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Creamy Cauliflower Pasta with Pecorino Bread Crumbs

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  • Author: Amanda
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x

Description

Discover the ultimate comfort food recipe: Creamy Cauliflower Pasta with Pecorino Bread Crumbs. A veggie-forward twist on classic mac and cheese, featuring caramelized cauliflower in a decadent sauce with a crispy cheese breadcrumb finish. Perfect for customizing with other vegetables and tidbits from your pantry!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 8 ounces rigatoni
  • 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup (1.5 ounces) fresh bread crumbs
  • 1/2 cup (1 oz) finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, divided, plus more for serving
  • 1/4 cup (0.5 oz) finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1 large shallot, finely minced
  • 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds), outer leaves and core removed, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 3/4-inch each – try to match the size to be a little smaller than a rigatoni noodle)
  • 1 medium garlic clove, finely minced
  • Red pepper flakes, to taste
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, plus more for serving
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/2 cup finely minced chives

Instructions

  1. Bring about 3 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot of water. Salt heavily (a scant 1 tablespoon kosher salt). Once boiling, drop the pasta in and cook 1 minute less than the package directions indicate for al dente. Once cooked, reserve 1 cup of pasta water and drain the noodles.
  2. While the pasta cooks, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, then more frequently once the bread starts to color, until the bread crumbs are an even golden-brown and crispy. Stir in half the Pecorino cheese. Transfer the bread crumbs into a small bowl; set aside.
  3. Wipe out the skillet and return to medium heat. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt, stirring to combine. Add the cauliflower next and season with more salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower begins to brown and caramelize, about 12–15 minutes. If you test the cauliflower with a cake tester or paring knife, it should feel completely soft (no resistance in the center). About 1 minute before the cauliflower is done, add the chopped garlic and red pepper flakes, stirring to combine.
  4. Add the heavy cream and lemon zest; bring to a simmer and let the cream reduce and thicken to a sauce consistency, about 3–4 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 1/4 cup of Pecorino, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese, and half of the reserved pasta water. Stir to melt the cheese. Add the pasta to the sauce mixture, tossing to coat. Let this cook about 3–5 minutes to combine the flavors and finish the pasta cooking. If the sauce is not (for lack of a better word) saucy and glossy, add more pasta water a little at a time until your desired sauce consistency is reached.
  5. Remove from the heat and transfer to serving bowls. Top with the reserved Pecorino bread crumbs, additional lemon zest and cheese (if desired), and minced chives.

Notes

Inspiration: Creamy Cauliflower Pasta with Pecorino Bread Crumbs on nytcooking.com (original recipe behind a paywall)

  • Category: Pasta & Noodles, Vegetarian Mains

Find it online: https://nevernothungry.com/creamy-cauliflower-pasta-with-pecorino-bread-crumbs/