Packed with flavor, this pasta with roasted cauliflower is an easy, delicious meal. Small pieces of roasted cauliflower are mixed with spaghetti. The dish is topped with buttery fresh breadcrumbs, salty parmesan cheese, and lemon zest.
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Roast cauliflower until tender, then top it with buttery breadcrumbs and finish it over spaghetti. Use day-old bread for the crumbs. Toss the pasta with butter and parsley, spoon the cauliflower on top, and finish with lemon zest and a little heat if you like.
Roasted Cauliflower Pasta Recipe
I made roasted cauliflower with breadcrumbs a few days ago, and my daughter asked for it again. This time, I served it over a bowl of spaghetti.
I tossed the pasta with a little olive oil, parsley, and salt, then piled the roasted cauliflower on top. I finished it with breadcrumbs mixed with melted butter, Parmesan, parsley, and Italian seasoning. She called it a match made in heaven.
Using Day-Old Bread for Breadcrumbs
This recipe is a good way to use up day-old bread.
When I have the ends of a baguette or a loaf of Italian bread, I don't throw them out. I toss them in a bag and keep them in the freezer.
When it's time to cook, I pull out what I need, chop it up, and grind it into fresh breadcrumbs. They're softer than store-bought crumbs and toast in the butter instead of drying out. You get better flavor in the finished dish.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower florets
- Olive oil or butter
- Garlic powder
- Salt and pepper
- Lemon zest
Breadcrumb Topping
- Fresh breadcrumbs or panko (from a few inches of baguette, ground in a food processor)
- Unsalted butter
- Parmesan or Locatelli Romano cheese
- Chopped parsley
- Italian seasoning or dried oregano
- Flaky sea salt or kosher salt
For Serving
- Spaghetti
- Butter
- Salt
- Chopped parsley
Optional toppings: anchovies or capers, red chili flakes
How to Make Roasted Cauliflower with Spaghetti
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Whisk the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the cauliflower and toss until evenly coated. Spread it out on a sheet pan and roast.
- While the cauliflower is in the oven, cook the spaghetti in a large pot of well-salted water. Drain and toss with butter or olive oil, a pinch of salt, and chopped parsley.
- In a bowl, mix the breadcrumbs with melted butter, cheese, parsley, Italian seasoning, and salt.
- After about 10 minutes, pull the cauliflower from the oven and push the pieces toward the center of the pan. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top.
- Return the pan to the oven and bake for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the breadcrumbs are golden.
- Plate the spaghetti and spoon the cauliflower and breadcrumb topping over the top. Finish with lemon zest and red chili flakes, if using.
Serving Ideas
This dish can be a full meal on its own or serve alongside salad. For extra protein, add sliced steak, diced chicken, or boiled shrimp or fish.
Try our lemon basil roasted chicken, porterhouse steak, or pan-seared fish.
Serve with extra Parmesan and a spoonful of buttered breadcrumbs on top.
Pass extra Parmesan at the table and add red pepper flakes if you like a little heat.
Storage and Reheating
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheat gently in a skillet with a little butter.
More Recipes You'll Love
- Sautéed Bay Scallops Over Spaghetti
- Salmon Pasta Salad
- Macaroni Tuna Salad
- Baked Dijon Salmon with Breadcrumbs
- Sirloin Steak with Mushrooms and Egg Noodles
Looking for more ways to cook cauliflower? Browse our Cauliflower Recipes for easy, lighter meals.
Pasta With Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 whole head of cauliflower, broken into 1-inch florets
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- zest of ½ lemon
Breadcrumb Topping
- ½ cup fresh breadcrumbs or panko
- 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan or Locatelli Romano cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or dried oregano
- kosher salt
For Serving
- 8 ounces spaghetti
- 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon red chili flakes optional
Instructions
- Set the oven rack in the center and preheat to 400°F.
- Break the cauliflower into 1-inch pieces. Rinse and pat very dry, then add to a large mixing bowl.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add the cauliflower and toss to coat evenly.
- Spread the cauliflower florets on a large sheet pan in a single layer and roast for 10 minutes.
- While the cauliflower roasts, cook the spaghetti in large pot of salted water. Drain and toss with butter or olive oil, a pinch of salt, and chopped parsley.
- In another bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, melted butter, cheese, parsley, Italian seasoning, and salt.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven. Slide the pieces slightly closer together and scatter the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top.
- Return to the oven and bake another 5 to 10 minutes, until the topping is golden brown.
- Plate the spaghetti on a platter and scatter the roasted cauliflower over the top.
- Finish with lemon zest and red chili flakes, if using.
- Serve with extra Parmesan at the table.
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