Easy and delicious, this is a different way of using cauliflower and a take on traditional pesto. It can become a favorite fast. It's a sauce with Mediterranean flavors that uses cauliflower as its main ingredients. A genius recipe for pasta.
Pestos are easy and wonderful condiments to have on hand.
I particularly love the spinach lemon pesto, but this one is fast becoming a staple.
I know it's not traditional and some might think using the word pesto is too much. But this recipe hails from the phenomenal Deb Perelman, of Smitten Kitchen fame. So the name is what it is.
And I cannot see a good pesto recipe and not make it.
Made in a food processor with simple ingredients and perfect proportions between them. I'm in.
What can I say? I ate it for two days in a row. And made it twice in two weeks.
When you live alone most of the time, that means a lot of servings. It's an absolute keeper. And I suggest you do the same.
Make it once and keep it in your files forever.
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Pasta with Cauliflower Pesto
Easy and delicious, this is a different way of using cauliflower and a take on traditional pesto. It can become a favorite fast. It's a sauce with Mediterranean flavors that uses cauliflower as its main ingredients. A genius recipe for pasta.
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 pound (450g) fresh cauliflower
- 1 medium shallot
- 1- inch piece red chile (seeded, or pinch of red pepper flakes)
- ½ cup toasted almonds
- 2 0z (60g) asiago cheese
- 4 sun-dried tomatoes (dry variety)
- 1 tablespoons drained capers
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- â…“ cup olive oil
- 1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- 1 pound (450g) linguini
- Extra asiago cheese (grated, for serving)
- A few parsley leaves (for serving)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, put sun dried tomatoes and add boiling water to cover. Let stand 5minutes to soften, then drain and chop coarsely.
- Rinse the cauliflower, cut off the leaves and hard stalks. Cut the rest into chunks, and put in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
- Process until the size of couscous (as Deb says). The size will be somewhat irregular. Transfer to a bowl.
- Put a large pot of water to boil for cooking the pasta. The more water you put, the better the pasta will cook.
- Without rinsing the bowl of the processor, add the shallots, chile or pepper flakes, almonds, cheese, drained and chopped sun-dried tomatoes, capers and parsley.
- Process until they're as fine as the cauliflower.
- Add oil and vinegar and pulse until a paste forms. If you feel it's too dry for your taste, add another Tbs olive oil.
- Transfer to the bowl with the cauliflower, check for salt and pepper and add more if necessary.
- When the water is about to boil, add a generous amount of salt (coarse salt is best), let it come to a boil and add the linguini. Cook until al dente, following the amount of time it says in the package.
- Drain and transfer to a serving bowl or divide among individual plates.
- Add half of pesto and mix gently. Add the remaining pesto, sprinkle with grated cheese, a few parsley leaves and serve immediately.
- If you don't use all the pesto, keep refrigerated in a covered container.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Pasta
- Cuisine: Italian - American
Keywords: cauliflower pesto, cauliflower pesto pasta
juliana De Souza says
I would like to make this pasta but I since I don’t like cauliflower, do you think I can omit it?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Juliana, this recipe is all about the cauliflower so I think you're better off doing another recipe.
Cocoa and Lavender says
Paula, I am going to make this as soon as I get home from this trip! I love EVERY ingredient! And your photos make it all the more enticing! ~ David
Carole says
Hi there. The current Food on Friday on Carole's Chatter is collecting links to dishes using cauliflower and/or cabbage. I do hope you link this in. This is the link . It would be great if you checked out some of the other links – there are lots of good ones already. Cheers
Alice @ Hip Foodie Mom says
ok, trying this on Friday or Saturday! can't wait!
Nancy @ gottagetbaked says
Awww, what a sweet and clever friend, Paula! But it's also because you were a sweet and loving friend in the first place and one good turn deserves another. I need this book in my life stat. And girl, you crack me up with your posts. I used to get religious people trying to convert me all the time when I used to live in a house. Thank God for apartments and security systems!
Jamie says
This is not the first cauliflower recipe I have seen this morning and now I want cauliflower! This recipe looks wonderful and the dish looks fabulous!