Slow Cooker Keto Cauliflower "Mac" And Cheese Recipe

The keto diet has become a common topic among health-minded people and a popular way to eat. Since the diet centers mostly around protein and discourages carbohydrate consumption, you may think that comfort foods are a thing of the past. But this slow cooker keto cauliflower mac and cheese will check all the comfort boxes and keep you on track with your eating plan. 

This version skips the pasta, subs in cauliflower, a cruciferous superfood, and pairs it with sharp and salty cheese, rich butter, and tangy cream cheese. With potent spices like dry mustard and paprika, as well as garlic and onion granules, this simple recipe has layers of flavor to go with the satisfying cheesy texture. The cauliflower softens as it cooks, giving you a pasta-like consistency that blends with the melted cheese mixture to perfectly recreate your favorite mac and cheese in keto form.

Recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "I love subbing in vegetables whenever possible when I cook. Because cauliflower has a neutral flavor that takes on a little nuttiness as it cooks it's a great option for mimicking other things." Pull out the slow cooker and get ready for an easy weeknight meal coming your way.

To make this recipe, you'll start by picking up a large cauliflower. While you're in the produce department also grab some chives. If you want to garnish your mac and cheese with additional fresh herbs, parsley is a good option.

Then head to the dairy aisle and get cream cheese, heavy cream, butter, and shredded cheddar cheese. You can easily make this recipe vegan by using dairy-free cream cheese, unsweetened coconut milk, and dairy-free butter and cheese.

You might have the remaining ingredients in your spice cabinet. Check for salt, garlic granules, dry mustard, onion granules, and paprika. If you want a smoky flavor, you can use smoked paprika.

Chop the cauliflower into small florets.

In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, cream, salt, garlic granules, dry mustard, onion granules, and paprika.

Add the cauliflower to the slow cooker.

Add the cream cheese mixture, butter, and cheese. Stir.

Cover and cook for 2 ½ hours on high or 5 hours on low.

Top with chopped chives and/or optional parsley and serve.

The ketogenic diet was designed in the 1920s to prevent seizures in epileptics. The principles of the diet are focused on the consumption of high-fat and low-carbohydrate foods in order to promote ketosis, a state that greatly reduces the likelihood of seizures. It has become a popular diet for those interested in losing weight because if the body is in a state of ketosis, it will burn fat for energy instead of carbohydrates.

This recipe fits into the guidelines of a keto diet in a variety of ways. The main reason is that we have substituted cauliflower for high-carb pasta. Because the keto diet also requires a high fat intake, items like cream cheese, butter, and cream fit the bill. These items make especially good keto choices because they are low in carbohydrates in addition to being high in fat.

Lastly, keto foods often call for a variety of spices to boost flavor without adding any additional carbs. The salt, garlic granules, dry mustard, onion granules, and paprika deliver lots of flavor without any detriment to the keto diet standards.

There are many ways to customize this keto mac and cheese. To increase the nutritional content, you can incorporate a variety of vegetables. Chopped broccoli, sliced mushrooms, or diced red peppers can be added to the slow cooker when you add the cauliflower. You can also add more fresh herbs along with the chives: Chopped basil, thyme, or cilantro all work well in this recipe.

If you like spicy food, you can add in diced jalapeño, serrano peppers, or another type of chile pepper with the cauliflower. They will soften as they cook and add great flavor. Tossing in a small can of diced green chilis is an easy way to make the mac and cheese spicier. Choose mild, medium, or hot to suit your preference. For a simpler way to add heat, sprinkle in red chili flakes or cayenne pepper when you add the other spices.

You can also add a crispy topping to the mac and cheese. When it is done cooking in the slow cooker, transfer it to a baking dish and top with ground flax seeds or chopped nuts. Then bake in the oven at 350 F for about 10-15 minutes until the toppings have browned. At this time, you can also add more cheese.