I think the thing that surprised me most about this absolutely decadent tasting recipe is the fact that it has NO cheese. Which is SO unlike me when it comes to pasta. In fact, this roasted cauliflower pasta is completely vegan! Not to mention it’s inexpensive to make. The crispy roasted breadcrumbs kind of take the place of what normally would be a sprinkling of parmesan. They add a salty, umami-esque flavor, especially since they are roasted alongside the onions and garlic. They absorb all those flavors, as well as turn a gorgeous golden-brown color and crisp to perfection from soaking up some of the onion and garlic infused olive oil as it roasts. Of course, you can add parmesan if you want to! You know I’m all about making recipes whatever you want them to be. Let’s turn a head of cauliflower into something gorgeous and delicious, shall we? Roasted cauliflower pasta, here we go!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Cauliflower Florets – I used fresh, but frozen will likely work without any special accommodations. And honestly, you can use a variety of different veggies here with the same method. Broccoli is the obvious substitution (or a mix!), but asparagus, cubed butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, or any other veggie that roasts well will work here. Sweet onion – this will give a nice sweet flavor and crisp up and brown beautifully, but a white or yellow onion will also work. Garlic Panko breadcrumbs – regular will work in a pinch but panko are preferred. Pasta – any medium or long noodle-shaped kind you want; I used Campanelle. Capers – substitute with chopped green olives if you like. Lemon juice Fresh parsley – leave it out if you don’t have any or use basil instead. Pantry staples: Extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper, and (optionally) crushed red pepper.
How to make Roasted Cauliflower Pasta
First, you’ll roast the cauliflower, along with the onions and garlic, tossed with olive oil, salt, and pepper (and crushed red pepper if you like some spice!). Halfway through the roasting, you’ll sprinkle it with breadcrumbs and return to the oven until it’s all done and the breadcrumbs are nice and crispy. Toss cooked pasta with lemon juice, capers, parsley, olive oil, and a little bit of the pasta cooking water. When the cauliflower is done roasting, add all of it to the bowl with the pasta and mix everything together. That’s it! Please scroll to the bottom of the post for the full recipe including ingredient amounts and detailed instructions.
Tips and Tricks
Do NOT overcrowd the sheet pan. A crowded sheet pan may yield vegetables that aren’t able to release their steam as effectively, causing them to be soggy. I mean, it won’t be bad if you do this, but if you want your onions to be gorgeously browned and crispy, the cauliflower to roast well without overcooking, and the breadcrumbs to be as crispy as possible, make sure you leave a little space between everything. Instead, use two sheet pans if you have a surplus of veggies or save some of the prepped veggies for something else! Leftovers are delicious, but the breadcrumbs won’t be crispy anymore. Just keep that in mind if you’re planning on leftovers! Play around with different veggies! This roasted cauliflower pasta recipe will work with basically any veggie that roasts well. Personally, I can’t wait to try it with butternut squash in the fall and asparagus in the spring.
Can I make this Roasted Cauliflower Pasta gluten-free?
Absolutely! Use a gluten-free pasta (I love Banza chickpea pasta, especially because this will also add protein), and gluten-free breadcrumbs. As an alternative to breadcrumbs, you can use parmesan cheese, which will also get nice and crispy when roasted with the veggies.
How can I prep the cauliflower without making a huge mess?
This is my favorite way to prep cauliflower and broccoli. And feel free to buy cauliflower florets already cut – fresh or frozen should both work for this! Do keep in mind pre-cut veggies are often varied in size, which may mean they won’t roast as evenly. I prefer prepping myself for this reason.
Other easy cauliflower recipes
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