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This hearty Roasted Cauliflower Bolognese is the kind of cozy winter recipe we all need right now. Fresh pasta tossed with spicy cauliflower in a tomato pesto Bolognese that’s creamy and so delicious! The secret to this vegetarian Bolognese sauce? It’s seasoned-up with roasted cauliflower “meat”. The cauliflower has the best flavor, and roasting it in the oven gives it the PERFECT texture. Everyone LOVES a GOOD tomato Bolognese sauce, it’s delicious and it looks pretty on any table. Fancy enough for the weekend, but easy enough to make any night of the week. And most importantly, so delicious!
It’s pasta Bolognese…just minus the meat and plus a whole lot of delicious seasoned-up roasted cauliflower. Not traditional, but SO GOOD.
My brothers are 100% rolling their eyes at this pasta. They love a Bolognese sauce, but a Bolognese sauce minus the meat. Man, the look on their faces. So much disappointment…
They don’t know what they’re missing out on. Every last twirl of this vegetarian pasta Bolognese is delicious. My secret is to roast the cauliflower. Oven roasting the cauliflower gives it so much flavor, plus that perfect crisp, yet tender texture. It’s so delicious.
Here’s the story.
Honestly, this one came to be in an interesting way. I set out to make a white sauce pasta and by the end of the day, I had this. My hang up on the white sauce pasta was simple. With Valentines Day on Sunday I was getting hung up on the fact that white pasta just didn’t feel right for v-day. Sure it still would have been delicious, but something red felt like the better route.
So, I went back and forth on ideas. I started to make another pasta and then about five minutes in, I changed course again and started in on this. The idea kind of just flew into my head. I wanted to make a hearty Bolognese sauce, but I had zero meat on hand. I also really, really wanted to use up the heads of cauliflower I had in my fridge.
So, I put the two ambitions together and came up with this. A perfect, hearty vegetarian cauliflower pasta Bolognese. I don’t understand how my brain works, but I’m pretty excited it thought this one up.
Now, onto the process.
Start with the cauliflower…which is the heart of this recipe.
I wanted the cauliflower to have just the right texture. Often times when cauliflower is stirred into a sauce I find that it tends to be soggy and flavorless. So I really wanted to avoid that. The key? Oven roasting the cauliflower with lots of garlic and spices. By the time it comes out of the oven, it’s extra crispy with just the right amount of char and so much flavor.
It holds up perfectly in this sauce creating a “meaty” texture and even better flavor. My secret ingredient? A splash of fish sauce, which is optional, but it adds an umami, meaty flavor.
While the cauliflower is roasting, start in on the tomato sauce. You want to slowly caramelize the garlic in olive oil to really infuse flavor into a recipe, especially within an Italian-style red sauce. Once the garlic is extra fragrant and turns golden, I like to stir in the tomato paste and chili flakes. Then cook those for a bit to help intensify the flavors in the sauce.
Once that’s cooked for a bit, stir in the basil pesto. Then let the sauce simmer while you boil the pasta.
For the pasta, I used a fresh cut tagliatelle pasta. But use any cut of pasta you love or have on hand. You’ll want to first boil off the pasta, then just before draining, reserve some of the pasta cooking water. This step is so important, so be sure to not dump the water before reserving a cup. The pasta water is used to finish the sauce
Once the pasta is cooked, toss it with the sauce and that pasta water. Add the cauliflower and some butter and toss until the sauce is very creamy. Stir in the parmesan and basil. Immediately the heat from the pasta intensifies the smell of the basil…leaving you with nothing but excitement for dinner and a kitchen that smells amazing.
And trust me, you should be excited. Every bowl of this pasta is rich, creamy, just oh so slightly spicy, with a subtle pesto touch, and just the right amount of butter and cheese.
It’s is so very good. Like roll your eyes back, go for that second bowl, and finish the pasta all in one sitting GOOD…yum!
Perfect dinner to serve this Sunday for Valentine’s Day…whether you’re celebrating or not. It’s a little different, but so, so good.
The cauliflower is a game-changer. The flavor is intense, but the texture and seasoning are spot-on. It adds a saltiness that keeps everyone coming back for another bowl. Just add a little side salad, and maybe even some bread, and you’ll have a perfectly delicious meal.
