Roasted Cauliflower and Sausage Spaghetti

Nutty, roasted cauliflower comes together with hot Italian sausage and whole-grain spaghetti to make this super comforting dish.  Nourishing to the soul, hearty, filling and packed with flavor, it’s dishes like this that I crave when cold weather knocks on my door.

Fresh cauliflower, which, by the way, I absolutely adore, is roasted along side sausage in the oven then tossed with sauteed garlic, scallions and Parmesan cheese. Roasting everything is easier than pan cooking and brings out the sweet, nutty, mild flavor of the cauliflower. You can convert a cauliflower hater by roasting it. I can almost guarantee it. Cauliflower is in season now so it’s abundant and cheap! Give it a try. Since there isn’t much of a sauce, just a generous glug of olive oil and a little bit of the pasta water, be sure to use a good extra-virgin oil for this.

Roasted Cauliflower and Sausage Spaghetti
(adapted from Food Network)

16 ounces Italian sausage, hot or sweet
1 small head cauliflower, broken into small florets (3-4 cups)
sea or kosher salt
fresh black pepper
13-16 ounces spaghetti (like Barila whole-grain)
1 tablespoon olive oil, for sauteing
6 cloves garlic, sliced
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 cup romano or parmesan cheese, grated plus more for serving

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare two 9×13 pans by lining with aluminum foil and spraying with non-stick spray. Chop the sausage into small, bite-size pieces, spread out in one pan. In the other add the cauliflower, drizzle with two tablespoons olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Use your hands to mix and massage the oil into the cauliflower. Bake until cauliflower is tender about 30 minutes and sausage is cooked through about 25 minutes.

2. Cook spaghetti according to package directions in plenty of salted water. Reserve a cup of pasta cooking water.

3. Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil over low heat in large skillet, saute garlic until fragrant. Add cauliflower, sausage and scallions. Mix well.

4. In  large bowl or the pan you cooked the spaghetti in toss the mixture with the spaghetti, cheese, extra virgin olive oil and pasta water as needed. Serve with additional Parmesan and a drizzle of oil.

Printable Recipe

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