This recipe is adapted from Food52’s Genius Recipe: Andy Bennett’s Creamy Cauliflower Pasta Carbonara Our adaptation is mostly in the sauce itself, as I decided to add some of my delicious homemade cashew cream to enhance the richness of it. I made this for my friend Ramona and knew I had to share it with you–we were both shocked at home good it was.
Creamy Cauliflower Pasta “Carbonara”
Prep Time:15 minutes | Cook Time:30 minutes | Total Time:45 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Ingredients
Pasta Carbonara
- 1 pound penne or similar pasta (something with ridges will hold on to the sauce)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 small onion diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon diced garlic (about 2-3 cloves)
- 1 package frozen peas (about 10 oz)( Defrost the peas before you use them )
- Creamy Cauliflower Sauce (see recipe)
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon toasted breadcrumbs, or more to taste
- 2 Chopped flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan, for garnish
Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
- 2 cups cauliflower florets (roughly broken up)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
- 1 cup vegetable stock or broth
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1 cup cashew milk
- 1 tablespoon Paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
- Place chopped cauliflower on roasting pan. Sprinkle 1 T Paprika. Salt & pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast in oven at 425°F (220°C) for 25 to 30 minutes until lightly browned.
- Blend the cauliflower, cheese, stock, and cashew milk til smooth with a blender or hand blender. While the blender is running, slowly pour in olive oil to emulsify.
- Store any leftovers airtight in the refrigerator and use as a creamy sauce, warm or cold.
Pasta Carbonara
- Bring water to a boil, salt generously and add pasta and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 10-12 minutes (less if it’s fresh pasta).
- Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until the onions and garlic are turning golden brown.
- Drain the pasta when finished cooking, but be sure to reserve about 1 cup of the cooking liquid.
- In the large sauce pan with the cooked garlic and onion ,combine the peas, pasta, and sauce and heat everything through, stirring occasionally, about 2 minutes. Slowly add some of the cooking liquid little by little to thin out the sauce slightly and help it stick to the pasta. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and place in a serving bowl.
- Sprinkle with parsley and parmesan and serve immediately.
