Fresh cauliflower develops a wonderful sweetness when roasted at a high heat and combined with crisp bacon, lots of garlic and sweet cherry tomatoes, it makes a delicious basis for an easy and flavorful pasta dinner.
Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower and Bacon
Oven-roasted, fresh cauliflower, crisp bacon and cherry tomatoes tossed with your favorite cut of pasta makes an easy, one-dish dinner.
Ingredients
- 10 ounces pasta, penne, rotini
- 1 medium head cauliflower, separated into florets
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
- 1 pint cherry, or grape tomatoes, halved
- Parmesan cheese for grating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and coat a shallow baking pan with nonstick spray. Put a pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
- Place the cauliflower in a large bowl, drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Toss to coat, transfer to the prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer.
- Roast until the florets are tender when pierced with the tip of a knife and the edges begin to turn golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the cauliflower roasts, fry the bacon in a large skillet until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain the excess fat from the pan, but don’t wipe it out.
- Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil to the pan and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue cooking, 2 to 3 minutes longer.
- Add the tomatoes, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook just long enough for the tomatoes to soften but not break down, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Cook and drain the pasta according to package directions. Add the cauliflower and bacon, drizzle with a little extra olive oil and and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then add the tomato mixture and toss again.
- To serve, divide the pasta between 4 plates and top with grated Parmesan.
Recipe Notes
Cooking Tip:
Whenever a dish includes bacon, be a little conservative with the salt when you season the various other elements of the dish. Once all the components are pulled together, you can always add a little extra, but if you add too much to start out with, the addition of bacon may be pushing the limits. Have you tried this recipe?Did you add your own special touch? We’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment and a rating to share your thoughts with others.
Barbara Rhodes says
Had some cauliflower that needed to be used and ran across this recipe. We all enjoyed it. I did roast my tomatoes with the cauliflower, which added more flavor and at the end , I added about a fourth cup of heavy whipping cream. Goodness it was amazing. Will definitely make again.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Barbara,
So glad you enjoyed the pasta recipe. Adding the cream is a nice extra touch.
Robyn Rusignuolo says
I reviewed this in May 2019. Why are more people not raving about this? This was the greatest hit in my house over all of the home-cooked meals I have had to make in the past month. People had thirds. This needs to be featured in the NYXs or on the Food Network. So easy and delicious. Had it with a Tempranillo and added two generous handfuls of spinach when I added the cauliflower.
June Geraci says
My brother and I teamed up to make this tonight, and we loved it. The only addition we made was to sprinkle a bit of hot pepper flakes in our servings. Mom thought it was dull, but she has lost a lot of her sense of taste. I’m brainstorming how to liven it up for her, even though I don’t think it is necessary. Thank you for the recipe!
Lynne Webb says
Hi June,
I’m glad you liked the recipe and appreciate you taking the time to let us know. Once thing occurs to me regarding adding flavor for your Mom. You could try whisking a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil together and drizzling it over her portion just before serving. The balsamic’s combination of sweetness and acidity might help.
Robyn B says
Tonight, I wanted to make dinner using ingredients I had on hand. I googled some kind of combo of pasta+recipe+cauliflower+bacon+tomatoes and this recipe was the winner. It is quick, simple, and DELICIOUS. I made this exactly as the recipe is written, except I used De Cecco spaghetti instead of penne. We ate it with a simple arugula/parm/EVOO salad and a glass of cabernet. I will definitely make this again. So easy! Prep to table in 45 minutes or less.
Lynne Webb says
Hi Robyn,
So glad you enjoyed the pasta! Thanks for taking the time to let us know.
Cindy Hawkes says
I made this tonight and everyone loved it! Thank you. 🙂
Lynne Webb says
Hi Cindy,
Glad it was a hit – cauliflower is a favorite in my house.