Pasta with Artichoke-Spinach Pesto and roasted cauliflower
If you made this pesto for Tuesday's dinner, this delicious pasta dinner will come together so quickly. Our paleo folks will be (hopefully) using a spiralizer for some fun zucchini noodles. Paired with sweet and nutty roasted cauliflower, no one will miss the meat.
Ingredients
- Artichoke hearts - 1/2 can, drained
- Baby spinach - 2 cups ((loosely packed))
- Garlic - 1 clove, peeled
- Walnuts - 2 Tbsp
- Olive oil - 2 Tbsp
- Salt - 1/2 tsp
- Pepper - 1/4 tsp
- Penne - 2/3 lb
- Artichoke-spinach pesto - 1 1/2 cups ((ingredients listed separately))
- Lemon - 1/2, juice of
- Parmesan cheese - 1/2 cup, grated
- Pine nuts (opt) - 1/4 cup
- Cauliflower - 1 head, chopped
- Olive oil - 3 Tbsp
- Walnuts - 1/3 cup
- Parmesan cheese - 1/4 cup, grated
Nutrition Facts
Prep
- Make pesto - {Ignore if you already did this yesterday} Place artichoke hearts, spinach, garlic, walnuts, olive oil, salt and pepper into a food processor. Pulse until thickened. If it's not 'saucy' enough, add more olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
- {For cauliflower} Cauliflower - Prep as directed. (Can be done up to 5 days ahead)
Make
- Preheat oven to 500F (260C) degrees.
- Bring a saucepan of water to boil. Salt heavily (that water should taste like the ocean!) and add pasta. Cook according to package instructions. Before draining, save 2/3 cup (157 ml) pasta water.
- Place chopped cauliflower on a sheet pan and then cover tightly with foil. Bake for 8 minutes on top rack.
- Toss steamed cauliflower with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for another 10 to 15 minutes uncovered, giving them a shake midway through.
- While cauliflower is finishing, heat a saute pan over low to medium heat. Add pesto and warm up. Once pasta is done, drain and toss with pesto and the reserved pasta water. Saute until the pasta sauce has formed a nice creaminess. Finish with lemon juice, parmesan cheese, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Top with pine nuts.
- Finish roasted cauliflower by tossing with walnuts and parmesan. Season to taste with more salt and pepper. Enjoy with pasta on the side.
- If you're making tomorrow's slow cooker meal, feel free to get a head start now and start slow cooking!
Reviews
This meal has 35 reviews
Pretty good. I didn't measure the pasta, so the sauce was a little lacking in the final meal. I used almonds instead of walnuts. Love the cauliflower.
Pasta dish needed more salt but otherwise very good. Didn't make the cauliflower.
LOVED LOVED the cauliflower!! It was amazing. The pasta was good (and a treat too)! Wonderful meal, such great flavors.
Really yummy!
Loved this!! Again so easy using leftovers from meal before. The pesto was awesome...I ran out and instead of making more I used a bit of some I had from a jar and that did not compare to this homemade pesto.
Next time will add some chicken to round it out. Served with salad and garlic bread.