Friends, it has been a busy summer, but I have not forgotten about you and your recipe needs! This roasted cauliflower and spinach pasta recipe is a simple one that I whipped up out of leftover ingredients in the fridge but I loved it so much that I though you all needed to have it here.
I wrote this recipe as a single serving because that is how I made it. It could easily be doubled or quadrupled to serve your whole family or to take to a cookout.
In the summer, I don’t usually turn on the oven much. I did roast the cauliflower but I would suggest roasting a big batch to use throughout the week (meal prep!) or you could pan sear or grill the cauliflower to add some smoky char!
For me, the sauce is what makes this pasta dish unforgettable. The technique is a classic one that you can repeat to make lots of delicious foods. Simply pan sear some garlic in butter, deglaze with white wine and let it reduce. Here I make it a little more saucy by adding some extra reserved pasta cooking liquid as well.
Variations to the Roasted Cauliflower and Spinach Pasta recipe:
- Greens: Swap in whatever you have in the fridge. I would suggest kale or chard or even arugula if you don’t have spinach. Other green vegetables would work as well, such as broccoli, asparagus, or zucchini.
- What kind of pasta? I love chickpea pasta here because it adds filling protein and fiber, and it is gluten free if that is a dietary need for you. Lentil pasta or whole wheat pasta are other great options. As for shape, any chunky pasta such as penne or bow ties will work. Casarecce is what I used in the pictures.
- Dairy Free: Swap the butter for refined coconut oil or olive oil and use nutritional yeast or pine nuts in place of the parmesan.
- 1 ½ cups cauliflower florets
- 1 tsp olive oil
- Pinch sea salt
- 2 oz pasta (I used chickpea pasta)
- 1 TBS butter
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- Pinch red pepper flake
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 1 TBS dry white wine
- 1 TBS grated parmesan
- 2 handfuls fresh spinach
- Lemon wedges and fresh cracked black pepper for serving
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Toss cauliflower with olive oil and sea salt. Spread out on a parchment lined baking sheet. Roast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until they start to brown and char.
- Meanwhile cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve ¼ cup of the pasta cooking liquid before draining.
- In a small skillet, melt butter and add minced garlic, red pepper flake, and salt. Saute over low heat stirring frequently until the garlic just starts to turn golden brown.
- Deglaze the pan with the white wine. Mix in the reserved cooking liquid and simmer until reduced in half.
- Mix in the parmesan, roasted cauliflower, cooked pasta, and fresh spinach. Toss to coat. You can either warm until the spinach is wilted and soft, or remove from heat and serve the spinach fresh.
- Serve with lemon wedges and fresh cracked black pepper.
I made this dairy free and used coconut oil in lieu of butter and it was delicious! Easy to make and pleased everyone in the house!
Sounds delicious! Thanks for letting us know you enjoyed it!