Creamy Cauliflower Pasta (Parmesan Cheese Sauce)

Making your weeknight dinner is a breeze with this quick & easy Creamy Pasta With Cauliflower! It is a delicious pasta meal made of rotini noodles and tender cauliflower florets coated in creamy parmesan cheese sauce!

Easy Cauliflower Pasta

This is one of my favorite cauliflower recipes! Tender cauliflower and rotini pasta is coated with a simple cream sauce. My kids always clean their plates with it’s cauliflower pasta night so you know it’s going to be good!

Creamy Cauliflower is easy to make and is ready in less than 30 minutes.

Love cheesy cauliflower recipes? Me too! Try my Cauliflower Casserole with Cheddar Cheese, Cheesy Chicken and Cauliflower Casserole and Cheesy Cauliflower side dish too!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• Rotini Pasta– I love how the thick cheese sauce clings to the dips and crevices of this type of pasta. It makes every mouthful such a delight! However, feel free to use other pasta types like spaghetti, linguine, farfalle, shells, penne, or even cheese tortellini.
• Cauliflower– I used one medium-sized head cut into bite-sized pieces. I boiled them together with the pasta, but feel free to use steamed or roasted ones. 
• Butter- will give the sauce a richer taste and a thicker, creamier consistency.
• Garlic– two cloves are enough to give the pasta a savory taste. However, you can add more if you want your pasta on the garlicky side.
• Flour- Is used to make the sauce thicker.
• Liquids – I used chicken broth and milk to thin out the creamy butter mixture. You can also use vegetable broth to make it vegetarian.
• Dried parsley flakes- this all-around herb will provide a fresh and earthy flavor to the pasta dish. Other herbs that you can use are dried chives and thyme.
• Salt + pepper– to taste.
• Parmesan cheese– this helps thicken up the sauce and make it very creamy.

How to Make Creamy Pasta With Cauliflower

Cook the Pasta and Cauliflower. Cook the pasta and cauliflower florets according to the pasta box instructions. Rotini takes around 7 minutes, so both the pasta and cauliflower cook together for 7 minutes. Drain the pasta and florets and set them back into the pot for later.

Make the Cream Sauce Base. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cook the minced garlic until the pieces soften and become aromatic. Add the flour, and whisk until the mixture becomes creamy. Cook for another minute. Pour the milk and broth and stir for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.

Add the Seasonings. Add the dried parsley, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. Keep stirring until you are satisfied with the consistency of the sauce. Remove from heat.

Assemble. Pour the white sauce into the cooked pasta and cauliflower.

Toss until the white cheese sauce coats everything evenly. Serve hot and enjoy!

Things to add to cauliflower pasta:

• Proteins Bulk your dish up by topping it with grilled chicken, shrimp, or sausage. You can also simply add bacon bits or fried tofu cubes to keep it light.
• More Veggies This pasta recipe is a great way to sneak in that extra serving or two of veggies too! Throw in anywhere from ½ cup to 1 cup finely chopped lettuce, kale, or spinach if you are craving extra veggies. Once it’s mixed in with the pasta and cream sauce, no one will notice!
• Team Broccoli instead? Just swap the cauliflower for broccoli instead
• Add spice! You can also add a pinch of red pepper flakes to give your pasta a good zing!

Can I make this in advance for meal prep?

If you want to make this recipe ahead of time, you can make the parmesan cheese sauce 2 days in advance. Place it in the fridge and just add it to the cooked pasta and cauliflowers when you are ready to serve.

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