vegetables in to our meals wherever I can.
This healthy cauliflower sauce is the perfect example of how easy it can be to add a portion of vegetables to a meal.
Plus it tastes so creamy and delicious. I hope you love this as much as we do.
Cauliflower is very good for you.
As well as being high in fibre, cauliflower also contains nutrients such as potassium, calcium, folate and vitamin C. In addition it’s a source of choline and sulforaphane.
How difficult is this cauliflower sauce to make?
It’s very easy to make. Simply follow these steps:
- Roast the cauliflower with olive oil.
- Place in a blender with all the other ingredients.
- Blend until smooth and then reheat until thickened.
Ingredients
For full recipe, ingredients and quantities go to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
Cauliflower
Broken into florets and roasted.
Olive oil
To cook the cauliflower.
Plant-based milk
I use almond or oat for a creamy sauce.
Nutritional yeast
Adds a lovely nutty flavour to the sauce, plus is a good source of nutrients for vegans. You can buy nutritional yeast that is fortified with vitamin B12 for example.
Onion powder
For flavour.
Tapioca starch, or cornflour
To thicken the sauce.
Salt and pepper
For seasoning.
Is it essential to roast the cauliflower?
You could make this dish quicker by boiling or steaming the cauliflower florets instead. However, I highly recommend that you try roasting your cauliflower, both for this dish and others. It really makes cauliflower taste its absolute best.
Equipment
You will need a blender or food processor for this recipe. It is possible to make this with a hand held blender but it might not be as smooth.
You will also need a knife and chopping board, measuring spoons and a saucepan.
Make in advance
This is a good recipe to make in advance or to double up and freeze a portion.
To store it, allow to cool completely then transfer to an airtight container. Keep in the fridge for 2-3 days.
The sauce will thicken in the fridge. If it’s too thick simply whisk in a little extra milk while reheating until you have the consistency you want.
Freezer friendly
Yes. Allow to cool and then place in a freezer box or bag, labelling with the name or date.
Defrost in the fridge overnight and then reheat until piping hot. As mentioned above, if it’s thickened while frozen whisk in a little extra milk while reheating.
Troubleshooting
Why is my sauce watery?
It could be that your cauliflower was smaller than mine, or that you added more milk.
To get the sauce to thicken whisk in a little extra tapioca flour (or cornflour) while reheating until it starts to thicken.
Serving suggestions
- with pasta for a healthier version of macaroni cheese
- with spaghetti for a vegan carbonara (ish)
- on top of pizza for a healthy white pizza
More cauliflower recipes you might like
- Cashew and cauliflower alfredo
- Cauliflower falafel
- Cauliflower tots
- Lentil and cauliflower pasta sauce
- Potato and cauliflower pakoras
Or you might like this butternut squash mac and cheese.
Pin cauliflower sauce for later
How to make cauliflower sauce
If you've made this recipe please a leave a star rating and comment below. Thank you
Cauliflower sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 250 ml oat milk or other non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoons tapioca starch or cornflour
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6.
- Break the cauliflower into florets. Place in a roasting tin and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, then stir and replace in the oven for a further 10-20 minutes until cooked through and turning golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- When cool place in a blender or food processor with 250ml dairy free milk, 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon of onion powder and a teaspoon of tapioca starch (or cornflour). Season with a little salt and pepper.
- Blend until smooth. You may need to stop to scrape the sides down.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Transfer to a saucepan and reheat, stirring often. The sauce will thicken as you reheat it.
- Serve with pasta or as an alternative pizza sauce.
Nutrition
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