Looking for more Valentine’s Day dinners? Here are a few to try:
Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Tortellini
Roasted Red Pepper Alla Vodka Pasta with Cheesy Oregano Breadcrumbs
Brown Butter Lobster Ravioli with Tomato Cream Sauce
Lastly, if you make this Roasted Cauliflower Bolognese, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Roasted Cauliflower Bolognese
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower, finely chopped (about 5 cups chopped)
- 3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
- 1 pinch each kosher salt and black pepper
- 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce or soy sauce, (optional)
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1 Fresno chile pepper, seeded and sliced
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 3/4 cup basil pesto, homemade or store-bought
- 1 pound pasta, any cut
- 3 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 425° F. On a baking sheet, combine the cauliflower, 3 tablespoons olive oil, paprika, oregano, fennel seeds, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Toss well to evenly coat. Transfer to the oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until tender. Add the 2 cloves garlic and fish sauce. Roast another 10 minutes, until charred.2. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallot, Fresno, and garlic. Cook until the shallots begin to caramelize, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, add the tomato paste, cook 4-5 minutes until thickened. Stir in 1/3 cup water, cook another 2 minutes. Stir in the pesto. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente. Just before draining, remove 1 1/2 cups of the pasta cooking water. Drain.4. To the sauce, add the pasta, cauliflower, 1/2 cup pasta cooking water, and the butter, tossing until the butter has melted. Add the Parmesan and basil. If needed, thin the sauce with additional pasta cooking water.5. Divide the pasta among plates and top with basil and cheese. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
This is SOOO DELICIOUS!!!! I’m officially a half baked junkie!! ?
Everything I’ve made is a winner!
Hey Sue,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Thanks! xTieghan
Made this for my husband’s bday last night. It was delicious, thank you!!! I tossed in some frozen peas and corn too to up to vegetable content and was awesome. We aren’t even vegetarian. 🙂
Hey Pri,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Thanks! xTieghan
Excellent flavor, texture and taste. Perfect for our meatless Monday! Will make again
Hey Patrick,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This recipe was amazing! The instructions were very easy to follow. We just started a two-week experiment with an all plant based diet (why not in the middle of winter during a snowstorm..?) and thus was the perfect first meal! I used plant based butter, a pesto without Parmesan and a splash of coconut aminos to keep it all veg and the flavors were just perfect. Would definitely make again and again!
Hey Mary Ann,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! xTieghan
The best veggie bolognese ever!!! I couldn’t believe how this worked so well and all the flavours balance perfectly! I am adding this to my list of favourites for sure. Try it now!
Hey Rachel,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am delighted it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This recipe was incredible! I did not have a Fresno pepper, but I did have a habanero pepper. I loved the extra heat! Thanks for this yummy creation!
Hey Kate,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
I loved this recipe!!! Tasted amazing and not too difficult to make. Great for entertaining.
Hey Morgan,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Easy to follow, loved this was meatless- so flavorful and filling on a cold New England night.
Hey Alison,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan
I can’t believe the depth of flavour for something that came together so easily. It was truly delicious. I’m obsessed with your site lately and have yet to find anything I don’t love. ❤
Also, appreciate the quick response to my previous question.
Hey Nevena,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan
Holy moly!!! This was delicious! I also had a head of cauliflower that needed using and this did not disappoint! I am trying to cut down on my meat consumption and I didn’t even miss it. If I had more energy I would have tried to work the mushrooms I had in my fridge in there too! Next time!
Hey Megan,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan
I am confused about the garlic. Is there two additional garlic cloves for the cauliflower
Hey Jean,
So the recipe calls for 4 cloves of garlic, you are going to use 2 cloves in step 1 and 2 cloves in step 2. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
This was absolutely delicious. We added shrimp as well but it was probably one of my favorite recipes I have tried of yours! Thanks.
Hey there,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan
Wow! My daughter and I made this recipe for a girls night in and boy was it good. So much flavor…To me it even tastes better without the meat. Thank you for sharing your recipes. We’ve been have lots of fun trying different ones.
Hey Kate,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan
Made this tonight and it was amazing. It also made a lot so there are lots of leftovers for the two of us. Will 100% make this again and again!
Hey Marta,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan
I love waking up, seeing your posts, and making whatever you tell me for dinner. Of course, I had all the ingredients, I love a veggie alternative to a wonderful dish (with no protests). Thank you. It was amazing!
Hey Cathy,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! Happy Valentine’s Day❤️ xTieghan