Vegetarian, Busy evenings
Pasta with roasted cauliflower and toasted breadcrumbs
Pasta with roasted cauliflower and toasted breadcrumbs is a vegetarian dish for 4 people, ready in 40 minutes, rated easy, at about €1.50 per serving. Roasting the cauliflower until its edges brown turns it sweet and nutty, while garlic breadcrumbs toasted in butter add the crunch that pulls the whole dish together.
A cauliflower roasted until it turns sweet, garlic, lemon, and breadcrumbs that actually crunch, pasta with real character.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Cost per person
- €1.50
- Calories per person
- 560 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
- Season
- Fall, Winter
The cauliflower goes into a hot oven until its edges turn golden, and that's the whole trick, it turns sweet and nutty instead of staying bland and watery. Garlic and lemon zest infuse the breadcrumbs as they toast in butter, and a squeeze of lemon juice wakes everything up once it's tossed with the pasta and Parmesan.
This is a meatless dinner that still has plenty of personality, perfect for a weeknight when you want something simple that doesn't taste like a compromise. It leans more toward adults and adventurous older kids, since the paprika and the deeply roasted cauliflower can be a bit much for younger palates.
The ingredients
Fruits and vegetables
- Cauliflower 1
- Garlic 3 cloves
- Lemon 1
- Parsley 1 sprigs
Pantry
- Short pastaoften in the pantry 350 g
- Breadcrumbsoften in the pantry 60 g
- Olive oiloften in the pantry 4 tbsp
- Sweet paprikaoften in the pantry 1 tsp
- Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
- Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch
Dairy
- Grated Parmesan 50 g
- Butter 30 g
Allergens Gluten, Lactose
The step by step recipe
-
Preheat the oven to 220°C. Cut the cauliflower into small florets and toss them with the olive oil, paprika, salt, and pepper.
Dry the florets well, a wet cauliflower steams instead of roasting.
-
Spread the florets in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. 25 min
Don't crowd the pan, or the florets won't brown.
-
Meanwhile, toast the breadcrumbs in the butter with the chopped garlic and a little lemon zest for 5 minutes. 5 min
Stir constantly, breadcrumbs go from golden to burnt in seconds.
-
Cook the pasta in salted water for 10 minutes, then drain it, keeping a little of the cooking water. 10 min
Save the pasta water, it helps bind the sauce without adding any cream.
-
Toss the pasta with the roasted cauliflower, lemon juice, and Parmesan, then scatter the breadcrumbs and parsley on top.
Add the breadcrumbs at the very last moment so they stay crisp.
Our tips to get it right
- Pick a firm, white cauliflower, firm florets roast much better than ones that have already gone soft.
- Grate the Parmesan yourself if you can, it melts into the hot pasta more smoothly than pre grated Parmesan.
- Taste before adding more salt, the Parmesan and breadcrumbs already bring plenty of it.
The variations
- Swap the cauliflower for broccoli cut into small florets, the roasting time stays the same.
- For a dairy free version, use olive oil instead of butter and skip the Parmesan or use a plant based alternative.
- For kids, leave out the paprika and add a bit more Parmesan, the flavor turns much milder.
What to serve it with
- A green salad with lemon dressing
- Crusty bread for mopping up sauce
- Sparkling water with lemon
Storage
Store leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in a skillet with a splash of water to loosen the sauce, though the breadcrumbs will lose some crunch. This dish doesn't freeze well, the texture of the pasta and breadcrumbs suffers too much.
Questions about this dish
Can you roast the cauliflower ahead of time?
Yes, you can roast it a few hours ahead and warm it in the oven for a few minutes before tossing it with the pasta. It will lose a little crunch but keep its nutty flavor.
What short pasta works best for this recipe?
Ridged shapes like fusilli or orecchiette hold onto the breadcrumbs and small cauliflower pieces well. Penne also works well here.
Why keep the pasta cooking water?
That water is full of starch and helps bind the lemon juice, oil, and Parmesan into a light sauce without any cream. A few spoonfuls are usually enough.
Can you use a different kind of breadcrumbs?
Panko breadcrumbs give an even crunchier result. Coarsely blitzed stale bread also works well in this recipe.
How long does it take to make a pasta with roasted cauliflower and golden breadcrumbs?
Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.
How many calories are in a pasta with roasted cauliflower and golden breadcrumbs?
About 560 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.
How much does a pasta with roasted cauliflower and golden breadcrumbs cost?
About €1.50 per serving, or €6.00 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.
What allergens does this recipe contain?
This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.
Busy evenings and family life
See all
Meat 
Fish 
Fish 
Vegetarian Cauliflower recipes
See all
Meat 
Vegetarian Whole roasted cauliflower with tahini sauce and bulgur
1 h Easy €2.30 / person
610 kcalcalculated by Kiloach
Vegetarian 
Vegetarian