This Roasted Cauliflower Pasta is tossed with kale and toasted almonds and drizzled with a light and refreshing lemon, garlic and olive oil sauce. Sprinkled with freshly grated parmesan, this combination feels elevated, but don’t let it fool you. This recipe is surprisingly simple to make. It makes a great weeknight staple too.
In this recipe, the cauliflower is tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted until the edges start to caramelize and the crumbs turn into crispy bits of goodness. Everything else comes together nicely while the cauliflower roasts in the oven. Gluten free pasta is tossed with olive oil, lemon, garlic and parmesan which melt together creating a luxurious yet light sauce. Garnished with roasted kale and toasted almonds, this recipe is too good!
Roasted Cauliflower Pasta Ingredients
To make this recipe, you’ll need these simple ingredients:
Cauliflower
This recipe packs in an entire head of cauliflower. You can also substitute one large head for two small. The cauliflower roasts up beautifully and pairs incredibly well with this light pasta dish.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil helps the light, lemony sauce coat the pasta and infuse it with flavor.
Almonds
Roasted sliced almonds add texture and a subtle smokey flavor.
Kale
This roasted kale is tender and wilted, yet at the same time crispy at the edges.
Spaghetti
These days, if you’re gluten free, you have a ton of options to choose from. But given how many different types of gluten free pastas are out there, it’s kinda hard to know where to start. I think Jovial makes one of the best gluten free pastas with 100 percent organic brown rice flour.
Lemon
Fresh squeezed lemon juice adds a delicious brightness to this Roasted Cauliflower Pasta.
Garlic
Garlic lends a sharp, savory depth of flavor. Since the garlic remains raw, make sure to remove any green germs ala David Lebovitz.
Parmesan Cheese
Freshly grated parmesan cheese adds a subtle sharp, nutty flavor that intensifies with age.
Red Pepper Flakes
Red pepper flakes add the perfect amount of heat.
Roasted Cauliflower Pasta Recipe Tips
Keep the cauliflower florets small.
That way, they’ll roast evenly and integrate seamlessly into the pasta. This dish is best when you get tender, caramelized cauliflower and al dente pasta in every bite.
Roast the cauliflower until it’s browned.
If your timer goes off and the cauliflower hasn’t browned yet, keep roasting! The browning is crucial to the overall flavor of the pasta. It adds sweetness and nuttiness that you don’t want to miss out on. So take the time to let the cauliflower get nice and toasty in the oven. Trust me, it’ll be worth it!
Don’t forget to reserve some pasta water!
Pasta water is this recipe’s secret ingredient. It brings the olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice and garlic together into a light sauce. Although 1 cup of pasta water may seem a lot at first, don’t be afraid to use it (or at least most of it), though. It won’t make the pasta watery!
Why Gluten Free Pasta?
There is no doubt that this recipe would be delicious with regular pasta, but the fact that it tastes incredible with gluten free pasta is pretty telling. If you’re like me and concerned about your health, due to sensitivities or other conditions, then it is helpful to avoid as many triggers as possible. This includes certain foods and ingredients. Your body needs every possible level of support so it can heal and maintain optimal health. Unfortunately, gluten creates disruption and inflammation, especially in your intestinal tract and bowels.
I’m certainly not perfect, but I try to eat gluten free as much as possible. Fortunately, gluten free pastas have significantly improved across the board in both flavor and texture. One of my go to brands is Jovial (which I used for this recipe!).
This recipe is adapted from Cookie and Kate’s Love Real Food cookbook. If you love this recipe, try one of these pasta recipes next: Gluten Free Capellini with Sautéed Garlic and Sun Gold Tomatoes or Creamy Spaghetti Al Pomodoro.
Roasted Cauliflower Pasta
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower, chopped into bite size florets
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cup sliced almonds
1 medium bunch lacinato kale
12 ounces gluten free spaghetti
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 medium or large clove of garlic, pressed or minced
¾ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Pour the almonds onto the first baking sheet. On the second baking sheet, toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper.
3. Place both baking sheets in the oven with the almonds on the upper rack. Toast the almonds until they are fragrant and golden, approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a bowl to cool and keep the baking sheet for the kale.
4. Roast the cauliflower until the florets are deeply golden on the edges, approximately 40 minutes, tossing halfway.
5. To prepare the kale, slice away the tough bottom ends of the stalks. Then stack a few leaves at a time and roll them up. Thinly slice across the roll into kale ribbons approximately ¼ inch wide.
6. On the same baking sheet as the almonds, drizzle the kale ribbons with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and toss until they are lightly coated on all sides. Arrange the kale in an even layer across the baking sheet and sprinkle with salt. Roast the kale until the edges become crisp, approximately 10 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the spaghetti and return it to the pot.
8. Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and ¼ cup pasta water. Sprinkle in Parmesan. Toss to combine, adding more splashes of pasta water as necessary until the olive oil and Parmesan turns into a light sauce.
9. Transfer spaghetti to a large serving bowl. Once the cauliflower is done roasting, toss it with the spaghetti followed by the kale and almonds. Season with salt and pepper. Add pinch of red pepper flakes. Serve immediately. This pasta keeps well, chilled, for a few days. Gently reheat before serving.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
Keywords: Pasta, Spaghetti, Cauliflower, Dinner, Parmesan, Gluten Free, Vegetarian, Italian
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