Chef notes
How many times have you stumbled upon a delicious looking recipe online, purchased all the ingredients, got your mise en place and started cooking, only to look at the clock and realize the estimated cook time as advertised wasn’t accurate? In a sea of online recipes, a true 30-minute meal is hard to come by. But rest assured, this family-friendly pasta recipe will take you just as long to prepare as it says it will.
If there’s anything better than a speedy recipe, it’s a speedy recipe with a minimal ingredient list. And at only six ingredients (cauliflower florets, olive oil, salt, ziti, cherry tomatoes and lemons) this recipe fits the bill. In fact, you probably have most of those ingredients in your pantry and fridge already. (And it’s vegetarian!)
As the water boils, prep a sheet pan with cauliflower florets coated in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Roast in a preheated oven until the edges are brown and crispy. As the cauliflower roasts, sauté halved cherry tomatoes until they burst and release some of their juices. Add the al dente pasta, along with some pasta water, lemon juice and the roasted cauliflower to the pan with the cherry tomatoes. The lemon adds a pop of tartness to balance out the starchy pasta. Top with more zest and dinner is served.
Swap Suggestion: Use broccoli or zucchini in place of cauliflower for a colorful addition to this family-friendly vegetarian pasta dish.
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Ingredients
- 3 cups fresh cauliflower florets
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
- 1¼ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 pound ziti or other tubular pasta
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
Preparation
1.Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
2.Bring a 6-quart pot of water to a boil for the pasta.
3.Meanwhile, toss the cauliflower with 2 teaspoons olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl and spread in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and browning at the tips and edges.
4.When the pasta water comes to a boil, add 1 tablespoon salt to the water. When it dissolves, stir in the ziti.
5.While the ziti cooks, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a large saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and cook for 3 to 5 minutes, just until the tomatoes are starting to soften.
6.When the ziti is al dente, add it to the tomatoes along with 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water, lemon juice, and roasted cauliflower. Stir and let the pasta cook for 30 seconds more to absorb the sauce.
7.Divide the pasta between 4 bowls and top each with a sprinkle of lemon zest. Serve immediately.
