You know when the weather can’t make up its mind and you’re in for a rollercoaster of warm days and cool days? Or it’s tank top weather during the day, and sweater weather at night? That’s where this Pasta with Toasted Cauliflower and Bacon comes in.
This is truly a Goldilocks dish – not too heavy for warmer days, but full of toasted nutty flavors perfect for when the outside temperatures dip.
Key Ingredients
- Cauliflower – Use fresh cauliflower for this one. I’ve tried it with frozen cauliflower and it went to mush.
- Pork – I use bacon for this recipe, because that’s what I normally have on hand. Pancetta or ham would work well here too! Even a ground sausage could be nice…(Note to Self: try that immediately…)
- Pasta – A short, whole wheat pasta is best for this dish as it marries up beautifully with the other textures. But honestly, any pasta will be just fine. Use any kind you like!
- Breadcrumbs – Panko, Panko, Panko. The texture is key!
The Process
Gather your ingredients.
You’ll want a couple of large bowls, or plates at the ready. You’ll be cooking and removing things from the pan in shifts. For instance, cook the bacon and panko, remove when browned and set aside…cook the cauliflower until browned, set aside.
First up – the bacon. Gently sauté it all to render out as much fat as possible. The drippings are going to add MASSIVE amounts of flavor to the breadcrumbs.
When chopping the cauliflower, don’t aim for perfect little florets – cut straight through those babies and give them a flat side to rest on. That surface will brown nicely against the pan, whereas a floret props itself up and won’t brown as much.
More flat sides = more browned cauliflower = more flavor.
This dish comes together quickly, so it’s good to have all ingredients prepped and at the ready. Don’t wait until you need something to chop it or measure it.
Pasta with Toasted Cauliflower and Bacon
Equipment
- Dutch Oven, large straight-sided skillet or heavy-bottomed stock pot.
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon cut into ¼-inch pieces
- ½ cup panko bread crumbs
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp vegetable oil divided
- 1 large cauliflower (about 3lbs), cored and cut into 1-in pieces
- 1 sweet yellow onion diced, small
- ½ tsp dried thyme
- 1 lb dried short pasta
- 6 cups chicken broth reduced sodium preferred
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley minced
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 fresh lemon cut into wedges for serving
- parmesan cheese for serving
Instructions
- Cook chopped bacon in a Dutch Oven, straight-sided skillet, or large pot over medium heat until crispy, 5-8 minutes. Add panko and cook, stirring frequently, until panko is well browned, 2-4 minutes. Transfer panko mixture to a bowl and return the pot to the heat.
- Heat 1 Tbsp oil in the now-empty pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped cauliflower and salt/black pepper to taste. Stir occasionally, until cauliflower is tender-crisp and browned, 10-12 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to a bowl or plate and cover to keep warm.
- Heat remaining 1 Tbsp oil over medium heat. Add chopped onion and thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onion has softened, 5-7 minutes (you may need to add a splash of water to help "steam" the onion and prevent it from burning). Increase the heat to high, add the dried pasta and broth. Bring to a simmer. Cook pasta, stirring frequently, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the pasta is al dente, 8-10 minutes.
- Remove the pot from heat. Stir in cauliflower, lemon juice and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Plate and top portions with panko/bacon mixture, just before serving. Serve with lemon wedges and parmesan cheese, if desired.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- “My pasta seems dry…” – Different pastas need different amounts of water, so the perfect amount of broth may vary a bit. If your pasta seems dry add more broth or hot water ¼ cup at a time.
- “My pasta is too wet/soupy…” – If your pasta didn’t need as much hydration, you can use a slotted spoon to transfer the pasta to a serving bowl, leaving the liquid in the pot. Then simmer the remaining liquid to thicken it, and pour over the pasta like a sauce.
- What can I serve this with? Pasta with Toasted Cauliflower and Bacon stands well on it’s own, but would pair nicely with a fresh green salad or steamed green beans for a pop of color.
- How long will this dish keep? This will keep well for 1-2 days covered in the refrigerator. Keep leftover breadcrumb mixture in a separate container to prevent it from becoming soggy.
Looking for more pasta ideas??