Cauliflower Pesto Pasta Recipe

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the most delicious.  Pesto pasta is my husband’s favorite Italian dish.  I used to make it a lot but as the price of pine nuts started to rise, the frequency slowed drastically. When the cravings for pesto resurfaced, I decided to figure out how to make it without having to sell my first born child to pay for 1 ½ cups of pine nuts that my old recipe called for.  

Then a light bulb went off in my head… CAULIFLOWER!  It was the perfect texture to add to my pine nuts, enabling me to cut the amount of nuts need by ⅔. The result was an absolutely delicious pesto dish. The best benefit, you get a huge serving of vegetables without even knowing it! (And without your kids knowing)  Hope you enjoy this cauliflower pesto pasta recipe.

You will need: ½ head of a small cauliflower, ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, 2 tsp. salt, 2 cloves garlic, 1 lemon, ½ cup pine nuts, ½ oz fresh basil leaves (about 25 leaves of mixed sizes), 2 cups packed spinach, 1 lemon, 1 16 oz. package dry linguini pasta, and 1/4 cup olive oil.

In a food processor combine cauliflower, spinach, basil, garlic, salt, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts.

Pulse until all pieces are consistent in size, pausing to scrape down the side of the bowl periodically. (about 2 minutes)

Next, slice the lemon in half and remove seeds.  Squeeze entire lemon and pour all the juice into the mixture.  You can also zest the lemon into the pesto sauce for a stronger lemon flavor… Trust me it’s delicious.

Prepare noodles according to package directions.   Add 1 T olive oil and 1 tsp salt to the water for best results.  Drain and return to pot.

Stir in the pesto using a rubber spatula using caution not to squish or smash the noodles.

Add in 1/4 cup olive oil and toss with tongs.

Garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese and serve!  You can always toss in a few grilled shrimp or chicken to add some extra protein.  This pasta can also be made ahead of time and served cold. 

Simple…Easy…Delicious!

Print Recipe

Cauliflower Pesto Pasta

A spin off traditional pesto using cauliflower and spinach alongside basil and garlic. Perfect texture and taste with the added benefit of fresh vegetables.

Prep Time5 mins

Cook Time12 mins

Total Time17 mins

Servings: 4

Author: Cindee

Ingredients

• ½ head of a small cauliflower
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 lemon
• ½ cup pine nuts
• ½ oz fresh basil leaves about 25 leaves of mixed sizes
• 2 cups packed spinach
• 1 lemon
• 1 16 oz. package dry linguini pasta
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• more Parmesan for garnish

Instructions

• In a food processor combine cauliflower, spinach, basil, garlic, salt, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts.
• Pulse until all pieces are consistent in size, pausing to scrape down the side of the bowl periodically. (about 2 minutes)
• Next, slice the lemon in half and remove seeds. Squeeze entire lemon and pour all the juice into the mixture. You can also zest the lemon into the pesto mix for a stronger lemon flavor.
• Prepare noodles according to package directions. Add 1 T olive oil and 1 tsp salt to the water for best results.
• Drain noodles and return to stock pot.
• Stir in the pesto using a rubber spatula using caution not to squish or smash the noodles.
• Add in 1/4 cup olive oil and toss with tongs.
• Garnish with fresh Parmesan cheese and serve!

Notes

You can always toss on a few grilled shrimp or chicken to add some extra protein.
This pasta can also be made ahead of time and served cold.

Adapted from Cindee's kitchen