Pasta With Cauliflower, Bacon and Sage

By Lidey Heuck

Published December 12, 2019

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
40 minutes
Rating
5(1,615)
Comments
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A comforting dinner for a cold night, this hearty pasta has all the makings of a crowd-pleaser like fried sage leaves, crispy bacon and nutty roasted cauliflower. This recipe demonstrates the magic of starchy pasta water: Swirled with lemon juice and Parmesan, it creates a luxurious sauce without the addition of cream or butter. Add more pasta water than you think you need, so the pasta stays moist as it absorbs the sauce.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings

  • 1 medium head cauliflower (2 to 2 ½ pounds), cored and cut into ¾-inch florets

  • 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • ½ pound thick-cut bacon, diced

  • 1 packed cup fresh sage leaves

  • 1 pound short pasta, such as gemelli, casarecce or penne

  • Zest and juice of one 1 lemon, separated

  • ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

80 grams carbs; 33 milligrams cholesterol; 644 calories; 12 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 27 grams fat; 15 grams fiber; 786 milligrams sodium; 25 grams protein; 6 grams sugar

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. Step 3

    Add 1 tablespoon salt to the boiling water and cook the pasta until just al dente, reserving 1 ½ 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.

  4. 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.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
1,615 user ratings
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Comments

Lisa

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.

WFElliott

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).

Bryan

I loved this. I halved everything (just to reduce to two servings) but kept the parmesan at full. Mmmm

ThatGirlAnna

Perfect for sneaking in veggies. I love cauliflower because it is so neutral and becomes caramelized when put in the oven. The sage is unnecessary. It didn’t really add any flavor and was weird to eat. Will definitely make again.

Laura

A lovely, original and satisfying pasta! I made for bacon loving guests last night, and seconds were had. Mine also had to be gluten free, so I used gf penne snd added a but if potato starch to the pasta water to help thicken the sauce- works fine. There’s no singular answer to the ingredient proportions. For a pasta with more emphasis on the “stuff”. I’d go 1.5 heads cauliflower and a full pound of good thick bacon. And let your preference guide you to how much cheese!

LTF

Added garlic to the pan before adding the pasta and chopped leftover kale with the pasta.

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