Our cauliflower pasta is everything you want for a delicious and easy everyday dinner.

Roasted cauliflower florets meet delicious garlic and olive oil sauce, plenty of fresh parsley, lemon zest, and toasted pinenuts.

cauliflower pasta in a skillet

Check out our best pasta recipe collection!

For cauliflower pasta, we mean regular pasta combined with cauliflower – not pasta made of cauliflower.

There are two types of cauliflower pasta. One is white, with a simple garlic and olive oil sauce, lemon zest, and plenty of parsley. The other is red, with a rich, creamy, roasted red pepper sauce.

This blog post will show you how to make the white one. With a few simple ingredients you probably already have at home, you’ll be able to make a delicious everyday dinner for the whole family.

We roast the cauliflower to perfection in the oven, or an air fryer, then toss it in the garlicky sauce and mix it with spaghetti. Add some parmesan or dairy-free cheese for extra umami and creaminess, parsley, lemon zest, and toasted pine nuts.

This dish is so simple and tasty you’ll be surprised. It requires minimal effort, and the sauce takes 2 minutes to make.

But suppose you are looking for something even tastier and have some jarred red peppers, almonds, and canned tomatoes to spare.

In that case, we recommend you check out our red pepper pasta with roasted cauliflower because it’s out-of-this-world delicious!

Red pepper pasta with roasted cauliflower
Red pepper pasta with roasted cauliflower.

Ingredients

ingredients for cauliflower pasta

Pasta

We like to use spaghetti or linguine for our roasted cauliflower pasta recipe, but you can also use any short pasta such as rigatoni, rotini, campanelle, fusilli, penne, and more.

Our tip is to go for bronze cut pasta if you can find it. It has a rugged surface that makes the sauce stick better. It also keeps “al dente” for longer than regular pasta.

To make this recipe gluten-free, use gluten-free pasta.

Cauliflower

Pick a fresh, large cauliflower head. We use the whole cauliflower, cut into florets, then roasted in the oven with olive oil and salt.

If the cauliflower has brown spots, remove them with a paring knife.

Garlic

Use two to four garlic cloves, based on your garlic tolerance. This should be a garlicky pasta dish overall. You can mince the garlic or slice it thinly.

Olive oil

If you have it, use heart-healthy extra virgin olive oil. It has a richer, fruitier flavor, and it’s healthier than regular olive oil and most other oils because it has a higher amount of antioxidants.

Red pepper flakes

Red pepper flakes add a nice mild spiciness to this cauliflower pasta recipe; however, you can substitute cayenne pepper, chili powder, or dried chili for red pepper flakes.

Parsley

For pasta recipes, we always recommend flat-leaf parsley because it’s more aromatic and less coarse than curly parsley.

You can substitute fresh basil with parsley, but in this case, do not cook it with the oil; instead, add it at the end with the cheese.

Cheese

Since this pasta dish is very simple, we think it requires a good handful of grated parmesan or dairy-free cheese to shine.

Add a few handfuls of cheese while the pasta is still in the pot so that it melts and makes the whole dish creamier and tastier.

If you are vegan and don’t have access to dairy-free cheese, then we have a couple of homemade vegan parmesan recipes for you. One is with nuts, the other with crunchy breadcrumbs.

Nuts

We sprinkle toasted nuts on this pasta dish to add crunch and a nutty flavor that matches the cauliflower perfectly. Our favorite nut is pine nuts; however, you can also use almonds, walnuts, and cashews; best if toasted on a pan for a few minutes.

Lemon

Lemon juice and lemon zest are optional, but they add freshness to the recipe.

Salt and Black Pepper

We use salt to season the pasta water, for the sauce, and for roasting the cauliflower. Optionally, you can also add a few twists of black pepper.

roasted cauliflower pasta

Instructions

Step 1: Roast the cauliflower

For Oven-roasted cauliflower

Preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Rinse the cauliflower, cut it into florets, and add the florets to the baking sheet.

Season with olive oil and salt, and arrange on a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes, turn with a spatula, and bake for 10 more minutes until the florets are slightly charred and tender but not overcooked.

roasted cauliflower florets on a baking tray

For air-fried cauliflower

Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 400°F or 200°C. Rinse the cauliflower head, cut off small florets and add them to a large mixing bowl. Toss with olive oil and salt, and add to the air fryer basket. Florets CAN overlap.

