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Closeup of two serving spoons in a skillet of Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta with Roasted cauliflower
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5 from 1 vote

Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower

Get into this rich, indulgent Creamy Garlic Butter Pasta w/ Roasted Cauliflower, perfect for feeding a crowd!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Keyword: cajun, cauliflower, creamy, dinner, garlic, lunch, meatless, pasta, vegetarian, weeknight meals
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 1111kcal
Author: Shanika

Ingredients

  • 1 (16 oz.) package rigatoni pasta 
  • 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER:

  • 1 head Cauliflower, chopped in medium chunks
  • 1 tablespoon Extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 Tbsps cajun seasoning, homemade or store-bought (See Notes!)
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

GARLIC BUTTER SAUCE:

  • 4 Tbsps Extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 Tbsps unsalted butter
  • 1 garlic bulb, peeled + minced
  • 1 cup chicken or veggie stock
  • 1 ½ cups organic heavy cream
  • ½ cup freshly grated mozarella cheese
  • pinch of dried parsley
  • ½ teaspoon cajun seasoning, homemade or store-bought (optional)

Instructions

TO ROAST CAULIFLOWER:

  • Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line your baking sheet with parchment paper. NOTE: Doing this step is a MUST to prevent sticking.
  • In a bowl, add the chopped cauliflower, olive oil, cajun seasoning, garlic powder, cumin, parsley, and smoked paprika together and stir until cauliflower is coated.
  • Add coated cauliflower until prepared baking sheet, spreading out evenly in a single layer and bake for 20-25 or until golden brown and crisp.

BOIL THE PASTA:

  • Cook pasta according to packaging. NOTE: rigatoni pasta doesn’t take a long time to cook, usually 8-10 minutes (however, you should cook at 6-8 minutes or so—‘al dente’).

MAKE THE SAUCE:

  • Over medium-high heat, melt3 Tbsps of unsalted butter in a 12-inch skillet.
  • Add the olive oil and minced garlic, sautéing until fragrant and translucent. Add in the cajun seasoning (if desired) and parsley and stir together until combined. 
  • Slowly pour in the heavy cream, stock, stirring frequently until incorporated. Add the grated cheese until combined and sauce begins to bubble, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the cooked pasta and stir until pasta is well coated.
  •  Remove from heat and serve with grated mozzarella (if desired) and topped with the roasted cauliflower.
  • Bon Appetit!

Notes

  • STORAGE: Any leftovers can be kept in a tightly sealed container and refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
  • GLUTEN-FREE: To make this dish GF, simply use Gluten-Free pasta and ensure that other ingredients are GF-friendly. 
  • PASTA: You can use long pastas like Pappardelle, Fettuccine, etc. if desired, however, I would recommend tossing with tongs to ensure that pasta is fully manageable and fully coated. Otherwise, the traditional rigatoni pasta works perfectly!
  • VEGGIES: If preferred, you can always add in greens to the mix for additional flavor such as Kale, Spinach or Collard Greens.
  • CAJUN SEASONING (STORAGE): Any leftover cajun seasoning mix can be stored in a ziplock bag for later use or used as garnish. For homemade cajun seasoning, head over to my One-Pot Cajun Pasta recipe.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 1111kcal | Carbohydrates: 102g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 68g | Saturated Fat: 31g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 27g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 983mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 3768IU | Vitamin C: 72mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 4mg