Pasta With Cauliflower Recipe (2024)

This is ok, but if you ROAST the cauliflower before cooking this you get a very pleasant nutty flavor...get it nice and brown!!

Toasted some dry panko in a little olive oil in a skillet first. Added a little lemon zest. Used about a 1/3 of a lb of pasta, to make it more veg than pasta. Delicious and easy. Will make again.

The addition of black, oil-cured olives, a sprinkling of
red pepper flakes and a few anchovies takes this recipe to another level of taste. You can find it in Lorenza De Medici's
The Renaissance of Italian Cooking.

I just used this as a jumping off point for my dish. I did the cauliflower like the recipe said. In the meantime I sautéed some mushrooms then added the cauliflower to that . Let that cook until the cauliflower was browned. Next I added some cherry tomatoes that I wanted to use up as well. Toward the end I found half a can of tomatoes so I chopped those up, threw in some white wine and black olives. Topped with fresh parsley and Parm .

I have made this for years, without even getting the recipe from Marcella. I often add other vegetables, and sometimes roast the cauliflower instead. Lemon is a great touch, white wine, and sometimes a dollop of dijon.

My mom used short pasta (such as ditalini or small shells) and added enough water or chicken soup to create a thick minestra. After ladling this into bowls, parmesan was sprinkled heavily along with freshly ground black pepper. This dish was considered part of her cucina povera repertoire, but the memories of those dishes have lasted over 65 years.

Simple and delicious. I sliced my garlic rather than chopping it, and added lemon zest as Carole suggested. I stirred in a pat of butter at the end, before adding the bread crumbs.

I find this recipe to be much better if you roast the cauliflower with olive oil and garlic first and then toss it with the pasta.

This is an old Italian dish. So glad I found this recipe. Saved 2cups of cauliflower water as it has a tendency to be dry and used seasoned Italian breadcrumbs at the end and a sprinkle of red pepper flakes for a little flavor. Extremely good and healthy

This recipe works better than another NYT recipe (I didn't date it, darn), Rigatoni and Cauliflower al forno. That recipe turns out too dry for my taste. I love cauliflower but also more like veg than pasta!

Melt a few anchovies into the olive oil and garlic, and then toss in red pepper flakes to taste before adding the cauliflower to the pan. The anchovies practically disappear, but they add some richness to the dish. Toast the breadcrumbs in olive oil and sprinkle on after plating to keep them crunchy.

I add some red pepper flakes to the oil and some chopped black olives (and one anchovy filet if you'd like) before sautéing the cauliflower.

Not bad, but VERY bland.
Lemon zest is an excellent suggestion.
But something sharp would help - add chilli flakes when cooking the garlic?
Also something green? parsley?

It tastes even better with the addition of lemon zest and juice, and anchovy.

I added lemon juice and bacon to this dish for extra depth of flavor, and, by cutting this recipe in half, it makes a perfect meal for two.

Very tasty. Added handful cut-up tomatoes, some cut up sugar snap peas. Toasted breadcrumbs in pan.

Anchovies in original Hazan recipe really make the dish....they're smashes and mashed and so so delish!

Okay so I should have read all the notes first. Husband has stage 3 kidney disease so always looking for great dishes that fit his dietary profile. I toasted the white breadcrumbs in EVOO. Roasted the blanched cauliflowers in EVOO To get some color. Added the penne, crushed red pepper, the pasta water, the breadcrumbs. Added some parm. He has to watch his sodium so no salt. It was ok…a bit dry…added salt to mine otherwise extremely bland. I really want to love this dish so will make again.

Loved this. Found a gorgeous head of cauliflower at my local farm. Used 3 tablespoons of olive oil, 3/4 cup whole wheat and half the amount of whole wheat pasta ( 8 Oz) and Parmesan. Fast easy. Does not need more pasta because the cauliflower is quite bland.

Fancied this up with the addition of anchovies, sausage, onion, cilantro, parsley, parmesan, and a little yuzu juice at the end to brighten it up and fresh tomatoes on top.

I liked this dish, not quite like mom used to make, but it was close. I added grated parmigiana, makes it more creamy, and crushed red pepper flakes, it needs some bite! I also added some fresh basil. All in all nice! I see some people here roasted their cauliflower first, I think that’s a great idea, I’ll try that next time!

I had to post this immediately following the second cooking of this dish. The first time I roasted the cauliflower in the oven, the second time I boiled it. I’m a huge cauliflower fan, and this dish is good both ways. However, for two reasons, I preferred it with the roasted cauliflower: first because the flavour is just better with it roasted and second because the colour of the dish is so much better with some darkness to it. The boiled dish looks more bland and one-coloured. Yummy dish!

I’ve made the basic broccoli pasta many times (similar and tasty, but yeah… basic). Raided the pantry for this one, I didn’t have enough cauliflower, so added some baby turnip greens. Sautéed the garlic in bacon fat and added the boiled cauliflower and greens before the pasta and pasta water. Massaged lemon zest into the bread crumbs along with some chili pepper flakes to add at the end. YUM. Easy and delish weeknight meal.

Mods I'm glad I made - Squeezed a lemon into the cauli before adding the pasta, added about 1/4 c parmesan with the pasta and tossed until it became a sauce, added pickled onions at the end for some additional acid. I toasted the panko with herbs as well. I feel like it would have been pretty bland otherwise. A good template for a quick pantry meal though, and I'd make it again.

The cauliflower is good by itself, or with the pasta.

This needs at least three times the amount of garlic called for. A dash or two of red pepper flakes will help as well. Too bland without.

Made this with some changes based on comments & our favorite kale salad with lemon and almonds and parm. I used a whole head of cauliflower, about 1/3 lb GF pasta (farfalle!). Finished with a shake of red chili pepper, 1T of Otolenghi’s fake preserved lemon, 1/2 t mustard, 1/2 c toasted slivered almonds, chopped, and 1/4 c GF bread crumbs. Family of picky eaters finished the whole thing.

Others have mentioned roasting, but a quick blanch and in toss in a hot skillet with some olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes adds some interest and keeps the prep time quick.

Add red pepper flakes, and substitute toasted hemp seeds for the breadcrumbs

Roasted the cauliflower instead of boiling it. And added sausage. Very yummy and perfect for a weeknight dinner.