Air fry for about 15 minutes, shaking the air fryer basket every 4 minutes.

air fried cauliflower florets

Step 2: Make the sauce

First, prep your vegetables: mince the garlic and chop the parsley. Then, to a large skillet, add olive oil, minced garlic, and chili flakes. Fry the garlic on medium-low heat for one minute, ensuring it doesn’t burn.

minced garlic and red pepper flakes in oil

Add the finely chopped parsley and a pinch of salt, and fry for one more minute. If the pan gets too hot, turn off the heat.

frying the parsley with oil and garlic

Add in the roasted cauliflower florets, and toss on medium heat for 30 seconds.

cauliflower tossed in the sauce

On a separate small non-stick pan, toast the pine nuts for about a minute until they start to brown.

Step 3: Cook and toss the pasta

Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water as instructed on the package, minus one minute. Reserve one cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce.

pasta in a pan with the cauliflower

Toss on medium heat for a short minute, add grated parmesan cheese or a dairy-free alternative, some reserved pasta water, and lemon juice, and stir a few more seconds until the cheese melts.

Note: it’s ok if some cauliflower florets break down when you toss the pasta.

pasta in a pan with the cauliflower and cheese

When ready to serve, garnish with toasted pine nuts, grated lemon zest to taste, extra chopped parsley, and freshly ground black pepper.

roasted cauliflower pasta

Variations

Red pepper pasta with roasted cauliflower

red pepper pasta with roasted cauliflower

A rich, tangy, and super tasty red pepper sauce combined with al dente rigatoni and roasted cauliflower florets. This one is our favorite cauliflower pasta recipe, and if you have a chance, we recommend you try it.

The sauce is very easy to make. First, we blend all ingredients in a food processor, then simmer in a skillet for 10 minutes.

We then add pasta, roasted cauliflower, and a fresh herb of choice, like fresh basil or parsley.

Check out our recipe for red pepper pasta with roasted cauliflower.

Make it with broccoli

garlic and oil pasta with broccoli

You can make almost the same recipe by substituting broccoli for cauliflower. In this case, however, we recommend boiling the broccoli instead of roasting it.

To do so, boil the broccoli and the pasta together (at the same time) in the same water. When cooked, toss them in the pan with the sauce, et voilà.

You can make a delicious, creamy, and tasty broccoli pasta in the time it takes for the pasta to boil.

Serving Suggestions

Make ahead

You can roast the cauliflower up to 2 days ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Storage

Store cauliflower pasta leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 36 hours. Reheat in the microwave for a couple of minutes or on a non-stick pan on medium-high heat with a drizzle of olive oil.

This recipe is not suitable for freezing.

More Pasta Recipes

cauliflower pasta

Cauliflower Pasta

By: Nico Pallotta
5 from 5 votes
Our cauliflower pasta is everything you want for a delicious and easy everyday dinner.
Roasted cauliflower florets meet delicious garlic and olive oil sauce, plenty of fresh parsley, lemon zest, and toasted pine nuts.
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Roasting Cauliflower: 30 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 5 people
Course: Main, pasta
Cuisine: American, Italian

Ingredients

FOR THE ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

  • 1 large cauliflower head (about 2½ pounds or 1.2 kg)
  • ½ tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt

FOR THE PASTA

  • 1 pound spaghetti or your favorite pasta shape
  • 1 gallon water to boil the pasta
  • 2 tablespoons salt to season the pasta water

FOR THE PASTA SAUCE

  • ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 handfuls flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
  • ½ cup grated parmesan or dairy-free cheese
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts toasted
  • 1 lemon juice and zest to taste

Instructions 

ROAST THE CAULIFLOWER

  • For oven-roasted cauliflower: preheat the oven to 400°F or 200°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    Rinse the cauliflower, cut it into florets, and add the florets to the baking sheet.
    Season with olive oil and salt, and arrange on a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes, turn with a spatula, and bake for 10 more minutes until the florets are slightly charred and tender but not overcooked.
    roasted cauliflower florets on a baking tray
  • For air-fried cauliflower: preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 400°F or 200°C. Rinse the cauliflower head, cut off small florets and add them to a large mixing bowl. Toss with olive oil and salt, and add to the air fryer basket. Florets CAN overlap.
    Air fry for about 15 minutes, shaking the air fryer basket every 4 minutes.
    air fried cauliflower florets

