Indulge in a culinary journey with our carefully curated collection of creamy pasta recipes featuring the versatile cauliflower. Whether you're a seasoned home cook or just starting out, our diverse selection of dishes promises to tantalize your taste buds and elevate your pasta game. From classic comfort food favorites to innovative gourmet creations, we've gathered a range of recipes that showcase the incredible versatility of cauliflower. Embark on a culinary adventure as we unveil a world of creamy pasta dishes that celebrate the unique flavors and textures of this cruciferous vegetable. Get ready to transform ordinary pasta into an extraordinary dining experience.
Let's cook with our recipes!
CREAMY PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER
This cauliflower pasta recipe was given to me by friends in Sweden. It is one of my husband's all-time favorite meals and is often requested by friends.
Provided by abraundmeier
Categories 100+ Everyday Cooking Recipes Vegetarian Main Dishes Pasta
Time 50m
Yield 8
Number Of Ingredients 8
Steps:
- Place cauliflower into a large pot of salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove cauliflower with a strainer, reserving the cooking water in the pot.
- Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower florets and red pepper flakes; saute until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Add heavy cream; cook until reduced by half, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Meanwhile, bring the cauliflower cooking water back to a boil. Add farfalle and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
- Add tomatoes to the cauliflower sauce; cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese to the cauliflower sauce; cook and stir until melted, about 1 minute more.
- Combine pasta and sauce; toss until well coated. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese to serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 789.8 calories, Carbohydrate 51.1 g, Cholesterol 202.3 mg, Fat 60 g, Fiber 4.3 g, Protein 15.7 g, SaturatedFat 36.7 g, Sodium 380.3 mg, Sugar 5.4 g
CREAMY CAULIFLOWER RIGATONI PASTA
Rigatoni pasta in a creamy cauliflower sauce served with crisp, golden garlic breadcrumbs is an easy, delicious vegetarian dinner recipe.
Provided by Alida Ryder
Categories Dinner
Time 35m
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- In a large, deep pan or skillet, add a few teaspoons of olive oil then add the onion.
- Sauté until soft and translucent then add the garlic, thyme and chilli flakes. Cook for another minute then add the chopped cauliflower.
- Sauté until the cauliflower starts to soften then pour in the stock or water.
- Season with salt and pepper then reduce the heat and partially cover with a lid. Allow the cauliflower to cook until completely soft.
- Pour in the cream, allow to simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
- In a frying pan set over medium high heat, melt the butter.
- Add the garlic and breadcrumbs then cook, tossing regularly, until the breadcrumbs are crisp and golden.
- Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
- Once boiling, add the rigatoni and cook for 9-11 minutes, or until al dente.
- Reserve 1 cup of cooking water then drain.
- Toss the pasta with the cauliflower sauce and add a splash of the cooking water, if necessary.
- Serve the creamy cauliflower rigatoni in bowls and top with the crispy breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 592 kcal, Carbohydrate 106 g, Protein 21 g, Fat 9 g, SaturatedFat 5 g, Cholesterol 22 mg, Sodium 72 mg, Fiber 7 g, Sugar 7 g, UnsaturatedFat 3 g, ServingSize 1 serving
CREAMY CAULIFLOWER ALFREDO
The key to a tasty fettuccine alfredo is a creamy sauce. By cooking and blending cauliflower to a smooth puree, you get the creamy mouthfeel of butter and cream without the high calories and fat.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 1h
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- 1. Put the cauliflower, broth, and 1 cup water in a small pot; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is very soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool 5 minutes. Carefully puree cauliflower and all the liquid in a blender until very smooth; set aside.
- 2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, 8 minutes. Drain well, reserving about 1 cup pasta cooking water.
- 3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cauliflower puree and evaporated milk and bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the peas until heated through, 2 minutes. Toss in the cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese and about 1/2 cup of pasta water until the noodles are coated but the sauce is still loose. Remove from the heat and toss in the butter, chopped parsley and lemon zest. (If the sauce seems thick, adjust the consistency with the remaining pasta water). Serve immediately sprinkled with chopped parsley.
PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER-PARMESAN BUTTER
A simple, vegetable-packed meal that will get dinner on the table quickly and make everyone in the family happy. Creamy butter is loaded with cauliflower and salty Parmesan cheese, then blended smooth, making it perfect for picky vegetable eaters.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Categories main-dish
Time 15m
Yield 4 servings, plus additional cauliflower-Parmesan butter (about 8 tablespoons)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside. Reserve the pot.
- Meanwhile, pulse the cauliflower, Parmesan, garlic, shallot, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a food processor, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped. Add the butter and continue to process, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until well combined.
- Melt 4 tablespoons of the cauliflower-Parmesan butter in the reserved pasta pot over medium heat. Add the pasta and stir until combined, thinning it out with the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed. Divide among plates and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Tightly wrap the remaining cauliflower-Parmesan butter in plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
CREAMY PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND HERBS
In this simple, springy pasta, milky ricotta thinned out with a little starchy pasta cooking water makes for a saucy, soupy dish that's seasoned with loads of black pepper and herbs. For the best flavor, use at least three different kinds of herbs, break out some nicer olive oil and look for fresh ricotta. Lemon lovers can grate in the zest of half a lemon as well.
Provided by Melissa Clark
Categories weekday, pastas, main course
Time 20m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
- In the same pot, make the sauce: Add ricotta, Parmesan, olive oil, pepper and a large pinch or two of salt, and stir until well combined.
