Creamy Cauliflower Capellini

A flock of Canadian geese woke me from my slumbers early this morning; their trumpeting infiltrating my dream until I roused myself and went to the window.

The flock was so low, it seemed as though their wings would touch the tops of our maple trees. On and on they swept past, their downy undersides casting shadows over the homestead as they headed south. I heard them loud and clear: fall is here.

I’m ready for autumn. We’ve made peace with the return to school (what other option is there?), we harvested loads of berries, and the pantry is well stocked with pickles. I’ve invited friends over for a corn roast this upcoming weekend and plan on bobbing for apples and decorating with pumpkins. Let the sweater weather come; I’ll be watching the leaves turn and the geese leave us behind.

I’m also ready for comfort food, and it starts with today’s simple recipe for Creamy Cauliflower Capellini that comes together in under ten minutes.

10-Minute Creamy Cauliflower Capellini Recipe | Simple Bites #dinner #recipe #vegetarian #family

Quick weeknight dinner? Yep. Family friendly? Ever so much. Hidden vegetables? That too, although my kids are down with cauliflower. If you can remember to stock a little ricotta in the refrigerator (or make your own as I do) and have quick-cooking pasta in the pantry, a fast dinner is well within reach.

10-Minute Creamy Cauliflower Capellini Recipe | Simple Bites #dinner #recipe #vegetarian #family

Whether or not you are ready for the arrival of fall, I’m sure you’ll find this pasta recipe helps transition you away from summer.

Creamy Cauliflower Capellini

A wonderfully fast dinner with a serving of vegetables that pleases little eaters. Cauliflower can be boiled in advance, or cooked quickly in the pasta water.
4.75 from 4 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Keyword: Vegetarian
Essential Ingredient: Pasta
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 292kcal
Author: Aimee

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup light cream
  • 2 cups cooked cauliflower florettes
  • 1/3 cup ricotta
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
  • 1 pinch fresh nutmeg
  • 200 g capellini pasta (half a standard package)

Instructions

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
  • Heat the cream in a medium saucepan and add the cooked cauliflower. Simmer the cream for a minute or two until the cauliflower is heated.
  • Add cream and cauliflower to a blender and puree until smooth. Add the ricotta and blend again. Return the puree to the pan. Whisk in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Keep sauce hot while you cook the pasta.
  • Boil the capellini for 3 minutes or according to package directions. Set aside 1/4 cup of the hot pasta water.
  • Drain pasta, then toss with the creamy cauliflower sauce and the hot pasta water. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 32mg | Sodium: 187mg | Potassium: 301mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 295IU | Vitamin C: 24.1mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 0.9mg

What does fall look like in your neck of the woods?

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44 Comments

  1. I love this recipe, Aimee! It looks so comforting and perfect for the cooler months. It’s not quite Fall here yet as the temps are still in the 90’s and humid but Fall over here is a bit crisp and beautiful leaves turn a shade of fiery red!

  2. I think I’m going to resist the pull into fall by topping this with roasted tomatoes from the garden. Maybe I’m willing to at least admit we’re in a transitional season. (But supposed to be 80-90 degrees here this weekend, so we’ll be squeezing a few more drops out of summer!)

  3. We love cauliflower base sauce! But, my husband is lactose intolerant and therefore doesn’t eat ricotta. Can I substitute it for something else? If not, can I make ricotta using lactose-free milk? Thank you!

  4. Pasta is definitely my favorite comfort food and when paired with a creamy sauce…YUM.

    I think I will be picking up some cauliflower soon.

    I am very ready for Fall too. Especially after a heat wave this week brought in highs in the 90’s everyday :-/

  5. Transition time is right. I think your flock of geese may have landed over here on the other side of Lake Ontario… because the population/flocks here seem to be growing exponentially! Prep. to head south for sure! My 4 year old doesn’t start school until next week, but we’ve been watching the schoolbusses pass by all week (TAD bit jealous). This recipe looks great! I love creamy cauliflower and will probably try this out with some vegan parmesan (Dairy allergy).

  6. Super yum! Thanks for this- and for your back-to-school meal post. Autumn here looks like the summer we should have had! Good old ‘banana belt’ of Ontario has temps sitting at 34C humidex and higher, so our kids’ classrooms are a tad warm and we’ve had some good thunderstorms. Farmers and other folks are happy, and that’s what counts – plus we can still fit in some comfortable fall tenting, too!

  7. I was waffling on the purchase of cauliflower yesterday but now know exactly what I’ll be making next week. I definitely won’t pass it up on my next trip.

    Our Fall is unfortunate. There really is no difference in the scenery just thankful for the cooler temps (lower 90s.) Our leaves turn around November so for now I must live vicariously through others. 🙂

  8. This is my kind of recipe! I’m not quite sure I’m ready for Autumn, but if it’s coming anyway, I’ll prepare myself and cozy up to a big bowl of this pasta – yum!

  9. Simply lovely. I cried a bit inside when I saw the first geese flying in formation, though. For now, I’m going to embrace the next two months before the snow flies.

  10. 5 stars
    Made this for dinner tonight and everyone loved it! Packed the leftovers into the kids lunchboxes for tomorrow. Delicious!

  11. 4 stars
    We had this for dinner tonight! It was good and the kids had no idea about the cauliflower. We added grilled chicken for some protein. Next time we’ll add some steamed broccoli, and some garlic too. Thanks for the great recipe!

  12. Gorgeous recipe and photos. I can’t wait to try this. I’m such a summer girl that I’m fighting fall tooth and nail. I’ll give in eventually. Maybe. Ha.

    Looking forward to meeting you soon. I should probably think about pulling my suitcase out from storage.

  13. All of this talk of fall has me jealous. It is still hot and very humid here in Houston. It MIGHT get down to the mid-80’s this weekend. But, I love this recipe and will save it for a month or so when it finally does cool down. Thanks.

  14. 5 stars
    I made this, blending with a hand blender (instead of the blender) and it worked! I added some garlic and parmesan cheese, and a few chilli flakes. Also, I kinda want to make it again, but using squash or pumpkin. Bet that would be amazing too 🙂
    Thanks for a great recipe!

  15. 5 stars
    Hey Aimee, I just dropped by to leave a comment of how awesome this creamy cauliflower capellini is. I tried it a while ago and my entire family loved it as well. Thanks for the inspirations.