How To Recreate Jamie Oliver Cauliflower Mac And Cheese Recipe At Home?

Wishing to give a makeover to the good old mac and cheese? 

Then, try out the Jamie Oliver Cauliflower Mac and Cheese recipe. With soft cauliflower florets and crispy breadcrumbs on top, Jamie Oliver gives a nutrient-dense twist to the classic mac and cheese recipe. 

Excited to know more? Then, let’s jump into the recipe.. 

Jamie Oliver Cauliflower Mac And Cheese Copycat Recipe

Jamie Oliver Cauliflower Mac And Cheese Recipe

Here are the detailed instructions to make Jamie Oliver’s Cauliflower Mac and Cheese at home. 

What Are The Ingredients Required For Jamie Oliver Cauliflower Mac And Cheese Recipe?

  • 1 small head of cauliflower (600g)
  • 450g dried pasta
  • 100g stale bread
  • 100g mixed cheese, such as Cheddar, Parmesan, feta, halloumi
  • ½ a bulb of fennel
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • Few sprigs of fresh herbs, such as thyme or oregano
  • 1 leek
  • 1 tablespoon plain flour
  • 15g unsalted butter
  • 1 stick of celery
  • 1 teaspoon English mustard
  • 500ml semi-skimmed milk
  • Olive oil

How To Make Jamie Oliver Cauliflower Mac And Cheese At Home?

Let’s prepare the oven by preheating it to 180ºC.

Take a large and shallow casserole that’s ovenproof. Put some butter in it and melt it on medium heat. Take the leeks and wash them thoroughly. Cut them in half and slice them into fine slices. Add them to the pan and stir them in butter for a few minutes. Now, take some of the chopped celery and add it to the same pan to sauté. Add in the fennel, and stir everything together for a few minutes. 

Take the cauliflower and wash it thoroughly. Cut it into thick slices and slice the stalk into fine slices. Make sure to also use any of the nice leaves as well. Now, take a pan and add the cauliflower stalk along with the leaves to it. Cook them in it until soft, and it will take approximately 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, take a larger pot and fill it with water. Bring that water to a boil and add pasta to it along with a generous pinch of salt. Cook it until al dente and drain it. Reserve some of the starchy pasta water. Put the cooked pasta and cooked cauliflower florets into a baking dish.

 Into a veg pan, add some flour and stir it for 30 seconds. Now, slowly pour the milk into the same pan and continuously stir the mixture. Now add 500 ml of water and let the mixture simmer for 5 minutes. While it’s still simmering, add the mustard along with the basic seasonings. Let the mixture cook more until it gets thick like a sauce. When the mixture starts to get thick, add some of the coarsely grated cheese. Let the cheese melt, and when done, transfer the sauce into a hand blender. Blend it until it gets smooth, and pour it over the pasta and sliced cauliflower, along with some of the reserved pasta water to adjust the consistency of the sauce. 

Add the stale bread into the food processor and grind it into crumbs. Take some peeled garlic along with herbs and mix them with some olive oil.

Sprinkle the bread crumbs over the pasta and grate more cheese over it. Pop the pasta into the oven and bake for 30 minutes till the top is golden. 

You can also read How To Recreate Jamie Oliver Salmon Recipe At Home?

Conclusion 

With chunky and soft cauliflower florets, this Jamie Oliver Cauliflower Mac and Cheese recipe is not only healthy but also very filling. 

So, grab all the ingredients and head straight to the kitchen to try this recipe.