• Home
  • Taste
  • Travel
  • Kitchen Sink
  • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
      • CA Privacy Notice
      • NV Privacy Notice
      • Cookie Policy
    • Disclosure Policy
  • Media
  • Contact

↑

bell' alimento

beautiful food doesn't have to be complicated

Baked Ziti with Cauliflower

By Paula |

  • Share
  • Tweet

Baked Ziti with CauliflowerBaked Ziti with Cauliflower
I think cauliflower falls under that category of (somewhat) shunned vegetables in the produce section. You know the ones like eggplant, brussels sprouts, parsnips. They just sit there all sad looking while they get passed by for the broccoli or carrots. Tsk Tsk. It’s really a shame. I think if everyone who thought they didn’t like cauliflower had a taste of this they’d change their tune and become a new found cauliflower advocate cheerleader like me.

Maybe next time I’m in the market (which is pretty much Every. Single. Day.) I’ll stand in the produce section telling people they should give it a go. Pass out recipe cards. Toss a head of cauliflower into their baskets while they weren’t looking. Everybody is always in a rush you think they’d even notice?

That wouldn’t get me kicked out of the store would it?
Baked Ziti with Cauliflower

This baked pasta dish is perfect for busy nights. Hello meatless Monday! It takes about 30 minutes top to bottom if you multi-task. Two pots/dishes are all you need. Y’all know how much I hate dishes so that makes me a very happy camper. Start by browning the cauliflower pieces (or white trees as my kids have called them since they were little, whatever gets them to eat them I’m okay with).

I could just pop the entire pan of those beauties into my mouth, they’re that good before they even mix and mingle with the rest of our ingredients, but I resist (well after I’ve snagged a few) .

Baked Ziti with Cauliflower
From there we bring the rest of the ingredients to the party. We brighten up that comforting cauliflower with a little lemon zest and give it a swift kick in the pants with a pinch of chili flakes and then finally a little woodsy sage are thrown in for good measure.

We could stop right there and that would make a perfect side dish Just. Like. That. But we’re not making a side dish today, we’re working on a casserole, so into the mix goes our perfectly cooked al dente pasta and you know what comes next, it’s a casserole after all – CHEESE. Lots of cheese please.

2o minutes later you’re diggin’ in.

Baci!
signature2010

Adapted from NY Times

Print
Baked Ziti with Cauliflower

What You Will Need:

  • 1 pound ziti
  • 1 medium cauliflower, about 1 1/2 pounds
  • 4 tablespoons Extra-virgin olive oil - divided
  • Kosher Salt and pepper
  • 3 garlic cloves - minced
  • ΒΌ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 3 tablespoons roughly chopped sage
  • Β½ teaspoon lemon zest
  • 6 ounces coarsely grated mozzarella
  • 2 ounces finely grated Romano cheese or other hard pecorino
  • Β½ cup Panko

What To Do:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Cook ziti in well-salted water until al dente. Drain. Set aside.
  3. Cut cauliflower in half from top to bottom. Cut out core and stems and leaves. Discard.Break cauliflower pieces apart then cut each in half.
  4. Put 3 tablespoons olive oil in a wide skillet over high heat. Add cauliflower in one layer. Allow cauliflower to brown and caramelize for approximately 2 minutes. Turn and continue cooking for additional 2 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add: garlic, red pepper flakes, chopped sage, lemon zest. Stir to coat.
  5. Add cooked pasta and cheeses to skillet. Toss to combine. Top with bread crumbs and drizzle with remaining olive oil.
  6. Bake, uncovered, for approximately 20 minutes until top is golden.
3.1
https://bellalimento.com/2014/12/15/baked-ziti-with-cauliflower/
Copyright Paula Jones with bellalimento

Filed Under: Pasta, Vegetarian Tagged With: baked ziti, Baked Ziti with Cauliflower, casserole, Pasta, Vegetarian, Ziti

Comments

  1. Carol at Wild Goose Tea says

    12/15/2014 at 7:11 pm

    Pasta and cauliflower both groove with cheese. I never thought to put the two together. Champion idea!

  2. foodwanderings says

    12/15/2014 at 11:41 pm

    This screams comfort food and the cauliflower with the ziti sounds lie heaven.

  3. Angie says

    12/16/2014 at 11:23 am

    I could use a big bowl of this right now, yummy!

  4. Nikki @ NikSnacks says

    12/16/2014 at 12:28 pm

    I really like your idea of standing in the grocery, handing out recipe cards! That actually sounds like something I’d do for real!

