Pasta With Cauliflower, Spicy Tomato Sauce and Capers Recipe (2024)

Rather than blanch the cauliflower, I would roast it with olive oil and garlic, salt and pepper--to add another deeper layer of flavor; and I might add some fresh basil, garlic and a dash of balsamic to the tomato sauce. The bucatini is a great idea.

I thought this was terrific. I was kind of skeptical but it really was great. I used canned cherry tomatoes and added a dollop of fresh ricotta which made it so creamy. Also added julienne of fresh basil.

Great flavors. I used 1 large head of cauliflower and 2 cans of diced tomatoes for a pound of pasta. I think for a pound of pasta you can double everything else.

Nice recipe. Made it with whole wheat spaghetti and orange cauliflower. Doubled the parmesan and chilli flakes for an extra kick.

Vegans take note: this recipe is delicious even without the pecorino and Parmesan.

I made the sauce early in the day, reheated and finished the dish at dinner time. Quick and delicious and would easily adapt to other flavors. I especially liked the mild heat from the chili flakes and the tang of the capers.

Very easy and more tasty than I anticipated. I used my last hurrah of tomatoes for the season that have been ripening on a shelf so took a little longer to cook down. Don’t skip capers or parsley! I enjoyed the background heat of the red pepper flakes. I am going to test to see if it freezes well for easy winter meals later... freezing sans the pasta just the cauliflower sauce. Finger’s crossed.

A nice quick dinner,, just don't overcook the cauliflower. I used thin spaghetti and pecorino. The cheese adds a lot of flavor to this very neutral dish.

1. For those of you who think that this recipe is bland, you're probably not using enough salt. "Salt to taste" means just that.2. Like most NYT recipes, increase the ratio of vegetables and sauce to pasta. I used a large cauliflower and 28 ounce can of tomatoes and 8 ounces of pasta. Could have left out the pasta entirely3. Adding a couple of anchovies was a great idea4. If you think that the sauce is too watery, use your judgement and leave out the pasta water.

Lower in calories/fat but equally delicious: Instead of 2 tablespoons of olive oil use a teaspoon pooled in one part of the pan with the garlic/chili flakes. Then stir in the tomatoes, cauliflower. You get same great flavors and it's still juicy and cheesy. This is how I now cook with NYTimes recipes & keep off 60 pounds lost 5 years ago :-) No need for so much oil at 120 calories/tablespoon, especially when there is a sauce/broth included.

Melted some anchovy filets with the garlic, which was a big plus. Also used orichiette, which catches the sauce nicely. But definitely a winner as written here.

Put in two thirds of a small can of tomato paste, then added thyme with a little oregano and dill. Black olives did for capers. The verdict: It has the richness of a meat sauce but doesn’t feel heavy. Perfect for a cold night!

This was delicious and easy to make. I used 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes and a can of crushed tomatoes

I substituted a simple pasta sauce for the tomatoes and skipped the cheese. Tasted great.

Outstanding. Roasted cauliflower florets on sheet pan in oven;added some Spanish paprika for added flavor depth. used can of fire roasted chopped tomatoes with green chilies

This has become a go-to recipe for cauliflower. Always satisfying.

On second thought, good, not great. Give it an A.

Took other commenters advice and sautéed the cauliflower with a bit of garlic, salt, and some of the red pepper. Used two big fresh tomatoes since I had them and they were going to go bad. Also added extra garlic because… well, garlic is great. Big fan of this pasta as it has flavors we don’t normally eat. Adding this to the rotation.

Experimented with the idea of cooking pasta in its sauce: sauted garlic red pepper cauliflower pieces til cauliflower was nicely browned. Then added capers and tomatoes, gave it a good stir and added the pasta (used spaghetti broken in half), and probably about 1 cup of water (with some bullion paste but not much)--enough to cover pasta. Cooked for probably 20 minutes stirring frequently to make sure pasta didn't stick. Much tastier than last time I made this according to recipe. Less dishes!

We all loved this. I held back on the cauliflower because I thought it seemed like a lot, but I shouldn't have. The recipe calls for exactly the right amount. We had it with some grilled meat on the side but it would have been a fantastic winter one dish meal in itself.

This was so delicious as is, however my sauce was on the watery / thin side and didn't quite thicken up like I hoped. Next time I'd drain some of the liquid from the tomatoes.

In principle you cook pasta with tomato stretched. It requires seasoning. And this is the task of your own. So you need this recipe not.

Use zucchini pasta. Braise it (8 min) in some olive oil, garlic, a squeeze of lemon before serving. Toss cauliflower florets (2 cauliflowers) in a bowl, and mix with 4 tbsp of olive oil, some oregano, crushed bay leaves, and roast at 400F for 20-30 mins with an entire garlic clove, unpeeled. **Never, ever add sugar to tomato sauce**, but in addition to Martha's recipe, use two cans of chopped tomatoes, two tbsp, tomato paste, some oregano, Greek olives, four whole plum tomatoes and simmer.

For a college student with a limited kitchen and budget, how necessary is the food processor for this recipe? Ditto for the capers. I got a beautiful head of purple cauliflower and this looks amazing...

Rather than blanch the cauliflower, try roasting it with olive oil and garlic, salt and pepper; and I might add some fresh basil, garlic and a dash of balsamic to the tomato sauce.orAdd a dollop of fresh ricotta to make it so creamyAlso add julienne of fresh basil

This has become my go-to when I'm not sure what to do with cauliflower. It is incredibly flavorful for the short cooking time, and vegan (without parmesan). I tend to double the sauce-to-pasta ratio to get more vegetables.