creamy cauliflower pasta

with a bright & zesty salsa verde

Today I’m continuing my eat-more-vegetables kick, spotlighting something I used to hate but have grown to love: cauliflower. As a lifelong supporter of its greener sister, broccoli, I don’t know why I never warmed to cauliflower in my younger years. Maybe it’s because my first experiences with it were boiled and bland, mushy and crumbling in defeat beneath my fork. But I’m grateful for cauliflower’s resurgence in my life, thanks to it tasting especially yummy when spiced and charred and caramelized, piled high atop white waves of yogurt or labne, and showered with herbs and nuts and possibly fruit.

This recipe is partly inspired by those Mediterranean flavors, and particularly the traditions of Sicily. There, the florets are roasted, fried, or cooked down with pasta, often dressed in the area’s signature savory-sweet specialties like capers, anchovies, wine-soaked raisins, and pine nuts. Fennel seeds and other spices and herbs are common cauliflower accompaniments, too. In Venice, you’ll similarly find cauliflower infused with fennel, cinnamon, saffron, and coriander, then adorned with currants and/or raisins, pine nuts, and parsley. It took me a while to learn that what I first dismissed as blandness is rather an invitation for flavor, a literal white canvas for everything delicious.

I could have stuck with a more traditional cauliflower-pasta partnership, leaving roasted florets whole and maybe tossing in a few olives. But in my desire for comfort food, I opted for creaminess over texture, a nod to the now-(finally)-dampening trend of transforming cauliflower into every indulgence under the sun: cauliflower gnocchi, cauliflower pizza, cauliflower tater tots. While I think this poor vegetable is better left as it is, I do appreciate its versatility, and especially its ability to whip up into a velvety, alfredo-like cream sauce that can almost make you forget it’s there at all. Of course, we’re not going for bland here, and a coating of spices, a jaunt in a high oven, and an herbaceous, briny salsa verde ensures plenty of flavor.

So, here we are again on the wobbly balance beam between cold-weather comfort food and new-year nutrition. I hope you enjoy this one—and, if you’re a cauliflower fan, check out this pantry pasta from Palermo, which is traditional Sicilian fare courtesy of my friend Alessia and so, so good.

---

Creamy Cauliflower Pasta with Salsa Verde

Serves 4

For the sauce & pasta

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon fennel seed
3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound (450 grams) cauliflower florets, from about 1 small or ½ large head
4 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 cup (240 ml) half-and-half, whole milk, or unflavored plant-based alternative like oat
12 ounces to 1 pound (340 to 450 grams) dried pasta of choice (I used reginette)

For the salsa verde & serving

½ packed cup (15 grams) fresh flat-leaf parsley
¼ packed cup (7 grams) fresh mint leaves
2 teaspoons (10 grams) capers in brine, rinsed and patted dry
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
Kosher salt to taste
A dash of honey to taste
Lightly toasted and coarsely ground pink peppercorns, for serving (optional)

Heat the oven to 450°F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, fennel seed, and olive oil. Add the cauliflower and toss until well-coated. Transfer to a sheet pan and arrange in a single layer. Nestle the garlic cloves between the florets.

Roast the cauliflower in the oven until tender and caramelized around the edges, about 20 to 25 minutes.

While the cauliflower roasts, in a small food processor, combine the parsley, mint, capers, red pepper flakes, olive oil, and lemon juice. Process until well-chopped and saucy, about 1 minute, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. (Alternatively, finely chop the herbs and capers, and vigorously combine everything by hand in a bowl.) Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and a dash of honey. Set aside.

Start bringing a large pot of water to a boil.

When the cauliflower is ready, let cool slightly, then peel the garlic cloves. Transfer the cauliflower, garlic, and half-and-half to a blender and purée until smooth. Don’t add more salt: It’s okay if it’s a little underseasoned at this point, since we’ll be adding pasta water later.

Season the boiling water generously with salt (though a little less than usual), then add the pasta. Stir for a few moments to prevent sticking and cook, stirring occasionally, according to the package instructions until al dente or to your liking.

When the pasta is ready, use a heatproof measuring cup or mug to scoop out at least 1 cup (240 ml) of pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta in a colander over the sink, then immediately tip it back into the pot. Add ¾ of the cauliflower purée and ¾ of the pasta cooking water. Stir to combine over medium heat until the pasta is well-coated, 1 to 2 minutes, tasting as you go and adding additional purée and/or pasta water as needed. (Note: If the seasoning is to your liking but you want a looser sauce, add a splash more half-and-half.)

Divide the pasta among bowls and serve, topped with a spoonful of the salsa verde and a sprinkle of pink peppercorns.