Description
This lemony cauliflower pasta with fried breadcrumbs features white wine, capers, and nutritional yeast.
Ingredients
Scale
- ½ large head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces (about 4 cups)
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 3 medium garlic cloves, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1/3 cup dry white wine, like sauvignon blanc or pinot grigio* (see note below)
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast, divided
- 8 ounces (half a box) short-cut pasta like orecchiette or shells
- 2 tablespoons minced parsley
- 2 tablespoons drained capers*
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Boil water. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
- Start cooking cauliflower. Place the cauliflower in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons water and cook for a few minutes, until the water has evaporated. Then add a tablespoon of oil and cook until the cauliflower is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
- Add 3 minced garlic cloves, 1/4 teaspoon each chili flakes and salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Cook for 30 seconds. Then add 1/3 cup wine and simmer for about a minute. Turn the heat off.
- Toast breadcrumbs. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat a tablespoon of oil over medium-low heat. Add 1/3 cup panko, 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast, and a pinch of salt. Cook until deeply golden, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes.
- Boil pasta. Cook the pasta in generously salted water according to package directions until just shy of al dente. Reserve ¼ cup of the starchy pasta water, then drain.
- While the pasta boils, prep the remaining ingredients and make sure they’re ready to go.
- Finish pasta. Immediately transfer the hot pasta to the skillet over high heat. Add the reserved pasta water, 2 tablespoons each nutritional yeast, parsley, and capers, 1 tablespoon oil, zest of 1/2 lemon plus 1 tablespoon juice, and a few grinds of pepper. Stir to combine and allow to heat through for about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.
- Divide among plates and top with the toasted panko. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use a good-quality dry white wine that you’d enjoy drinking – never use “cooking wine.” Wine adds a distinctive, fermented-tasting funk to this pasta. If you don’t drink alcohol, skip this step and compensate with an extra squeeze of lemon if needed.
- If you’re a caper-hater, use chopped green olives instead.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 of the recipe
- Calories: 370
- Fat: 12.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 52.4 g
- Fiber: 4.7 g
- Protein: 9.8 g