For an easy weeknight dinner, try Alton Brown's pasta with roasted cauliflower: Cheesy pasta packed with veggies, baked with a crispy crust.

Course: Mains

Keyword: Pasta, Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian, Weeknight Dinner

Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower

Name: Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 95 min
Ingredients: 1 large head cauliflower, broken into bite-size pieces; 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided; 1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes; 8 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta; 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping; 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese; 1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs; 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Pasta with roasted cauliflower in a white speckled bowl.

ACTIVE TIME: 20

TOTAL TIME: 1 35

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Cheese- and garlic-packed pasta, roasted cauliflower, and a crisp panko crust will take you straight to carb heaven.

Maybe it’s because they’re both white, or perhaps it’s because they both tend to take in flavors from their surroundings, or maybe it’s because they both have a strong affinity for cheese. Whatever the reason, pasta and cauliflower just go together, yet people don’t put them together often enough. And by “people” I mean people other than me. I do it a lot.

This recipe first appeared on altonbrown.com.

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1 large head cauliflower, broken into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8 ounces penne or rigatoni pasta
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup plain breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Specialized Hardware

10-inch cast-iron skillet

Spider strainer

ACTIVE TIME: 20

TOTAL TIME: 1 35

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

Procedure

Crank oven to 400ºF and give it least 20 minutes to get good and hot.
Toss the cauliflower with oil and 1 teaspoon salt in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet and roast in the oven for 30 minutes, carefully stirring halfway through.
Remove skillet from oven and place over medium heat. Add the tomatoes, garlic and red pepper flakes and occasionally, breaking up the tomatoes as they soften. Most of the tomato liquid has cooked out, about 5 minutes, remove from heat.
Drop the uncooked pasta into a large saucepan and fill with enough cold water to cover the noodles by 1 inch. Stir in remaining salt and place over high heat. When the water comes to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and stir once a minute for 5 minutes or until the pasta is al dente.
Use a spider to transfer the cooked pasta into the skillet with the cauliflower mixture followed by a quarter cup of the pasta water. Stir in Parmesan and cheddar cheeses, and top with bread crumbs.
Return the skillet to the oven and cook another 15 to 20 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the bread crumbs are golden brown. Remove and sprinkle with chopped parsley and additional Parmesan if that's your jam.
Cool for 5 minutes before serving or you'll burn your face off.