Servings
Font
Back
5.0 from 3 votes

Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Crispy Onions and Breadcrumbs

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!

Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
40 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 450 kcal
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

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

    Cup of Yum
  1. 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).
  2. 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.
  3. 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).
  4. 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!).
  5. 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.

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

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

% 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.