This roasted cauliflower pasta is full of bright, fresh flavour from the olives, lemon juice and red wine vinegar. A sprinkle of feta and pine nuts helps to bring it all together!
Two days and two cauliflower recipes!
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Yesterday I posted a whole roasted cauliflower and today we're back for round two with a roasted cauliflower pasta. What is even going on?
I have to tell you a secret. Growing up I didn't even like cauliflower. It probably fell into my bottom three vegetables, even cauliflower cheese was hard for me to stomach. And that's with cheese, one of my favourite things in the world!
Even up until recently I could take or leave cauliflower but all of a sudden over the past year or so I've started to get more and more on board with it.
I think it all started with my creamy cauliflower curry which took one of my all time favourite curries and made it vegetarian. Ever since then I've been trying more and more cauliflower recipes and loving them.
So what have we got going on in the rest of this roasted cauliflower pasta salad then?
We've got some tang from the olives, sun dried tomatoes and a lemon and vinegar dressing. We've got some saltiness from a sprinkling of crumbled feta (whip up leftovers and smear over these beetroot burgers). Add in some crunch from a handful of pine nuts and a peppery hit of rocket and you've got the most delicious healthy dinner.
This recipe is great for meal prep because it lasts so well in the fridge. I had it for lunch several days in a row and it was so good everyday.
Ingredients
- Pasta: Use whatever cut you like but I'd recommend a shorter one for this, fusilli or penne are both good
- Cauliflower: This is chopped into florets and simply roasted before adding to the pasta
- Extras: I went for olives, sun dried tomatoes (use extras in this one pot pasta bake), feta, pine nuts and rocket which was the perfect combination of salty, tangy and peppery
- Dressing: I kept it simple with olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice, fresh parsley and red wine vinegar
How to make it
- Roast the cauliflower: Heat the oven, toss the cauliflower florets with olive oil and salt and pepper and put them in the oven for 30 minutes until golden brown. While the cauliflower is roasting bring a large pot of salted water to the boil.
- Toss the pasta with the rest of the ingredients: Cook the pasta according to packet instructions until al dente then toss with the rocket, olives, sun dried tomatoes, feta, pine nuts and roasted cauliflower
- Dress: Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the pasta, toss then serve.
FAQs
This pasta is a light and healthy pasta dish with a vinaigrette made from lemon juice and red wine vinegar. I bulked out this dish with cauliflower, olives, rocket and sun dried tomatoes which are all healthy and fresh ingredients which taste amazing!
I used fusilli for this recipe but pretty much any short cut would work so just go for your favourite.
I tend to eat this pasta as a dish on its own as more of a summer pasta salad but it's also delicious served alongside chicken or steak for a fuller meal.
Want more? Try these other vegetarian pasta recipes!
- Tomato Pasta with Goat's Cheese
- 5 Ingredient Vegan Vodka Pasta
- Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese
- Blue Cheese Pasta with Walnuts
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta with Thyme
Recipe
Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Zingy Dressing
Ingredients
- 400 g Pasta
- 1 Cauliflower cut into florets
- Salt and Pepper
- 4 tablespoon Olive Oil
- 75 g Green Olives
- 5 Sun Dried Tomatoes chopped
- 100 g Feta crumbled
- 100 g Rocket
- 30 g Pine Nuts toasted
- 3 tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 3 tablespoon Parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Toss the cauliflower with a tablespoon of olive oil and some salt and pepper on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 30 minutes.
- Cook the pasta according to packet instructions, place in a large bowl with the rocket, olives, sun dried tomatoes, feta, pine nuts and roasted cauliflower.
- Whisk together the rest of the olive oil, salt and pepper, lemon juice, parsley and red wine vinegar and pour over the pasta, toss and serve.
Notes
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Lauren says
I have googled and remade this recipe about 4 times now in the summer. It can't be beat and is great for meal prepping for work lunches etc. With each day it tastes better because of the pasta and dressing. I have even told friends about this recipe so now I figured after a few years of returning to this salad I have to mention it's soo good. But leave the arugula separate if you're meal prepping or it'll get mushy.
Sarah says
This looks delicious. I love pasta salads and this is a unique one. I definitely need to make this. Pasta, cauliflower and sundried tomatoes, what's not to like?
Carmella says
This looks soooo good! I'm always into any way that I can get a variety of vegetables in at one time. And that gold silverware is so gorgeous lol
Amy says
Thank you Carmella!
Beth Neels says
I am a huge fan of cauliflower! What a great way to bump up the nutrition of a pasta salad! Adding this to my "to make" list!
Amy says
Thank you Beth 🙂
Sharon Chen says
yum! feta is also one of my favorite add ons 🙂
Amy says
Me too!
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says
I love this dish! The dressing is so good with the roasted cauliflower.
Amy says
Thanks Ashley!
Pam says
Looks great! I'm finding so many vegetables that I didn't like previously I do love when they're roasted.
Amy says
Yes! it's such a great way of cooking them 🙂
Sheryl says
mmm. . . this looks yummy.
Amy says
Thanks Sheryl 🙂