Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower
Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower
Pasta is the perfect quick meal, and my Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower is done in less than an hour! Toasty, roasted cauliflower is tossed with pasta and a rich sauce consisting of heavy cream, garlic, and chicken stock. A perfect cold-weather weeknight meal!
On a chilly night, pasta is the perfect meal.
Forget the dinner table! Grab a blanket, your favorite streaming show, and a bowl of rich and creamy pasta. That is the ideal winter evening for me!
One of my most favorite pasta dishes ever is my Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower! I developed this recipe after realizing I had so much cauliflower in the house. One head goes a long way!
Come read how to make this creamy pasta dish with heavy cream, butter, garlic, and lots of roasted cauliflower!
By the way, I am currently crushing on Gluten-Free recipes and this awesome list of 50+ Gluten-Free Desserts is so good! I just love how perfect they are for any occasion---seriously!
Perfectly Roasted Vegetables
Knowing how to roast all vegetables perfectly is definitely a learned skill. All veggies are different and they all have vast cooking times.
The most common rule of thumb is to roast thicker vegetables at a higher temperature because they can handle the heat. For example, potatoes or sweet potatoes can roast at a higher temp because of their thickness. Broccoli, on the other hand, lends well to a lower heat when cut into florets.
The other common rule when roasting is to use lots of olive oil and a rimmed baking sheet. The oil flavors the veggies and prevents them from sticking to the pan. You can also use a heavy pinch of salt and pepper for perfectly seasoned vegetables.
Ingredients in Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower
For the Pasta:
- 1 (16 oz.) package rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
For the Roasted Cauliflower:
- 1 head cauliflower, chopped in medium chunks
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning, homemade or store-bought
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- a teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
For the Garlic Butter Sauce:
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 garlic bulb, peeled + minced
- 1 cup chicken or veggie stock
- 1½ cups organic heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
- pinch of dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon cajun seasoning, homemade or store-bought (optional)
How to Make Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower
To Roast the Cauliflower:
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
NOTE: Doing this step is a MUST to prevent sticking.
In a bowl, add the chopped cauliflower, olive oil, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, parsley, and smoked paprika together and stir until cauliflower is coated.
Add coated cauliflower until prepared baking sheet, spreading out evenly in a single layer, and bake for 20-25 or until golden brown and crisp.
To Boil the Pasta:
Cook pasta according to packaging. NOTE: rigatoni pasta doesn’t take a long time to cook, usually 8-10 minutes (however, you should cook at 6-8 minutes or so—‘al dente’).
To Make the Sauce:
Over medium-high heat, melt 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a 12-inch skillet.
Add the olive oil and minced garlic, sautéing until fragrant and translucent. Add in the cajun seasoning (if desired) and parsley and stir together until combined.
Slowly pour in the heavy cream, stock, stirring frequently until incorporated. Add the grated cheese until combined and sauce begins to bubble, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the cooked pasta and stir until pasta is well coated.
Remove from heat and serve with grated mozzarella (if desired) and topped with the roasted cauliflower.
Bon Appetit!
Other Recipes You'll Love
If you are a fan of this Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower, you will also love these!
- Weeknight Meatball Penne Pasta Baked Casserole (Gluten-Free)
- Vegan Bolognese Pasta
- Spicy Cajun Voska Pasta Without Vodka
- Pesto Pasta with Asparagus and Bacon
- Gluten-Free Coconut Lime Shrimp Pasta
MADE OUR RECIPE(S)?
If you make this Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower or any other recipe from us, be sure to tag us on Instagram at #Orchidsandsweettea so that we can share the love!
Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 (16 oz.) package rigatoni pasta
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
ROASTED CAULIFLOWER:
- 1 head Cauliflower, chopped in medium chunks
- 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tbsps cajun seasoning, homemade or store-bought (See Notes!)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE:
- 4 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
- 3 Tbsps unsalted butter
- 1 garlic bulb, peeled + minced
- 1 cup chicken or veggie stock
- 1 ½ cups organic heavy cream
- ½ cup freshly grated mozarella cheese
- pinch of dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon cajun seasoning, homemade or store-bought (optional)
Instructions
TO ROAST CAULIFLOWER:
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line your baking sheet with parchment paper. NOTE: Doing this step is a MUST to prevent sticking.
- In a bowl, add the chopped cauliflower, olive oil, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, parsley, and smoked paprika together and stir until cauliflower is coated.
- Add coated cauliflower until prepared baking sheet, spreading out evenly in a single layer and bake for 20-25 or until golden brown and crisp.
BOIL THE PASTA:
- Cook pasta according to packaging. NOTE: rigatoni pasta doesn’t take a long time to cook, usually 8-10 minutes (however, you should cook at 6-8 minutes or so—‘al dente’).
MAKE THE SAUCE:
- Over medium-high heat, melt3 Tbsps of unsalted butter in a 12-inch skillet.
- Add the olive oil and minced garlic, sautéing until fragrant and translucent. Add in the cajun seasoning (if desired) and parsley and stir together until combined.
- Slowly pour in the heavy cream, stock, stirring frequently until incorporated. Add the grated cheese until combined and sauce begins to bubble, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the cooked pasta and stir until pasta is well coated.
- Remove from heat and serve with grated mozzarella (if desired) and topped with the roasted cauliflower.
- Bon Appetit!
Tips & Tricks
- STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
- GLUTEN-FREE: To make this dish GF, simply use Gluten-Free pasta and ensure that other ingredients are GF-friendly.
- PASTA: You can use long pastas like Pappardelle, Fettuccine, etc. if desired, however, I would recommend tossing with tongs to ensure that pasta is fully manageable and fully coated. Otherwise, the traditional rigatoni pasta works perfectly!
- VEGGIES: If preferred, you can always add in greens to the mix for additional flavor such as Kale, Spinach or Collard Greens.
- CAJUN SEASONING (STORAGE): Any leftover cajun seasoning mix can be stored in a ziplock bag for later use or used as garnish. For homemade cajun seasoning, head over to my One-Pot Cajun Pasta recipe.
Nutrition
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