  5. Brenda@Sugar-Free Mom says

    12/16/2014 at 1:01 pm

    I’m a lover of cauliflower, baked, roasted, pureed, you name it! My kids, not so much but I can hide it successfully. πŸ™‚

  6. Liz says

    12/16/2014 at 2:32 pm

    After 20+ years of marriage, I finally converted the hubby to a cauliflower fan. LOVE the idea of adding pasta, cheese and SAGE! to make it a meal πŸ™‚

  7. Meredith In Sock Monkey Slippers says

    12/16/2014 at 2:56 pm

    Need this tonight!

  8. Martha @ A Family Feast says

    12/16/2014 at 3:23 pm

    Love the healthier twist on a classic dish!

  9. Bea says

    12/16/2014 at 10:05 pm

    Yes, sad cauliflower; I caught myself the other day wanting to grab broccoli but felt sorry for poor litte cauliflower and grabed one instead. It was delicious and am now too a cheerleader for cauliflower.

    Love your recipe and idea of adding it to pasta. Delicious!

  10. Renee - Kudos Kitchen says

    12/17/2014 at 7:39 am

    I think cauliflower is making a much needed comeback actually with things like cauliflower mashed potatoes and cauliflower pizza crusts. I for one am happy to see it. It has always been one of my favorites and now I love that you paired it up with ziti and sage. This sounds very delicious indeed.

  11. Melissa from HungryFoodLove.com says

    12/17/2014 at 10:43 am

    I am loving cauliflower more than ever lately. I agree that in pasta would be great!

  12. Heather // girlichef says

    12/17/2014 at 11:03 am

    I feel the same way. Cauliflower really is underrated – my favorite thing to do is roast it, it brings out such great flavor. This dish sounds beyond amazing, too!

  13. claire @the realistic nutritionist says

    12/17/2014 at 11:45 am

    What a fabulous rendition of a normally heavy food!

  14. Nancy P.@thebittersideofsweet says

    12/17/2014 at 12:17 pm

    We throw all kinds of things onto pasta but have not tried cauliflower yet! Now I need to do it!

  15. Erin @ Texanerin Baking says

    12/17/2014 at 3:18 pm

    I’m one of those people who don’t like cauliflower but I’m thinking with all the cheese, I could possibly like this. πŸ˜‰

  16. Rose | The Clean Dish says

    12/17/2014 at 6:53 pm

    Scrumptious!! I agree, cauliflower gets overlooked – not sure why, I love the flavor and it’s so versatile!! πŸ™‚

  17. Nutmeg Nanny says

    12/17/2014 at 7:38 pm

    I LOVE cauliflower but my husband is definitely on the fence about his love. I’m always trying to sway him. This pasta dish just might do that!

  18. Kirsten/ComfortablyDomestic says

    12/17/2014 at 10:41 pm

    Dude.I would totally stand in the grocery store and hand out cauliflower recipe cards with you. Cauliflower is too versatile to be relegated to veggie trays. Loving the looks of this pasta!

  19. Angie | Big Bear's Wife says

    12/18/2014 at 8:45 am

    I actually like cauliflower, but I only ever eat it when it’s raw haha. I have to admit that I’ve never cooked with it! I’ll give it a try!

  20. Tuscookany says

    01/09/2015 at 10:31 am

    Great food blog! We have cooking schools in Tuscany and we invite food bloggers to place posts on our http://www.tuscookany.com/blog/ page.
    Salute e Buon Appetito The Tuscookany Team !

Welcome Y'all!

I'm Paula, the recipe developer, food stylist, food photographer, writer, editor, and chief dishwasher behind the blog. Read More

The Latest

silver tray with scofflaw cocktail in coupe glass with lime garnish.

The Scofflaw – A Classic Prohibition Cocktail

baking sheet with small plastic cups of jello shots. Bar spoon and glass with stacked cups of jello shots.

Old Fashioned Jello Shots

sliced millionaire's shortbread sitting on parchment paper, knife to side.

Millionaire’s Shortbread

cocktail in couple glass with apple garnish. Cocktail shaker to side. Empty glass in background.

Essential Home Bar Tools

cutting board with squares of caramel scattered. Knife resting on corner. Baking pan of caramels, glass jar of salt in background.

Bourbon Salted Nutella Caramels

bbq turkey pizza on cutting board. Slices pulled from pizza.

BBQ Turkey Pizza

Slow Cook All Day Cookbook

cookbook cover. Text reads slow cook all day the ultimate cookbook of hands off slow cooked recipes paula jones. Bowl of mashed potatoes with short rib and gravy with fork. Additional bowl of mashed potatoes and short rib in background.

Modern Pasta Sauces Cookbook

cover of modern pasta sauces cookbook. Text reads delicious and creative twists on your favorite classic recipes. White plate with pink pasta. White bowl of pureed beets. Pink bowl of pine nuts. Pink bowl with grated cheese. Fresh beet in corner.

Search by Category

Privacy Policy
Copyright Β©2025, bell' alimento. All Rights Reserved.
Design by Pixel Me Designs