Roasted Cauliflower Romesco Over Spaghetti

Romesco sauce is a roasted red pepper and tomato-based sauce, traditionally thickened with almonds and sometimes bread or breadcrumbs. This flavorful sauce adds delicious depth to almost everything it graces.

Originally from the Spanish Catalan region, it will sometimes include garlic, vinegar, chile powder, red pepper flakes, or smoked paprika. It’s the national sauce of Spain for good reason. It’s delicious.

My easy version is rich and creamy, and WFPB, and transforms simple cauliflower into an elegant, memorable dining experience. I’m serving it here with pasta, but it’s divine over mashed potatoes too.

I hope you have a chance to try this one. You will not be sorry.

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ROASTED CAULIFLOWER ROMESCO OVER SPAGHETTI

Servings: about 8
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1 head of cauliflower, cut into florets
6 tablespoons raw cashews OR 1/4 cup almond butter
8-ounce can tomato sauce
6-ounces roasted red peppers *
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
generous sprinkle of kosher salt, to taste
pinch of cayenne pepper
sprinkle of Cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley
16 ounces whole wheat spaghetti

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place cauliflower florets in a large nonstick roasting pan (Scanpan is my favorite). Roast uncovered for 30 minutes.

While cauliflower is roasting, make Romesco sauce. Into a high-powered blender (like a Vitamix), add raw cashews (or almond butter), tomato sauce, roasted red peppers, lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, salt, cayenne pepper, and Cajun seasoning. Blend until mixture is very smooth and creamy. Set aside.

After cauliflower roasts for 30 minutes, remove pan from oven, and toss evenly with Romesco sauce mixture. Return pan to the oven, and roast 15 minutes more, or until cauliflower is tender and sauce is bubbling.

While the cauliflower completes the roasting cycle, cook pasta according to package directions. If desired, reserve about 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining, in case you want to thin the sauce with it later. Drain the hot pasta and set aside.

Once the full roasting time of 45 minutes is complete, remove cauliflower pan from oven.

If desired, add just a drizzle or two of the pasta water into the pan of cauliflower, and combine evenly to thin out the sauce a little bit. Garnish with fresh parsley, and serve Roasted Cauliflower Romesco over hot pasta.

* Roasted Red Peppers
Use your choice of either one red bell pepper, seeded and oven-roasted at 425 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes (or until tender), OR use one half of a 12-ounce jar of roasted red peppers (drained and rinsed).