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baking dish with mac n cheese with a portion taken out to show the creamy pasta filling. Decorated with fresh thyme.

Ham and Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Robyn
This creamy cauliflower mac and cheese with ham and a crispy panko topping is the ultimate comforting dinner that the whole family will love.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course dinner
Cuisine American, modern european
Servings 4 people - generously
Calories 911 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 800g (1¾ lb) cauliflower (roughly 1 large cauliflower)
  • 300g (10½ oz) macaroni
  • 40g (1½ oz) butter
  • 40g (¼ c) plain flour
  • 700 ml milk
  • 2 tablespoons fresh thyme optional, finely chopped
  • splash Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Djion Mustard
  • 2 spring onions finely sliced
  • 150g (5oz) ham (3 slices) shredded
  • 150g (5oz) cheddar cheese grated

Panko Topping:

  • 40 g (⅔ c) panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 50g (1¾ oz) parmesan cheese finely grated

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180˚C fan/ 356˚F convection.
  • Cook the macaroni in a large pan of boiling water according to instructions on the packet, less 1 minute.
  • Cut the cauliflower in to florets and finely chop the stalks. Add the cauliflower to the macaroni 8 minutes before macaroni is ready.
  • Meanwhile make the sauce.

To make the cheese and ham sauce:

  • In a medium saucepan melt the butter, then add the flour and mix well. Cook, stirring for a minute before slowly stirring in the milk, a little at a time, and cook over a gentle heat for 5 minutes.
  • Add the thyme, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, spring onions, ham and then the cheese and season with black pepper.
  • Drain the pasta and cauliflower and mix into the sauce.
  • Pour into a 20cm x 26cm (7.5" x 10") baking dish.
  • Mix the breadcrumbs with the olive oil and parmesan cheese and sprinkle over the pasta.
  • Put in oven and bake for 30 minutes, until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Notes

Serving Size: The nutrition is based on this serving four people. The servings are generous so, especially serving to kids too, you are likely to serve 6 people.
Vegetarian: Leave out the ham and check your parmesan cheese is suitable for vegetarians.
Panko breadcrumbs: these light and crispy breadcrumbs make the topping super crispy when baked with olive oil, but you can use homemade breadcrumbs (see FAQ in post for how to make them) instead.
Pasta - macaroni, but you can also make this a pasta bake and substitute penne, rigatoni, pasta bows, whatever pasta shapes you have in your kitchen! Cook the pasta according to the packet instructions.
Ham - I like to use ham from the butchers rather than wafer thin ham. But this bake would be a great way to use up leftover cooked ham. You can also make this macaroni cheese with bacon: roughly chop and fry in little oil until golden. Drain on kitchen paper then add to the sauce when the recipe says to add the ham.
Cauliflower - this recipe works with leftover cooked cauliflower too .
Mustard - adds a background flavour and brings out the cheese flavour. You can't taste the mustard! I make this mac n cheese with both dijon mustard and wholegrain mustard.
Cheddar cheese - I often use tasty cheddar for the sauce, but you can use vintage cheddar for a stronger cheese flavour.
Parmesan cheese - I find using parmesan in the panko topping makes it stay crispy, but you can use cheddar if you don't mind the topping not being as crisp, or leave it out altogether.

Nutrition

Calories: 911kcalCarbohydrates: 91gProtein: 44gFat: 42gSaturated Fat: 22gCholesterol: 110mgSodium: 1178mgPotassium: 1220mgFiber: 8gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1233IUVitamin C: 103mgCalcium: 715mgIron: 4mg
Keyword cauliflower bake, macaroni cheese, pasta bake

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