Cauliflower Spaghetti

I read somewhere about this idea, putting plain old cauliflower in a red sauce and serving it over spaghetti, and the idea stuck with me. I promised an update once I made it, so I thought I'd try and convince you all to make it too! It's really quite easy, perfect for a busy weeknight. I would make a couple of changes to what I first did with it, and the recipe reflects that.

1/2-2/3 head of cauliflower, chop into small pieces (think meatball size or smaller)
2-3 cloves garlic, chopped
Olive oil for the pan
1 jar marinara sauce, commercial or homemade
Red pepper flakes to taste
1lb spaghetti or angel hair pasta
Cheddar and Parmesan cheese to serve

If time allows, oil, salt and roast cauliflower on a cookie sheet, in a hot oven until you get some color on it, then add to saucepan with additional olive oil and garlic, and saute until almost tender. (If you prefer, saute it in olive oil, with garlic, over medium heat in a large saucepan until it is almost tender.) Add red sauce and red pepper, and heat through while you cook pasta according to package directions. To serve, top spaghetti with sauce, cheddar and Parmesan cheese.

So this will be a regular in our meatless Monday rotation; it's really easy, and although my husband found the idea a bit odd, he thought it tasted fine. You really don't taste the cauliflower very distinctly, but it has a nice texture. I didn't add any red pepper to my first batch, but it needs it. From now on I will serve junior, and then add the pepper and cook for a couple more minutes before I serve the adults. I love pasta with cheddar on it, next time you have leftover chili, throw it on spaghetti, dump cheese over the top, and watch everyone hush up and eat. Yummy. Black olives might be a nice addition to this too, but I don't want to completely freak your family out!

Printer friendly copy