Description
Crispy roasted cauliflower with creamy pesto pasta delivers Mediterranean-inspired comfort in one delightful dish. Herbal pesto mingles with golden cauliflower, creating a satisfying meal you’ll crave again and again.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
- 1 lb (454 g) pasta, any variety
- 1 ½ cups fresh basil
- ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup baby arugula, spinach, or a mix
- 3–4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 2 tsps smoked paprika
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast
- 2 tbsps lemon juice
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- ¼–⅓ cup canned full-fat coconut milk (or cream/milk of choice)
- ¼ cup toasted nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, or pistachios)
- ½ tsp red pepper flakes
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 pinch black pepper
- 1 jalapeño, seeded (optional)
Instructions
- Roasting Preparation: Preheat oven to 425°F with rack centered, ensuring optimal heat distribution for crispy cauliflower transformation.
- Cauliflower Seasoning: Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil, smoky spices, and seasoning, creating a uniform, flavorful coating on a spacious baking sheet.
- Flavor Intensification: Roast cauliflower for 20-25 minutes, sprinkling minced garlic and citrus zest midway to caramelize and enhance depth of flavor, developing golden-brown crispy edges.
- Pesto Creation: Blend basil leaves, pine nuts, garlic, parmesan, lemon juice, and olive oil until smooth, creating a vibrant and aromatic sauce with rich, complex undertones.
- Pasta Preparation: Cook pasta in generously salted boiling water until al dente, reserving starchy cooking liquid for sauce consistency.
- Sauce Assembly: Return pasta to warm pot, incorporating pesto, coconut milk, and reserved pasta water, gently folding to achieve a creamy, luxurious coating.
- Final Presentation: Plate pasta, top with roasted cauliflower, garnish with fresh herbs, creating a visually stunning and flavor-packed culinary masterpiece.
Notes
- Maximize Crispiness: Ensure cauliflower pieces are thoroughly dry before roasting to achieve golden, crunchy edges.
- Pasta Water Magic: Reserve starchy cooking liquid as a secret weapon for creating perfectly creamy, well-emulsified sauce.
- Flavor Layering: Caramelize garlic and citrus zest midway through roasting to intensify depth and complexity of taste.
- Sauce Consistency Control: Gradually add reserved pasta water to achieve ideal sauce texture, preventing it from becoming too thick or thin.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Lunch, Dinner, Appetizer
- Method: Roasting
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 250 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 18 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 55 g
- Fiber: 5 g
- Protein: 12 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg