My keto cauliflower broccoli bake is perfect for anyone with a macaroni cheese craving! Roasted cauliflower and broccoli florets, crispy bacon and a suuuper creamy cheese sauce... this easy recipe is low carb comfort food at its best.

A broccoli and cauliflower casserole topped with melted cheese.

If you're looking for a low carb replacement for macaroni cheese, you have come to the right place!

I am fully aware this recipe does NOT contain pasta. But it really is the next best thing! With its gooey, creamy cheese sauce and topped with MORE melted stringy cheese this dish is absolutely swoon-worthy...let me tell you, you'll want seconds! So, while we could call this recipe simply "cheesy cauliflower and broccoli casserole", I think it deserves the "Keto mac n cheese" name tag 😉

Also try my easy broccoli salad!

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Cauliflower - A Versatile Vegetable
Instructions
Variations
Serve With
More Keto Comfort Food Recipes
Recipe

Cauliflower - A Versatile Vegetable

Cauliflower seems to be one of the cornerstones of low carb cooking. You can use it to make "fauxtato" mash like I did in my low carb fish pie or enjoy it as a rice replacement like in my cauliflower egg fried rice. I've even seen people bake cakes with it - but you could argue that may be taking things a little too far!

So, while cauliflower may not exactly LOOK like macaroni, with its neutral taste (if it's fresh!!) and soft texture it is a good stand-in for macaroni - especially when it's smothered in yummy cheese sauce.

Instructions

Here is how to make a super easy, crazy delicious Keto broccoli and cauliflower bake.

Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed method with amounts, oven timings and nutrition info.

cauliflower and broccoli florets on a baking tray

STEP 1

Place the cauliflower and broccoli florets on a non stick baking tray and toss with olive oil and salt. Roast in the oven to soften.

cauliflower and broccoli florets and bacon pieces on a bakingsheet

STEP 2

Add the chopped bacon and continue baking until cooked and the broccoli is slightly crisp.

STEP 3

While the veggies are in the oven, fry the garlic in butter over medium heat. Cook until the garlic starts to become fragrant/

whisking cheese sauce in a pot with a whisk

STEP 4

Add the cream, mozzarella, cream cheese and half of the cheddar cheese. Stir until melted using a hand whisk and then simmer on a low heat until fully melted.

broccoli and cauliflower florets topped with cheese sauce

STEP 5

Pour all that cheesy goodness over the roasted veggies....

cauliflower and broccoli florets topped with cheese sauce and shredded cheese before baking

STEP 6

... and top with the remaining shredded mozzarella and cheddar! Bake in the until the cheese is bubbling and slightly golden on top. Before serving, sprinkle the lot with cracked black pepper and freshly chopped chives.

Katrin's Top Tips

If you wish to have a thinner sauce, stir through 2 - 4 tablespoons of almond milk (or even water) until the cheese sauce is to your desired thickness.

Also optional: Season the sauce with salt & pepper (keep in mind the bacon is salty).

I think roasting the cauliflower and broccoli is absolutely essential to the recipe. Not only does it give the veggies a nuttier taste and better texture, you also avoid smelling out your kitchen. Boiled cauliflower can taste dull and watery - I avoid boiling it unless I want to use it in cauliflower mash, when I mix it with sour cream, cheese and spices.

Variations

The broccoli in the recipe is optional. If you are not a broccoli person, by all means, replace it with more cauliflower. I think the two make a good pair and enjoy the different tastes and a glimpse of green here and there.

Did you notice I sneaked in some crispy bacon? Everything tastes better with a sprinkling of crispy salty bacon! It's optional, of course. You can make this Keto mac and cheese vegetarian by simply leaving out the bacon. In this case, definitely add additional salt to the sauce.

keto mac and cheese in a casserole dish with a wooden spoon

If you're looking for a twist, you could season the sauce with grated nutmeg - it works exceedingly well with cauliflower and cheese sauces.

Serve With

We love to serve this as a side with roasted meat or these airfryer chicken meatballs, but I'm known to devour it as a main course for lunch, too!

More Keto Comfort Food Recipes

If you love cauliflower, you could also try this crispy version! My Cauliflower Popcorn is getting lots of great reviews. Or head over to my post about broccoli fritters. They are kid-approved and so good.