A relaxing and flavorful dish, this Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower Pasta is so satisfying–cheesy, crunchy, briny, and happily vegetarian! A perfect meal for self care.
Sometimes everyday romance equals self care. Preparing a meal in a relaxing way, enjoying a glass of wine, and then getting to dig in to something really flavorful and veggie packed just makes you feel good. There are lots of recipes where the meal comes together quickly, but you’re running around making a little of this, a little of that. This is not one of those recipes. Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower Pasta is as low stress as it comes!
I love a recipe like this where you throw the veggies in the oven to start. And then while it roasts, you get everything else ready. So when the veggies are done, so is everything else and you’re ready to eat. So simple!
I’ve been on a roasted broccoli kick recently–my family loves to munch on crispy broccoli florets, specifically my three year old. But I hadn’t made cauliflower in awhile. So when I saw some on sale at the grocery store, my wheels started spinning. I wanted something that really highlights the nuttiness of the cauliflower but is still really inviting for both vegetarians and meat lovers.
For me, this is all about the addition of roasted garlic and a boatload of parmesan cheese. So delicious. There’s actually a lot of little flavor components here. The capers definitely bring their briny-ness and the pine nuts bring their crunch. Oh, and then there’s the rosemary breadcrumbs. It’s not a ton of ingredients, but they’re all doing their part.
So yummy. This is the kind of meal that you’ll serve in utter calm–it was no sweat to make and you know it will be a huge hit. Even if you’re just serving it as a meal for 1.
Here’s how I make it!
How to make Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower Pasta
Start this dish by preparing your cauliflower and garlic. Spread the cauliflower florets and garlic cloves in their skins on your sheet pan. You want to make sure that your cauliflower is as dry as it can be. Try washing it well in advance to make sure it’s super dry. If you have to wash it right before you roast, do your best with paper towels to get it dry. The dryer the cauliflower, the easier it is to get it browned and crispy. If it’s wet, it will steam.
Douse the cauliflower with olive oil, salt and pepper, and a bit of red pepper flake. I like to use my hands to mix everything here to make sure the florets and the garlic are all equally oiled up. Then roast for 30 minutes at 425ºF, mixing the cauliflower once or twice while roasting.
After 30 minutes, remove the garlic from the pan and sprinkle a bit of parmesan on top of the cauliflower. Put it back in the over for another 5 minutes!
When then garlic cloves are cool enough to handle, take the skins off. You can just add them to the pasta like this, but I like to smoosh them to a paste. Then add that into your pasta dish at the end. I think it distributes the garlic flavor more evenly.
Meanwhile, cook your pasta and reserve about 3/4 cup pasta water.
In a separate bowl, mix butter, parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, pine nuts, and a sprinkle of salt. You can use toasted panko breadcrumbs, or do what I did and make your breadcrumbs from croutons. I found really fun rosemary croissant croutons at Trader Joes which were perfect for this. But any breadcrumb will do.
When the pasta and cauliflower are done, it’s time to mix everything together! Mix the pasta, butter mixture, cauliflower, garlic paste or cloves, and capers. Add in the pasta water for creaminess and taste for salt level. You’re ready to serve!
I like to think of this recipe as everyday romance for yourself–a relaxing time in the kitchen and a flavorful meal when you’re done! Pair it with a great movie or a fun book like First-Time Caller, and put up the do not disturb sign!
Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower Pasta
Course: DinnerDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes35
minutesA relaxing and flavorful dish, this Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower Pasta is so satisfying–cheesy, crunchy, briny, and happily vegetarian! A perfect meal for self care.
Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower (or 2 small heads), chopped into florets
6 garlic cloves, skin on
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp red pepper flake
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
1 lb short cut pasta
3 Tbsp butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 cup rosemary croutons
2 Tbsp capers
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425º F.
- On a sheet pan, combine the cauliflower, garlic cloves, olive oil, red pepper flake, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Spread everything out evenly on the pan.
- Roast for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Once the cauliflower is is crisp and browned, remove the garlic cloves from the pan. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese on top of the cauliflower. Put back in the oven for 5 minutes until cheese is melted.
- For the garlic cloves, remove the skins when they are cool enough to handle. Then, using the back of your knife on the cutting board, press firmly on the backs of the cloves to make a paste.
- Cook pasta according to package directions. Before draining, remove 3/4 cup of pasta water.
- While the pasta and cauliflower are cooking, place croutons in a plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, crush to create bread crumbs. Set aside a tablespoon of breadcrumbs to sprinkle on top of the pasta when you’re done. Then, in a large bowl combine the Parmesan cheese, butter, pine nuts. remaining bread crumbs, and a sprinkle of salt.
- When the pasta and cauliflower are cooked and ready, combine them in a serving bowl. Then add in the Parmesan butter, capers, garlic paste, and 1/4 cup of pasta water. Toss everything to combine. Add more pasta water if the pasta seems a bit dry. Serve with remaining breadcrumbs and a sprinkle of Parmesan on top. Enjoy!
Notes
- Lightly adapted from Bon Apetit
