Vegan Garlic Pasta with Roasted Cajun Cauliflower
Ingredients
Cajun cauliflower
- 1 small head of cauliflower cut into florets (3 heaping cups)
- 2 teaspoons oil
- 2 tsp paprika (1 tsp sweet mild and 1 tsp smoked hot)
- 1/4 tsp or more cayenne
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or more smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt (adjust to preference)
Garlic sauce pasta
- 8 oz penne (gluten-free if needed)
- 2 tsp olive oil (divided)
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk (such as almond, soy, or cashew milk)
- 1 tbsp flour or rice flour for gluten-free
- 1 tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch
- 10 cloves of roasted garlic
- 1/2 to 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp or more dried thyme
- generous dashes of other herbs such as basil, sage, oregano
- 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/2 to 3/4 tsp or more salt
- chopped basil or parsley for garnish
- black pepper or cayenne and lemon juice for garnish
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400°F
Mix the Cajun blend spices together in a bowl
Toss the cauliflower florets with oil and the Cajun blend
Roast the cauliflower until golden and tender
Roast the garlic cloves until soft
Cook the penne pasta according to package instructions
Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and sauté the minced garlic until fragrant
Add non-dairy milk, flour, arrowroot starch, roasted garlic, smoked paprika, dried thyme, other herbs, nutritional yeast, and salt to the saucepan and cook until thickened
Combine the cooked pasta with the sauce
Mix in the roasted Cajun cauliflower
Garnish with chopped basil or parsley, black pepper, cayenne, and lemon juice before serving
