Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Spinach Pesto

5 from 10 votes

Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Spinach Pesto

This roasted cauliflower pasta is an easy vegetarian main dish recipe. It's tossed in spinach pesto with pistachios and parmesan.

Prep Time10

Cook Time25

Total Time35

Course: Pasta & Noodles

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: Paige Adams

Ingredients

For cauliflower

1 head cauliflower, (about 2 pounds), leaves removed, bottom stem trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices and broken into florets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For spinach pesto

2 garlic cloves
1 cup packed baby spinach
1/4 cup roasted pistachios (either unsalted or lightly salted)
1/2 ounce grated Parmesan (about 1/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoons black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

For pasta

8 ounces orecchiette
1 tablespoon minced chives
Shaved Parmesan for serving
Chopped pistachios for serving

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
On a sheet pan, toss the cauliflower with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread into a single layer. Roast the cauliflower until it is browned at the edges and tender, flipping halfway through cooking, about 20-25 minutes.
For the pesto, finely chop the garlic, spinach, pistachios, parmesan, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a food processor or blender. With the motor running, drizzle 1/3 cup olive oil through the feeder tube. Continue mixing until the pesto is fully combined.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente following the recommended cook time on the package. Drain and transfer to a large bowl.
Stir the pesto into the pasta. Then fold in the roasted cauliflower and chives.
Divide into bowls or serve on plates. Top with shaved Parmesan and chopped pistachios.

Notes

You can use chopped walnuts or almonds instead of pistachios.

If you prefer the pesto to be less garlicky, use 1 garlic clove rather than 2.

To make the pesto vegan, leave out the Parmesan or use a plant-based version. If you do omit the cheese, sprinkle the finished dish with nutritional yeast.

You can make the spinach pesto up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container. Let it sit out at room temperature for 15-20 minutes and stir it.

Store leftover pasta in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Warm it in the microwave or in a skillet with a little olive oil over medium heat. The cauliflower and pasta will soften. You can also eat it cold as a pasta salad and add baby spinach.

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