Roasted Cauliflower and Tomato Pasta
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This cauliflower pasta is for anyone who’s made a version that tasted bland, blah, or just plain blech. Roasted at high heat until the edges char and the cherry tomatoes burst, the florets pick up enough caramel sweetness and depth to become the star of the sauce. It’s finished with a splash of cream, grated Parmesan, garlic, and a hit of crushed red pepper. One sheet pan, 30 minute cook time.
Why this recipe works:
- Burst cherry tomatoes. They roast alongside the cauliflower until they collapse, releasing enough juice to form a tangy sauce that brings the neutral flavor of cauliflower to life.
- A sheet pan is the sauce pot. A splash of cream and reserved pasta cooking water go straight into the hot roasting pan, dissolving the browned bits into the sauce. Every bit of flavor that stuck to the pan ends up in the pasta.
- No burned garlic: Adding garlic only after the first 20 minutes allows it soften into the tomato juices, keeping its fresh flavor rather than turn sharp and bitter at high heat.
Why tomatoes belong in cauliflower pasta
- Cauliflower: Use one medium-large head, cut into florets around two inches wide —any smaller than that and the edges will burn before the centers cook through, and larger pieces will steam rather than roast. You want the flat cut sides making full contact with the pan — that’s where the caramelization happens.
- Cherry tomatoes: Grape or cherry tomatoes only, not sliced beefsteak or roma types. Their smaller size means they collapse completely at high heat rather than releasing watery liquid that steams everything around them. That concentrated juice is what pulls the sauce together.
- Heavy cream: It binds the sauce, and doesn’t melt into a watery puddle the way half-and-half can when it hits the hot pan. A splash of starchy pasta water loosens the browned bits and helps the Parmesan melt in smoothly rather than clump.
Sheet pan to table: How it comes together
1. Quarter the head first, then slice into florets around two inches wide — the flat cut side needs full pan contact to caramelize properly 2. Spread the florets and seasonings in a single layer with room between pieces. Crowding the pan traps steam and you’ll get braised cauliflower instead of roasted.
3. Roast for about 20 minutes, then stir in the garlic — not at the start so it doesn’t burn. 4. This is where the sauce happens: Add cream and pasta water — scrape everything up and stir it into the vegetables. 5. Toss the pasta directly in the pan so it picks up every bit of the sauce, then transfer to a serving bowl and finish with Parmesan and fresh parsley!
What to serve with the pasta
This pasta with cauliflower is rich enough to stand alone on the table, but a sharp, acidic salad alongside balances the cream nicely. Arugula pear salad or tahini Caesar both work well — or serve marinated mushrooms on the side for something more substantial.
Roasted Cauliflower and Tomato Pasta
Roasted cauliflower pasta, amped up with basic pantry spices (oregano and crushed red chili), fresh garlic, cherry tomatoes, and plenty of olive oil. The pasta sauce is mixed right in the roasting pan, finished with a touch of cream and grated Parmesan cheese that coats the pasta like a velvety blanket.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 whole head cauliflower, weighing 2-2½ pounds (see note below)
- 8 ounces (225 g) cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
- ¼ cup (60 ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano, or Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper, add more or less to taste
- Kosher salt
- 6 ounces (170 g) dried pasta
- 1 teaspoon grated or finely chopped garlic
- ¼ cup (60 ml) heavy whipping cream
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, or fresh basil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 (220C) degrees.
- Cut 1 whole head cauliflower into four wedges. Trim off the stem, keeping some of the small, tender leaves around the head (they taste delicious roasted). Slice the cauliflower into large bite-size florets that are about 2-inches in diameter.
- Put the cauliflower and 8 ounces cherry tomatoes on a 9×13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Add ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon dried oregano and ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper. Toss the vegetables around so they're evenly coated with the oil and seasonings. Roast 20 minutes. Carefully remove the pan from the oven and add 1 teaspoon grated or finely chopped garlic, stirring it in with a spatula. Continue roasting 5-7 more minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and the tomatoes are juicy and caramelized on the edges.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a generous amount of salt. Add 6 ounces dried pasta and cook until al dente, about 10 minutes depending on the shape. Scoop out and reserve ½ cup of the cooking water. Drain the pasta and transfer to a serving bowl.
- Remove the sheet pan from the oven and sprinkle 2 tablespoons of the cheese over the vegetables. Pour ¼ cup heavy whipping cream and ¼ cup of the pasta cooking water into the pan. Stir everything around with with a spatula, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.
- Tip the vegetables and pan sauce out over the pasta, and stir together to meld. Sprinkle with the parsley and remaining cheese and serve.
Karen’s Notes and Tips
- Pre-prepped cauliflower florets from the produce section work fine. A medium-large head yields about 8 cups (roughly 1¾ pounds) once the stem and core are trimmed.
- Use a quarter-sheet pan (13×9) — it holds the vegetables snugly in a single layer without so much extra space that they dry out and burn at the edges.
Nutrition per serving
Calories: 368kcal Carbohydrates: 36g Protein: 9g Fat: 21g Sodium: 128mg Fiber: 2g Sugar: 3g
Nutrition facts are calculated by third-party software. If you have specific dietary needs, please refer to your favorite calculator.
Hey, I’m Karen
Creator of Familystyle Food
Professionally trained cook, cookbook author, and the person behind every recipe here. I cook the way I was trained: Start with good ingredients, understand why they work, and don’t apologize for the salt. These are the recipes I actually make, for the people I love. Read more about me here.
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Sooo good! Easy too! Always the best recipes, thank you Karen!
Oh, this was delicious. I have a deeper sided 9×13 metal roasting pan which was perfect for making the pan sauce (I don’t seem to be able to stir liquid very well on my shallow rimmed baking sheets). Gave the cauliflower about a 10 minute head start on the tomatoes, and upped the pasta to 8 oz.
Thanks for sharing your tips. I’m happy you enjoyed it!
We made this for dinner last night and it was so so tasty! Really great for vegetarians.
Thanks Domenica. I agree, Michael Chiarello really has a talent, not only for performing as a food celeb, but as a teacher. I like how he respects tradition, but brings his own personal style to his food. Good for you for being so clever 🙂 I could learn something from you, too!
I made this last night for dinner and we all loved it. I did not have the peperoncini a pezzi so I had to improvise ~ I used Vietnamese chili garlic sauce, of all things! I also chopped up a few anchovies in spicy sauce and tossed those in as well. Delicious. Thank you for the inspiration.
Anchovies! What a great addition. Now I’m hungry thinking about that combination…thank goodness for international chili sauces, too. Love your improv!
I love this twist on carbonara, what great flavors!
Thanks, Laura, glad you think so – they are my favorite flavors.
This is a nice twist to my usual Sicilian style cauliflower and pasta w/ capers and raisins!
I will try it this weekend! Thank you!
Hi Stacey – that Sicilian-style cauliflower sounds delish!