Creamy Cauliflower with Spinach Pasta Bake served alongside a Winter Citrus & Baby Green Salad.
During the winter months, the two things I crave most are sunshine and cozy fires. This meal was inspired by those cravings to deliver a wonderful balance between the bright fresh flavours in the salad, and a ‘warm hug’ from the comforting baked pasta.
Packed full of flavour and loaded with goodness, Earthbound Farm Organic Greens & Vegetables ensure that you are not just making healthier choices for yourself, but for the world too! Plus, the variety and convenience of Earthbound Farm products makes it so easy to eat and cook more whole, fresh, organic produce.
Disclosure: I have participated in a paid partnership with Earthbound Farms. Opinions in this post are my own.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower
- Yellow potatoes
- Penne pasta
- Milk
- Mushroom stock
- Olive oil
- All purpose flour
- Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper
- Butter
- Button mushrooms
- Garlic
- Fresh thyme
- Hot chili flakes
- Spinach+Bok Choy (or Spinach+Kale)
Toppings
- Panko breadcrumbs
- Parmesan cheese
- Fresh thyme
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Boil the Cauliflower and Potatoes
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets and potato cubes. Return to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes until the cauliflower and potatoes are soft. Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to remove the cauliflower & potatoes from the water and place into a full-size blender.
Boil the Pasta
Using the same pot and water, add the pasta and bring back up to a boil (adding more water if required). Lower the heat to simmer and cook the pasta for ⅔ of the package recommended time (do not cook fully). Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water. Strain and set aside. Return the pot to the stove.
Finish off Cauliflower Sauce
While the pasta cooks, carefully place the lid on the blender and blend until cauliflower & potatoes are mostly smooth.
Combine the milk and stock together in a saucepan or microwaveable container and warm through.
In the drained pasta pot, add the olive oil, along with the flour. Stir over a medium heat until smooth and cook for 1 minute. Gradually pour the warmed liquid, ½ cup at a time, into the flour paste in the pot, stir until smooth before adding the next portion of liquid. Once all the liquid has been added, simmer over medium-low heat for 2 minutes (mixture will remain relatively thin, not saucy).
Pour the hot contents of the pot into the blender with the cauliflower mixture and add the Dijon mustard. Ensure the lid stays on and blend until silky, smooth, and thick. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. (You may need to do this in batches if your blender is not large enough.)
Preheat Oven
Preheat the oven to 335°F convect bake (350°F regular bake).
Sauté the Mushrooms & Wilt the Spinach
In a 5 quart (12″) ovenproof skillet or sauté pan, heat the butter over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until beginning to shrink and release liquid (about 5 minutes). Next add the garlic, thyme, chili flakes and a pinch of salt to the frying pan, turn the heat down to low and cook for 1 minute. Add the Spinach + Bok Choy to the pan, cover with a lid and steam for 3-5 minutes until the greens have wilted. Remove from the heat.
Combine Sauce, Pasta, Mushrooms and Greens
Add the pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Add the sauce and stir to fully combine sauce, pasta, mushrooms & greens.
Add Toppings and Bake
Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over the pasta. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the sauce is gently bubbling and the topping is slightly browned.
If desired, turn on the broiler for the last 3 or 4 minutes for a crispier top. Watch carefully so that it does not burn!
Serve and Enjoy
Serve with a Winter Citrus & Baby Green Salad, divide between bowls and serve hot. Enjoy!
Leave a Comment
If you get the chance to try this Creamy Cauliflower Pasta Bake recipe please drop back and leave us a comment and rating here. We would love to know what you think! Thanks in advance, Elaine & James 🙂
📖 Recipe
Creamy Cauliflower Pasta Bake
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 large Earthbound Farms Organic Cauliflower 2+lbs/900g, cut into medium florets. (Alternatively, 27oz/765g, Earthbound Farms Organic Cauliflower Florets – 3 bags)
- 3 small yellow potatoes peeled & cut into ½-inch cubes
- 1.1 pounds 500g penne pasta
- 10 oz 300ml 2% milk
- 10 oz 300ml mushroom stock
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 14 oz 400g button mushrooms, halved
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme leaves picked
- 1 teaspoon hot chilli flakes
- 5 oz 142g container of Earthbound Farms Organic Spinach+Bok Choy (or Spinach+Kale)
Toppings
- 6 tablespoons Panko breadcrumbs
- 60 g parmesan cheese grated
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme leaves picked
Instructions
Boil the Cauliflower and Potatoes
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower florets and potato cubes. Return to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Cook for 8 minutes until the cauliflower and potatoes are soft. Use a slotted spoon or spider strainer to remove the cauliflower & potatoes from the water and place into a full-size blender.
Boil Pasta
- Using the same pot and water, add the pasta and bring back up to a boil (adding more water if required). Lower the heat to simmer and cook the pasta for ⅔ of the package recommended time (do not cook fully). Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water. Strain and set aside. Return the pot to the stove.
Finish off Cauliflower Sauce
- While the pasta cooks, carefully place the lid on the blender and blend until cauliflower & potatoes are mostly smooth.
- Combine the milk and stock together in a saucepan or microwaveable container and warm through.
- In the drained pasta pot, add the olive oil, along with the flour. Stir over a medium heat until smooth and cook for 1 minute. Gradually pour the warmed liquid, ½ cup at a time, into the flour paste in the pot, stir until smooth before adding the next portion of liquid. Once all the liquid has been added, simmer over medium-low heat for 2 minutes (mixture will remain relatively thin, not saucy).
- Pour the hot contents of the pot into the blender with the cauliflower mixture and add the Dijon mustard. Ensure the lid stays on and blend until silky, smooth, and thick. (You may need to do this in batches if your blender is not large enough.) Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
Preheat Oven
- Preheat the oven to 335°F convect bake (350°F regular bake).
Sauté the Mushrooms & Wilt the Spinach
- In a 5 quart (12 inch) ovenproof skillet or sauté pan, heat the butter over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally until beginning to shrink and release liquid (about 5 minutes). Next add the garlic, thyme, chilli flakes and a pinch of salt to the frying pan, turn the heat down to low and cook for 1 minute. Add the Spinach+Bok Choy to the pan, cover with a lid and steam for 3-5 minutes until the greens have wilted. Remove from the heat.
Combine Sauce, Pasta, Mushrooms and Greens
- Add the pasta to the pan and toss to coat. Add the sauce and stir to fully combine sauce, pasta, mushrooms & greens.
Add the Toppings and Bake
- Mix the topping ingredients in a small bowl and sprinkle over the pasta. Place the pan into the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until the sauce is gently bubbling and the topping is slightly browned.
- If desired, turn on the broiler for the last 3 or 4 minutes for a crispier top. Watch carefully, so that it does not burn.
Serve and Enjoy
- Serve with a Winter Citrus & Baby Green Salad, divide between bowls and serve hot. Enjoy!
I am making this yummy recipe in the next few days!!! Totally my taste! Thanks Zimmy!
Hi Crissi,
Hope you love it as much as we did!
Have a great night!
Zimmy
This is all kinds of yummy!!!
Thanks Dina & Bruce!
Have a wonderful night!
Elaine & James