Spaghetti with cauliflower in a creamy mascarpone sauce and topped with crispy parmesan breadcrumbs – a weeknight family favorite!
Spaghetti with Cauliflower, Mascarpone, and Crispy Parmesan Breadcrumbs

We have a cauliflower party up in this house and it doesn’t involve cauliflower as waffles or pizza crust or rice or ice cream (ew).

Just cauliflower as its own true self – a rare sighting these days, but how I love it the most.

Paired with pasta and creamy mascarpone sauce and THE BEST PARMESAN BREADCRUMB CRISPIES ugh I want this right now. 

Spaghetti with Cauliflower, Mascarpone, and Crispy Parmesan Breadcrumbs

The number one most arduous step in making this is bringing a pot of salted water to a boil. After this you are basically free falling your way to the easiest dinner ever.

Add the cauliflower to the pot and cook for a few minutes, until just tender, then toss it with butter, fresh herbs, and (wait for it) whole grain mustard. The mustard will seem weird but trust me, it just works. 

Next, cook the pasta according to package directions. While the pasta is cooking, crisp up the breadcrumbs in a bit of olive oil and then season them with salt and parmesan cheese. I like panko for this because it stays crispy for days (literally), which is important if you think you’ll have leftovers. Regular breadcrumbs absorb more moisture and may get soggy after a day or two.

When the pasta is done, toss it with the cauliflower, reserving 1-2 cups of the cooking water. Mix in the mascarpone cheese, using the reserved water to thin it just enough to get it nice and saucy. Divide among serving bowls and top with generous spoonfuls of the parmesan crispies. 

Spaghetti with Cauliflower, Mascarpone, and Crispy Parmesan Breadcrumbs

Fact is this meal could not be easier so if only I had a head of cauliflower in the fridge, I could go from craving to consumption in under 30 minutes. Unfortunately my meal planning skills leave something to be desired these days (literally only cooked one meal all weekend despite having a fridge full of groceries womp womp) so I’ll just be sitting here feeling unfulfilled all day. Don’t be like me – buy cauliflower on your way home from work and make your Monday better. 

Spaghetti with Cauliflower, Mascarpone, and Crispy Parmesan Breadcrumbs
 
Spaghetti with cauliflower in a creamy mascarpone sauce and topped with crispy parmesan breadcrumbs - a weeknight family favorite!
Yield: 4-6 servings
Ingredients
  • salt and black pepper, to taste
  • 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into bite-sized florets
  • 4 tbsp butter
  • ½ cup minced parsley
  • 1 tsp coarse mustard
  • ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 lb spaghetti
  • ¾ cup mascarpone cheese
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup panko
  • ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  2. Add the cauliflower florets to the pot and cook for 3 minutes. Scoop them out with a fine mesh sieve and place them in a large bowl. Toss with the butter, parsley, mustard, and red pepper flakes. Set aside.
  3. Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and add it to the cauliflower, reserving 1-2 cups of pasta cooking water.
  4. Add the mascarpone cheese to the bowl and toss it with the pasta, adding the cooking water as needed to form a sauce. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
  5. In a small skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the panko and saute until golden. Pour into a small bowl and toss with the parmesan cheese. Season with salt and black pepper.
  6. Divide the pasta among serving bowls and sprinkle with the parmesan breadcrumbs just before eating.
Notes
An Eats Well With Others Original

 

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