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    Home » Recipes » Dinner Recipes

    Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Zingy Dressing

    Author: Amy Fulwood | Published: Jan 28, 2019 | Modified: Sep 7, 2023

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    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!

    Click here to pin this recipe for later!

    Overhead shot of roasted cauliflower pasta with a wooden spoon on a marble background
    Side on shot of roasted cauliflower pasta with a wooden spoon in a grey bowl

    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.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to make it
    • FAQs
    • Recipe
    Grey bowl of roasted cauliflower pasta with a wooden spoon and a cloth
    Overhead shot of roasted cauliflower pasta with a wooden spoon on a light background

    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.

    Side on shot of roasted cauliflower pasta with a wooden bowl of pine nuts and gold forks
    Grey bowl of roasted cauliflower pasta on a marble surface

    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
    Overhead shot of roasted cauliflower pasta with gold forks and a wooden bowl of nuts
    Side on shot of roasted cauliflower pasta with a wooden spoon

    How to make it

    1. 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.
    2. 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
    3. Dress: Whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the pasta, toss then serve.
    Side on shot of roasted cauliflower pasta in a grey bowl against a white brick wall
    Overhead shot of roasted cauliflower pasta with a wooden spoon

    FAQs

    Is this pasta healthy?

    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!

    Which pasta to use?

    I used fusilli for this recipe but pretty much any short cut would work so just go for your favourite.

    What to serve with cauliflower pasta?

    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

    Overhead shot of roasted cauliflower pasta with a wooden spoon on a marble background

    Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Zingy Dressing

    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! 
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Mediterranean
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 40 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 461kcal
    Author: Amy Fulwood

    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
    UK Measures - US Measures

    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.
    Nutrition Facts
    Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Zingy Dressing
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 461 Calories from Fat 171
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 19g29%
    Saturated Fat 4g20%
    Cholesterol 14mg5%
    Sodium 423mg18%
    Potassium 612mg17%
    Carbohydrates 58g19%
    Fiber 5g20%
    Sugar 5g6%
    Protein 14g28%
    Vitamin A 690IU14%
    Vitamin C 54.8mg66%
    Calcium 155mg16%
    Iron 2.3mg13%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

    Notes

    Nutrition information is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
    Did you make this recipe?Tag @amycookreport on Instagram and hashtag it #thecookreport!

    Like the look of this recipe? Make sure you pin it for later!

    Pinterest image for roasted cauliflower pasta with text overlay

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    Comments

    1. Lauren says

      August 01, 2022 at 9:36 pm

      5 stars
      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.

      Reply
    2. Sarah says

      July 14, 2019 at 3:51 pm

      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?

      Reply
    3. Carmella says

      January 30, 2019 at 4:06 am

      5 stars
      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

      Reply
      • Amy says

        January 30, 2019 at 9:20 pm

        Thank you Carmella!

        Reply
    4. Beth Neels says

      January 29, 2019 at 3:45 pm

      5 stars
      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!

      Reply
      • Amy says

        January 30, 2019 at 9:21 pm

        Thank you Beth 🙂

        Reply
    5. Sharon Chen says

      January 29, 2019 at 3:20 pm

      5 stars
      yum! feta is also one of my favorite add ons 🙂

      Reply
      • Amy says

        January 30, 2019 at 9:21 pm

        Me too!

        Reply
    6. Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor says

      January 29, 2019 at 2:50 pm

      5 stars
      I love this dish! The dressing is so good with the roasted cauliflower.

      Reply
      • Amy says

        January 30, 2019 at 9:21 pm

        Thanks Ashley!

        Reply
    7. Pam says

      January 29, 2019 at 2:38 pm

      5 stars
      Looks great! I'm finding so many vegetables that I didn't like previously I do love when they're roasted.

      Reply
      • Amy says

        January 30, 2019 at 9:21 pm

        Yes! it's such a great way of cooking them 🙂

        Reply
    8. Sheryl says

      January 29, 2019 at 3:42 am

      mmm. . . this looks yummy.

      Reply
      • Amy says

        January 30, 2019 at 9:22 pm

        Thanks Sheryl 🙂

        Reply
    5 from 6 votes

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    Photo of Amy in a red jumper wearing glasses

    Hey, I'm Amy Fulwood!

    Recipe creator and photographer here at TheCookReport.co.uk.

    Over here we’re all about delicious healthy recipes to fit around busy schedules and celebrating the joy that comes from an amazing meal.

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