- Add 1 cup pasta water to the sauce and stir until smooth. Add the pasta and herbs, and continue to stir vigorously until the noodles are well coated. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth, soupy sauce. Taste and add more salt if needed.
- To serve, spoon the pasta into bowls and finish with more Parmesan, olive oil and pepper.
CREAMY CAULIFLOWER PASTA WITH PECORINO BREAD CRUMBS
Equal parts cauliflower and pasta, this one-skillet dinner is a vegetable-forward version of macaroni and cheese. A whole head of cauliflower browns and caramelizes in a skillet before being simmered with heavy cream, pecorino cheese and a bit of lemon zest, breaking down into a special (and yes, decadent) sauce to coat the pasta shape of your choosing. For those looking to make it their own, this pasta could absolutely handle a bit of chopped bacon sautéed with the cauliflower, or handfuls of leafy greens tossed in at the end to wilt. Whatever you do, do not skip the bread crumbs - they are a not-so-stealthy vehicle for more cheese, and also add much-needed texture to the finished dish.
Provided by Alison Roman
Categories dinner, weekday, pastas, main course
Time 40m
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Bring a large pasta pot filled with salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente; drain and reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water.
- Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they're evenly toasted and golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add 1/4 cup pecorino and toss to coat, letting the cheese melt and clump among the bread crumbs (think granola-like clusters). Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl or plate; set aside.
- Wipe out the skillet and heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add shallot and cauliflower and season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the cauliflower has completely softened and both the cauliflower and shallots are beginning to caramelize and brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Add heavy cream and 1 tablespoon lemon zest and bring to a simmer, then let the cream reduce and thicken, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and plenty of pepper; if pasta is still cooking, remove from heat and set aside until pasta is ready.
- Return the skillet to medium heat and add the pasta to the cauliflower, along with the remaining 1/4 cup pecorino and 3/4 cup of the pasta water. Cook, tossing to coat the pasta and thicken the sauce until it's thick and glossy, and almost resembles macaroni and cheese, adding more pasta water by the tablespoon as needed, 4 to 6 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Divide pasta among bowls and top with pecorino bread crumbs, chives, more lemon zest, red-pepper flakes (if using) and more cheese if you like.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 775, UnsaturatedFat 26 grams, Carbohydrate 68 grams, Fat 49 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 20 grams, SaturatedFat 20 grams, Sodium 976 milligrams, Sugar 10 grams
PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER
This dish is derived from a Marcella Hazan recipe. It's dead simple, and the cauliflower can be precooked a day ahead or so. Or, the whole thing can be made at once: cook the cauliflower in water, scoop it out and then, later, cook the pasta in the same water. It's already boiling, and you want the taste of the cauliflower anyway, so why not? The cauliflower gets cooked more, in a skillet with toasted garlic, so don't boil it to death, although you do want it to be tender. And in the original Minimalist recipe, from 2000, bread crumbs were added to the skillet along with the cauliflower, but since some pasta water is usually added to the skillet to keep the mixture saucy, the bread crumbs become soggy. Better, then, to stir the bread crumbs in at the very end. They should be very coarse and ideally homemade, and if they're toasted in olive oil in a separate skillet before you toss them in, so much the better.
Provided by Mark Bittman
Categories dinner, easy, main course
Time 40m
Yield 3 or 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim the cauliflower and divide it into florets. Add about a tablespoon of salt to the water and boil cauliflower until it is tender but not mushy. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, remove the cauliflower and set it aside. When it is cool enough to handle, chop it roughly into small pieces.
- Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet over medium-low heat, sauté garlic in olive oil, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden. Start cooking pasta in same pot and same water as was used for the cauliflower.
- When the garlic is ready, add the cauliflower to skillet and turn heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally. When pasta is just about done - it should be 2 or 3 minutes short of the way you like it - drain it, reserving about a cup of cooking liquid.
- Add pasta to skillet containing the cauliflower, and toss with a large spoon until they are well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with just enough pasta water to keep the mixture moist but not soupy. When the mixture is hot and the pasta is tender and nicely glazed, mix in the bread crumbs.
Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 686, UnsaturatedFat 13 grams, Carbohydrate 112 grams, Fat 17 grams, Fiber 8 grams, Protein 21 grams, SaturatedFat 3 grams, Sodium 678 milligrams, Sugar 7 grams
Tips:
- Choose the right cauliflower: For the best results, select a head of cauliflower that is firm and white, with tightly closed florets. Avoid heads with any signs of bruising or discoloration.
- Steam the cauliflower correctly: Steaming the cauliflower is essential for achieving the perfect texture. Make sure to steam the cauliflower until it is tender but still has a slight bite to it. Overcooking will make the cauliflower mushy.
- Use a high-quality pasta: The type of pasta you use will make a big difference in the final dish. Choose a high-quality pasta that is made with durum wheat and has a good texture.
- Cook the pasta al dente: Cooking the pasta al dente is important for preventing it from becoming overcooked and mushy. Cook the pasta according to the package directions, but be sure to check it a few minutes before the recommended cooking time is up.
- Make the sauce creamy and flavorful: The sauce is what really brings this dish together. Use a good quality butter or olive oil, and add plenty of garlic, onion, and herbs. You can also add a splash of white wine or cream to make the sauce even more flavorful.
Conclusion:
This creamy pasta with cauliflower is a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a quick and healthy weeknight meal. The steamed cauliflower adds a nutritious and flavorful touch to the dish, while the creamy sauce and Parmesan cheese make it rich and satisfying. With a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time, you can create a delicious and satisfying meal that the whole family will love.
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