Parmesan Cauliflower Spinach Pasta with Toasted Breadcrumbs is a quick and no-fail pasta dinner recipe. This one-pot pasta recipe is vegetarian and is just so healthy. You can serve this on vegetarian dinner nights and this will be a hit. Even the kids are going to love this Pasta. It's flavorful, cheesy and so delicious!
Hey friends. I love Pasta dinners. It's one of my go-to dinner recipes, especially on special days like the weekends or just to cut out on mid-week boredom.
This super easy and delicious Pasta is something which I have been cooking for so many years. It's the perfect recipe when I wish to add greens to my diet. In my house, Spinach has a very bad reputation, and no-one generally likes it. However, When I hide it in loads of cheesy pasta, everyone is a sucker for it.
This Cauliflower Spinach Pasta is so healthy. It is filled with healthy Plant-Based Proteins. Especially Spinach and Cauliflower are great sources of protein.
If you are gluten-free then you can use gluten-free pasta. I like to use Farfalle for this recipe. Farfalle sticks to the sauce easily and tastes delicious.
Ingredients used to make Parmesan Cauliflower Spinach Pasta
- Farfalle Pasta - Farfalle is best suited for this recipe since it holds the flavors for a longer time compared to penne or rigatoni or ziti.
- Spinach - Chopped - I love using fresh spinach for this recipe. But you can also use frozen or canned spinach.
- Cauliflower - Cauliflower adds that meaty texture to this pasta dish making it taste filling and appetizing.
- Panko Breadcrumbs - I love adding toasted breadcrumbs to the pasta. It brings a beautiful crunch to the recipe.
- Parmesan Cheese - Grated parmesan cheese helps get that beautiful cheesy taste in this pasta, without which this tastes almost incomplete.
- Spices: Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Oregano, Crushed Red Pepper Flakes, Salt & Pepper
How to make Parmesan Cauliflower Spinach Pasta
First cook the Farfalle Pasta for 10 minutes or as per package directions in salted water until al dente. Once cooked, drain the water and keep the pasta aside.
Meanwhile, chop the cauliflower florets and toss them with Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Salt & Ground Black Pepper. Drizzle some olive oil and place them in a baking dish.
Keep the Cauliflower on one side. On the other side of the same baking dish, add the Panko Breadcrumbs. Toss them with some smoked paprika and pop it in the oven at 350F or 180C for 15 minutes. Doing this will get the Cauliflower roasted and the Panko Breadcrumbs will get toasted and end up tasting delicious!
Heat a skillet with some olive oil. Add the minced garlic to it. As the oil gets flavored with garlic, add the Roasted Cauliflower and the Chopped Spinach.
Also, add the Pasta along with some Oregano, Black Pepper, and Salt. Toss to combine.
Serve hot with freshly grated Parmesan cheese, Red Pepper Flakes, and Toasted Breadcrumbs on top!
Tips to Make this Recipe Effectively:
- Use good quality olive oil so that it holds the flavors.
- Do Not overcook the Pasta. Try to follow the instructions in the package. This will help it make your Pasta Al-Dente until perfection.
- Roasting Cauliflower in the Oven will help it taste better. The coating of spices gives a beautiful texture to the cauliflower making it taste so good.
- Roast Breadcrumbs in Oven. Before roasting the breadcrumbs in the oven, I try to mix them with some smoked paprika. Combining breadcrumbs with the spices helps it get that beautiful spicy taste and when you roast it in the oven it becomes all the more crispy.
- Once your oil gets hot, add garlic cloves at the beginning. I love this technique of flavoring oil with garlic. Garlic gets burnt real fast. So, when flavoring your oil keep a close eye and do not let the garlic get burnt.
- I love the use of spinach in this recipe. But, you can always replace spinach with kale. But, you will need to cook kale for a longer time.
- If you are thinking about making this recipe - gluten-free, then you can use gluten-free Pasta. For making this gluten-free you also have to skip Panko breadcrumbs since it is NOT gluten-free.
Other Recipes you can try:
- Black Bean Pasta Casserole
- One Pot Lemon Basil Pesto Pasta
- Baked Rigatoni Pasta with Ground Beef (Freezer Friendly)
- Easiest Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Pesto Caprese Pasta Pizza
If you are making this recipe, then please leave a rating below. Also, tag me @recipemagik and hashtag it #recipemagik.
Recipe Card
Parmesan Cauliflower Spinach Pasta with Toasted Breadcrumbs in Skillet
INGREDIENTS
- 14 Oz Farfalle Pasta 400g
- 10 Oz Fresh Spinach 300g
- 14 Oz Cauliflower Head (broken into florets) 400g
- 4 Cloves Garlic minced
- 2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 Teaspoon Dried Crushed Oregano
- ½ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese some more for topping
- ½ Teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper Flakes some more for topping
- Salt and Pepper As Per Taste
- ¼ Cup Panko Breadcrumbs for topping
- ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
INSTRUCTIONS
- Cook Pasta in Salted water for 10-minute until Al-dente. Drain the water and keep the pasta aside. Preheat oven to 350F OR 180C.
- Toss Cauliflower Florets with Salt, Pepper, Smoked Paprika, and Garlic Powder. Drizzle Some Olive oil and toss well using a spoon so that each cauliflower is evenly coated with the spices. Transfer this to a baking dish. Keep the cauliflower on one side of the baking dish, as shown in the image.In the same baking dish, add the panko breadcrumbs and toss it with smoked paprika. Pop it in the oven preheated at 350F OR 180C for 15-minutes stirring midway.
- Heat a skillet with some Olive Oil. As the Oil shimmers, add minced garlic. As the oil gets flavored, add roasted cauliflower and chopped spinach. Also add the pasta.
- Season the Pasta with Oregano, Black Pepper, and Salt. Toss to combine. Serve hot with freshly grated Parmesan Cheese, Red Pepper Flakes, and toasted breadcrumbs.
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