Pasta With Cauliflower, Spicy Tomato Sauce and Capers
- Total Time
- 35 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:4 servings
- 1small cauliflower or ½ large cauliflower, broken into florets about 1 pound
- Salt to taste
- 2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- ¼teaspoon red chili flakes
- 114-ounce can chopped tomatoes with juice, pulsed a few times in a food processor or mini processor
- Pinch of sugar
- 2tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
- ¾pound perciatelli (bucatini)
- ¼cup chopped fresh parsley
- 2ounces pecorino, grated (½ cup), or 1 ounce each pecorino and Parmesan
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
477 calories; 13 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 6 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 72 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 19 grams protein; 659 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil while you core the cauliflower and break it into florets. Add a generous amount of salt to the water and blanch the cauliflower for 5 minutes, or until tender. Use a skimmer or strainer to scoop the cauliflower from the water and transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain and chop the florets into small pieces. Keep the water at a simmer.
- Step 2
Heat the oil over medium heat in a wide, heavy skillet and add the garlic and chili flakes. Cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds, and stir in the puréed tomatoes, a pinch of sugar, and salt to taste. Add the capers and cauliflower and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, until the tomatoes have cooked down and smell fragrant. Taste and adjust seasonings.
- Step 3
Bring the water in the pot back to a boil and add the perciatelli. Cook al dente, usually about 7 or 8 minutes. Add about ½ cup of the pasta water to the pan with the cauliflower and stir. Drain the pasta and add to the pan, along with the parsley and the pecorino. Stir together and serve.
Tip
- Advance preparation: You can make this through Step 2 up to a day ahead and reheat on top of the stove.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
dbennett
Rather than blanch the cauliflower, I would roast it with olive oil and garlic, salt and pepper--to add another deeper layer of flavor; and I might add some fresh basil, garlic and a dash of balsamic to the tomato sauce. The bucatini is a great idea.
betsy
I thought this was terrific. I was kind of skeptical but it really was great. I used canned cherry tomatoes and added a dollop of fresh ricotta which made it so creamy. Also added julienne of fresh basil.
karrotlover
Great flavors. I used 1 large head of cauliflower and 2 cans of diced tomatoes for a pound of pasta. I think for a pound of pasta you can double everything else.
Gaby
Nice recipe. Made it with whole wheat spaghetti and orange cauliflower. Doubled the parmesan and chilli flakes for an extra kick.
blisssu
Vegans take note: this recipe is delicious even without the pecorino and Parmesan.
annie
I made the sauce early in the day, reheated and finished the dish at dinner time. Quick and delicious and would easily adapt to other flavors. I especially liked the mild heat from the chili flakes and the tang of the capers.
dku
Very easy and more tasty than I anticipated. I used my last hurrah of tomatoes for the season that have been ripening on a shelf so took a little longer to cook down. Don’t skip capers or parsley! I enjoyed the background heat of the red pepper flakes. I am going to test to see if it freezes well for easy winter meals later... freezing sans the pasta just the cauliflower sauce. Finger’s crossed.
Es
A nice quick dinner,, just don't overcook the cauliflower. I used thin spaghetti and pecorino. The cheese adds a lot of flavor to this very neutral dish.
SH in SF
1. For those of you who think that this recipe is bland, you're probably not using enough salt. "Salt to taste" means just that. 2. Like most NYT recipes, increase the ratio of vegetables and sauce to pasta. I used a large cauliflower and 28 ounce can of tomatoes and 8 ounces of pasta. Could have left out the pasta entirely 3. Adding a couple of anchovies was a great idea 4. If you think that the sauce is too watery, use your judgement and leave out the pasta water.
Jennifer
Lower in calories/fat but equally delicious: Instead of 2 tablespoons of olive oil use a teaspoon pooled in one part of the pan with the garlic/chili flakes. Then stir in the tomatoes, cauliflower. You get same great flavors and it's still juicy and cheesy. This is how I now cook with NYTimes recipes & keep off 60 pounds lost 5 years ago :-) No need for so much oil at 120 calories/tablespoon, especially when there is a sauce/broth included.
Andy
Melted some anchovy filets with the garlic, which was a big plus. Also used orichiette, which catches the sauce nicely. But definitely a winner as written here.
Mia
I actually crave this dish and make it often. The leftovers are always good too. We double the parsley and don't hold back on the cauliflower. If I have more cauliflower, I just add another garlic clove and more capers. I also always add more tomatoes than called for and skip the pasta water. Love it!
Kate Hill
Put in two thirds of a small can of tomato paste, then added thyme with a little oregano and dill. Black olives did for capers. The verdict: It has the richness of a meat sauce but doesn’t feel heavy. Perfect for a cold night!
Suzanne
This was delicious and easy to make. I used 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes and a can of crushed tomatoes
Jessica H
I substituted a simple pasta sauce for the tomatoes and skipped the cheese. Tasted great.
Tom
Outstanding. Roasted cauliflower florets on sheet pan in oven; added some Spanish paprika for added flavor depth. used can of fire roasted chopped tomatoes with green chilies
MLJ
This has become a go-to recipe for cauliflower. Always satisfying.
tomh
On second thought, good, not great. Give it an A.
carat
Took other commenters advice and sautéed the cauliflower with a bit of garlic, salt, and some of the red pepper. Used two big fresh tomatoes since I had them and they were going to go bad. Also added extra garlic because… well, garlic is great. Big fan of this pasta as it has flavors we don’t normally eat. Adding this to the rotation.
KMann
Experimented with the idea of cooking pasta in its sauce: sauted garlic red pepper cauliflower pieces til cauliflower was nicely browned. Then added capers and tomatoes, gave it a good stir and added the pasta (used spaghetti broken in half), and probably about 1 cup of water (with some bullion paste but not much)--enough to cover pasta. Cooked for probably 20 minutes stirring frequently to make sure pasta didn't stick. Much tastier than last time I made this according to recipe. Less dishes!
Miriam
We all loved this. I held back on the cauliflower because I thought it seemed like a lot, but I shouldn't have. The recipe calls for exactly the right amount. We had it with some grilled meat on the side but it would have been a fantastic winter one dish meal in itself.
S
This was so delicious as is, however my sauce was on the watery / thin side and didn't quite thicken up like I hoped. Next time I'd drain some of the liquid from the tomatoes.
Tasteless
In principle you cook pasta with tomato stretched. It requires seasoning. And this is the task of your own. So you need this recipe not.
Richard from London
Use zucchini pasta. Braise it (8 min) in some olive oil, garlic, a squeeze of lemon before serving. Toss cauliflower florets (2 cauliflowers) in a bowl, and mix with 4 tbsp of olive oil, some oregano, crushed bay leaves, and roast at 400F for 20-30 mins with an entire garlic clove, unpeeled. **Never, ever add sugar to tomato sauce**, but in addition to Martha's recipe, use two cans of chopped tomatoes, two tbsp, tomato paste, some oregano, Greek olives, four whole plum tomatoes and simmer.
Kate
For a college student with a limited kitchen and budget, how necessary is the food processor for this recipe? Ditto for the capers. I got a beautiful head of purple cauliflower and this looks amazing...
Tamara
Rather than blanch the cauliflower, try roasting it with olive oil and garlic, salt and pepper; and I might add some fresh basil, garlic and a dash of balsamic to the tomato sauce. or Add a dollop of fresh ricotta to make it so creamy Also add julienne of fresh basil
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