MAKE THE SAUCE

  • To a large skillet, add olive oilminced garlic, and chili flakes. Fry the garlic on medium-low heat for one minute, ensuring it doesn't burn.
    minced garlic and red pepper flakes in oil
  • Add the finely chopped parsley and a pinch of salt, and fry for one more minute. If the pan gets too hot, turn off the heat.
    frying the parsley with oil and garlic
  • Add in the roasted cauliflower florets, and toss on medium heat for 30 seconds.
    cauliflower tossed in the sauce
  • On a separate small non-stick pan, toast the pine nuts for about a minute until they start to brown.

COOK AND TOSS THE PASTA

  • Boil the pasta in a large pot of salted water as instructed on the package, minus one minute. Reserve one cup of pasta water, drain the pasta and add it to the pan with the sauce.
    pasta in a pan with the cauliflower
  • Toss on medium heat for a short minute, add grated parmesan cheese or a dairy-free alternative, some reserved pasta water, and lemon juice, and stir a few more seconds until the cheese melts.
    Note: it's ok if some cauliflower florets break down when you toss the pasta.
    pasta in a pan with the cauliflower and cheese
  • When ready to serve, garnish with toasted pine nutsgrated lemon zest to taste, extra chopped parsley, and freshly ground black pepper.
    roasted cauliflower pasta

Video

Cauliflower Aglio e Olio Pasta

Notes

Nutrition information is an estimate for 1 large portion of cauliflower pasta out of 5 portions.

Nutrition

Calories: 566kcal, Carbohydrates: 81g, Protein: 19g, Fat: 20g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 9mg, Potassium: 797mg, Dietary Fiber: 7g, Sugar: 6g, Vitamin A: 287IU, Vitamin B6: 0.5mg, Vitamin C: 95mg, Vitamin E: 3mg, Vitamin K: 62µg, Calcium: 182mg, Folate: 119µg, Iron: 3mg, Manganese: 2mg, Magnesium: 98mg, Zinc: 3mg
Tried this recipe? Leave a comment below or mention @theplantbasedschool on Instagram. We are also on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok.

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”WSdlgn1E” upload-date=”2023-01-11T08:01:31.000Z” name=”Cauliflower aglio olio.mov” description=”Our cauliflower pasta is everything you want for a delicious and easy everyday dinner.

Roasted cauliflower florets meet delicious garlic and olive oil sauce, plenty of fresh parsley, lemon zest, and toasted pinenuts.” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]


Nico and Louise in the kitchen

Hi! We are Nico & Louise

Welcome to The Plant-Based School, a food blog with easy, tasty, and wholesome recipes.

Our aim is to help you and your family eat more veggies through delicious recipes with simple ingredients.

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Recipe Rating




6 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    HI Nico and Louise,
    I just made your Cauliflower olive oil pasta and it was delicious, and so easy to put together. I have wanted to try roasting cauliflower but never had the right recipe, that made the whole dish. I love watching you put your recipes together and how excited you get when they turn out the way you wanted them to. Thank you

    1. That’s fantastic, Diane. I’m delighted you enjoyed the pasta!

      Thank you for your kind feedback, and for taking the time to leave a comment here.

      Have a great rest of your day. Kindest,
      Louise

  2. 5 stars
    I’m confused. I was attracted to this recipe because it sounded low potassium, which I need for my kidney situation, but your nutritional info shows it to be high potassium. Where does the potassium come from?

    1. Hi Craig, I recalculated the nutrition info and the potassium values are a slightly lower. It depends on the size of the cauliflower you use. The nutrition calculator I use say that most of the potassium is from the cauliflower, then pasta, then pinenuts.

      Hope this helps 🙂
      Nico

  3. 5 stars
    Utterly fabulous…you guys are the best…
    My cauliflower was a little too small so I added barely cooked baby tomatoes…and it was perfect
    I shall make this every single week from now on..

    1. Hi Linda, oh I’m very happy you feel like adding this to your weekly cooking repertoire. What a wonderful idea with the potatoes, we will certainly try that! Have a great week, and thanks again for leaving a comment!
      Kindest, Louise