Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Crispy Onions and Breadcrumbs
User Reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
-
Prep Time
10 mins
-
Cook Time
10 mins
-
Total Time
40 mins
-
Servings
4 servings
-
Calories
450 kcal
-
Course
Main Course
-
Cuisine
American
Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Crispy Onions and Breadcrumbs
Report
This Roasted Cauliflower Pasta recipe features cauliflower, roasted alongside onions, garlic, and breadcrumbs, which all become super crispy and caramelized, tossed with warm pasta, capers, lemon juice, olive oil, and parsley. The cauliflower can be substituted with another veggie that roasts well - try asparagus in the spring or butternut squash in the fall!
Share:
Ingredients
For the roasted cauliflower
- 4 cups cauliflower florets from about 1 medium head, cut into smallish pieces
- 1 medium sweet onion quartered and thinly sliced
- 2-4 cloves garlic roughly chopped or slivered, see notes
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil more if needed
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- crushed red pepper flakes optional, to taste for personal preference
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
For the pasta
- 8 oz. dry pasta any kind you like, I used Campanelle
- kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon capers
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice from about 1 large lemon
- 2 tabespoons chopped fresh parsley plus more for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. On a rimmed baking sheet, add the 4 cups cauliflower florets, sliced 1 medium sweet onion, chopped 2-4 cloves garlic, 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes, if using. Toss together to coat everything well (use a bit more olive oil if it seems dry or to personal preference), spread out evenly, and roast for about 20 minutes, or until veggies start to brown and soften (see notes).
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and toss veggies to flip around and redistribute, spread out evenly on the pan. Sprinkle the top with the 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs and place back into the oven, roasting for another 10 minutes or so, or until breadcrumbs are golden and veggies have browned and softened.
- While cauliflower is roasting, cook the 8 oz. dry pasta until al dente according to package directions in heavily salted water (I usually use about 2 tablespoons of kosher salt when I cook dry pasta).
- Use a slotted spoon or tongs to transfer the cooked pasta directly into a large mixing bowl along with 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 1 tablespoon capers, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, and 2 tabespoons chopped fresh parsley. If it all seems a bit dry, you can add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta cooking water (not too much - you don't want it to be too watery so the breadcrumbs don't get soggy!).
- Once cauliflower is done roasting, remove from the oven and toss with the pasta mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Serve garnished with more parsley and red pepper flakes, a drizzle of olive oil, and fresh cracked black pepper, if desired.
Equipments used:
Notes
- Be sure not to cut the garlic into too small pieces. Mincing the garlic in this case, for example, may cause the garlic pieces to burn while roasting, which will impart a bitter taste into the whole dish. Better to chop the garlic roughly or sliver the cloves so they hold up when roasting.
- Cutting the cauliflower into florets is easy, and here's a tutorial on how to cut cauliflower into florets without making a huge mess (and broccoli too!). I like to prep it as soon as I buy it and put it into a container so it's all cut, washed, and ready to go when I want to cook. To save time, you can buy pre-cut cauliflower florets, but do be careful with these as they won't be as uniform in size and you may need cut some down so they all roast evenly, and/or adjust the cooking time to allow for larger sized pieces.
- Do not crowd the baking sheet. Depending on how crowded the baking sheet is (if you use a larger head of cauliflower and a larger onion, for example), the cauliflower may not cook as well (it will steam if too close together) and take much longer, and the onions won't get as crispy and browned. I recommend using two baking sheets if you seem to have a surplus of veggies rather than crowding one.
- To make this gluten-free, use a gluten-free pasta and gluten-free breadcrumbs. Another alternative to breadcrumbs is parmesan cheese, which will get crispy as it bakes in the oven.
- To make this higher in protein, I recommend a chickpea pasta such as Banza. You could also add canned chickpeas to this (I recommend draining, rinsing, and adding to the boiling water when you add the pasta. Alternatively, you can roast the chickpeas in the oven for a crunchier version!), small fresh mozzarella balls, or serve alongside chicken or shrimp.
- I recommend roasting the veggies directly on the baking sheet rather than lining with parchment paper, as the onions and breadcrumbs will crisp up better with direct contact with the metal. But if you want easier clean-up, feel free to use parchment paper!
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
450kcal
(23%)
Carbohydrates
66g
(22%)
Protein
12g
(24%)
Fat
16g
(25%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
Monounsaturated Fat
11g
Sodium
787mg
(33%)
Potassium
573mg
(16%)
Fiber
5g
(20%)
Sugar
9g
(18%)
Vitamin A
47IU
(1%)
Vitamin C
56mg
(62%)
Calcium
84mg
(8%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 450 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 450kcal | 23% |
| Carbohydrates | 66g | 22% |
| Protein | 12g | 24% |
| Fat | 16g | 25% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Sodium | 787mg | 33% |
| Potassium | 573mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 5g | 20% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 47IU | 1% |
| Vitamin C | 56mg | 62% |
| Calcium | 84mg | 8% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
3 reviews
Excellent
Other Recipes
You'll Also Love
Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with Roasted Broccoli and Sun-Dried Tomatoes
American, Vegetarian
4.8
(24 reviews)
