Cauliflower Pasta with Crispy Bacon Breadcrumbs

Like many great pasta recipes, the ingredient list here is short, but the flavor impact is long. Fresh cauliflower florets are sautéed in garlic until golden, then tossed with peas, lemon zest, and a flourish of Parmesan cheese. It’s a healthy, veggie-filled pasta that cooks entirely in one pot (including the noodles). You’ll be glad to have it in your recipe repertoire.

Ingredients

4 slices bacon — cut into 1/4-inch pieces

½ cup whole wheat Panko bread crumbs

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

4 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese — divided

1 1/2 tablespoons DeLallo Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 yellow onion — cut into ¼-inch dice

1 large head cauliflower — cut into florets (about 3 pounds cauliflower or 8 cups florets)

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt — divided

2 cloves garlic — minced, about 2 teaspoons

1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 (1-pound) package DeLallo Casarecce Pasta

5 to 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth — divided, plus a few additional splashes as needed

1 cup frozen peas — thawed

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Directions

Heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat. Add the bacon pieces and cook until crisp, about 8 minutes. Stir in the Panko and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until Panko is deep, dark golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the Panko-bacon mixture to a bowl. Let cool, then toss with 2 tablespoons Parmesan. Set aside.

With a damp paper towel, carefully wipe the skillet clean. Return the skillet to the heat, increase the heat to medium-high, and add the olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add the cauliflower, onion, and 1 teaspoon salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and has begun to brown in spots, about 15 minutes. Stir in the garlic, thyme, and red pepper and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. With a large spoon, scoop the vegetables onto a large plate and cover to keep warm.

Return the pot to the heat. Add 5 cups of the broth and increase the heat to high. Once simmering, add the pasta and adjust the heat so that it comes to a gentle boil. As soon as it begins to boil, cook, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is absorbed and pasta is al dente, about 8 minutes. If at any point the pasta seems dry, add in some of the remaining broth to loosen it back up. Once the pasta has cooked, stir in the peas and let cook just long enough to warm them, about 30 seconds. If the pasta is too dry, add more chicken broth or (if you run out) hot water.

Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the parsley, lemon juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan, and cauliflower mixture. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as desired (remember, the bread crumbs are a bit salty/peppery too). Divide the pasta between serving plates and sprinkle the bacon breadcrumbs generously over the top. Enjoy!

Cauliflower Pasta with Crispy Bacon Breadcrumbs

Ingredients

Directions

Stay Connected...

Keywords: