Creamy Pasta With Cauliflower Recipes

CREAMY PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Place cauliflower into a large pot of salted water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Remove cauliflower with a strainer, reserving the cooking water in the pot.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add cauliflower florets and red pepper flakes; saute until browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Add heavy cream; cook until reduced by half, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring the cauliflower cooking water back to a boil. Add farfalle and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain.
• Add tomatoes to the cauliflower sauce; cook until heated through, about 1 minute. Add 1 cup Parmesan cheese to the cauliflower sauce; cook and stir until melted, about 1 minute more.
• Combine pasta and sauce; toss until well coated. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese to serve.

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER RIGATONI PASTA

Steps:

• In a large, deep pan or skillet, add a few teaspoons of olive oil then add the onion.
• Sauté until soft and translucent then add the garlic, thyme and chilli flakes. Cook for another minute then add the chopped cauliflower.
• Sauté until the cauliflower starts to soften then pour in the stock or water.
• Season with salt and pepper then reduce the heat and partially cover with a lid. Allow the cauliflower to cook until completely soft.
• Pour in the cream, allow to simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
• In a frying pan set over medium high heat, melt the butter.
• Add the garlic and breadcrumbs then cook, tossing regularly, until the breadcrumbs are crisp and golden.
• Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
• Once boiling, add the rigatoni and cook for 9-11 minutes, or until al dente.
• Reserve 1 cup of cooking water then drain.
• Toss the pasta with the cauliflower sauce and add a splash of the cooking water, if necessary.
• Serve the creamy cauliflower rigatoni in bowls and top with the crispy breadcrumbs, grated parmesan cheese and fresh parsley.

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER ALFREDO

Steps:

• 1. Put the cauliflower, broth, and 1 cup water in a small pot; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Adjust the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the cauliflower is very soft, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool 5 minutes. Carefully puree cauliflower and all the liquid in a blender until very smooth; set aside.
• 2. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente, 8 minutes. Drain well, reserving about 1 cup pasta cooking water.
• 3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cauliflower puree and evaporated milk and bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the peas until heated through, 2 minutes. Toss in the cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese and about 1/2 cup of pasta water until the noodles are coated but the sauce is still loose. Remove from the heat and toss in the butter, chopped parsley and lemon zest. (If the sauce seems thick, adjust the consistency with the remaining pasta water). Serve immediately sprinkled with chopped parsley.

PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER-PARMESAN BUTTER

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the package directions for al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water, then drain the pasta and set aside. Reserve the pot.
• Meanwhile, pulse the cauliflower, Parmesan, garlic, shallot, 1 tablespoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a food processor, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until finely chopped. Add the butter and continue to process, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, until well combined.
• Melt 4 tablespoons of the cauliflower-Parmesan butter in the reserved pasta pot over medium heat. Add the pasta and stir until combined, thinning it out with the reserved pasta water 1 tablespoon at a time if needed. Divide among plates and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
• Tightly wrap the remaining cauliflower-Parmesan butter in plastic wrap or transfer to an airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.

CREAMY PASTA WITH RICOTTA AND HERBS

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package instructions. Reserve 2 cups pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta.
• In the same pot, make the sauce: Add ricotta, Parmesan, olive oil, pepper and a large pinch or two of salt, and stir until well combined.
• Add 1 cup pasta water to the sauce and stir until smooth. Add the pasta and herbs, and continue to stir vigorously until the noodles are well coated. Add more pasta water as needed for a smooth, soupy sauce. Taste and add more salt if needed.
• To serve, spoon the pasta into bowls and finish with more Parmesan, olive oil and pepper.

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER PASTA WITH PECORINO BREAD CRUMBS

Steps:

• Bring a large pasta pot filled with salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente; drain and reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until they're evenly toasted and golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes. Add 1/4 cup pecorino and toss to coat, letting the cheese melt and clump among the bread crumbs (think granola-like clusters). Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl or plate; set aside.
• Wipe out the skillet and heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil over medium heat. Add shallot and cauliflower and season with salt and plenty of black pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until the cauliflower has completely softened and both the cauliflower and shallots are beginning to caramelize and brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Add heavy cream and 1 tablespoon lemon zest and bring to a simmer, then let the cream reduce and thicken, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and plenty of pepper; if pasta is still cooking, remove from heat and set aside until pasta is ready.
• Return the skillet to medium heat and add the pasta to the cauliflower, along with the remaining 1/4 cup pecorino and 3/4 cup of the pasta water. Cook, tossing to coat the pasta and thicken the sauce until it's thick and glossy, and almost resembles macaroni and cheese, adding more pasta water by the tablespoon as needed, 4 to 6 minutes.
• Remove from heat. Divide pasta among bowls and top with pecorino bread crumbs, chives, more lemon zest, red-pepper flakes (if using) and more cheese if you like.

PASTA WITH CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim the cauliflower and divide it into florets. Add about a tablespoon of salt to the water and boil cauliflower until it is tender but not mushy. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, remove the cauliflower and set it aside. When it is cool enough to handle, chop it roughly into small pieces.
• Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet over medium-low heat, sauté garlic in olive oil, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden. Start cooking pasta in same pot and same water as was used for the cauliflower.
• When the garlic is ready, add the cauliflower to skillet and turn heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally. When pasta is just about done - it should be 2 or 3 minutes short of the way you like it - drain it, reserving about a cup of cooking liquid.
• Add pasta to skillet containing the cauliflower, and toss with a large spoon until they are well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with just enough pasta water to keep the mixture moist but not soupy. When the mixture is hot and the pasta is tender and nicely glazed, mix in the bread crumbs.