Pasta With Cauliflower, Bacon and Sage
- Total Time
- 40 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1medium head cauliflower (2 to 2½ pounds), cored and cut into ¾-inch florets
- 2 to 3tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- ½pound thick-cut bacon, diced
- 1packed cup fresh sage leaves
- 1pound short pasta, such as gemelli, casarecce or penne
- Zest and juice of one 1 lemon, separated
- ½cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
644 calories; 27 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 12 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 80 grams carbohydrates; 15 grams dietary fiber; 6 grams sugars; 25 grams protein; 786 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.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the cauliflower on a sheet pan. Drizzle with 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with ¾ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper, and toss to coat. Roast, tossing occasionally, until tender and browned all over, 20 to 25 minutes. While the cauliflower roasts, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Step 2
Heat a large (12-inch) skillet over medium-high. Add the bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Add the sage leaves to pan and fry until they begin to brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sage leaves to the plate with the bacon. Drain all but 3 tablespoons of fat from the skillet (or add additional olive oil, if needed) and remove from heat.
- Step 3
Add 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta until just al dente, reserving 1½ cups of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and add to the reserved skillet; heat over low. Pour or squeeze the lemon juice over the pasta, along with 1 cup pasta water and the ½ cup grated Parmesan. Toss until the sauce comes together.
- Step 4
Stir in the cauliflower, bacon and sage, adding a splash more pasta water if the pasta seems dry. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with lemon zest, and serve with extra Parmesan on the side.
Private Notes
Comments
adding cream is completely unnecessary if you follow a couple of guidelines. First use quality pasta. Go to eataly.com or amazon and buy Afeltra brand or some other organic imported pasta. Add some grated Parmesan to a small amount of the pasta water taken near the end of cooking to make a paste; it’ll thicken it without adding cream. Scoop the pasta out of the water and put directly into the pot with water clinging to it and then add your parm infused water and any extra if needed.
Delicious! I added a can of chickpeas (bc i didn't have enough cauliflower) and served it over a bit of kale (bc I had it in the fridge). Nothing needs to be added to this recipe - the bacon and sage flavors combine beautifully with the lemon. We don't even love cauliflower, but it was perfect in this dish. This recipe is a keeper (two teen boys devoured it).
I loved this. I halved everything (just to reduce to two servings) but kept the parmesan at full. Mmmm
this was good. Make sure to buy enough Sage though, the typical package you get at like Whole Foods / Trader Joe’s likely isn’t enough. Also added some toasted nuts like others
Definitely double the amount of cauliflower or there is way too much pasta (I see this in most recipes and just always double the condiment proportion immediately, as it is healthier that way anyway). If you add 1.5 cups of pasta water, do NOT cook your pasta to al dente: take it out earlier. I used half the lemon juice amount and it was delicious. I also caramelized a diced small red onion w the bacon for flavor and bulk. Saving this recipe and will keep my adjustments to it!
Fabulous. Beautiful. Delicious. Simple ingredients, but complex flavor. We had a few additions. Add some red pepper flakes and sliced garlic to the cauliflower. After the sage is done, sauté half of a thinly sliced onion until it has no bite. When you add the pasta water, be sure to declare your pan with a wooden spoon. That's the gold. Don't add cream- if it appears dry, add some more of the starchy pasta water. Excellent.