Put a plate of pasta in front of me and I’m one happy girl. Bring out a bowl of rigatoni with cauliflower Bolognese and I’d be over the moon. It’s that good.
I made a big batch of rigatoni with cauliflower Bolognese last Sunday and gladly had it for dinner several times this past week (passing up leftover pizza from Il Casaro Pizzeria & Mozzarella Bar and chicken and rice from Gai). The dish is rich, hearty and packed with flavor, thanks to the addition of shiitake mushrooms and fresh herbs, among other things.
Unlike many meat-based sauces, cauliflower Bolognese comes together quite quickly. But the finished product is as delicious as the traditional version, which takes hours to prepare. Don’t believe me? Try the recipe!
Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit.
- 6 ounces cremini mushrooms, stems removed and quartered
- 6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and quartered
- 1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely diced
- 1½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
- 1½ teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- ⅓ cup double-concentrated tomato paste
- sea salt, to taste
- 1 pound rigatoni
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus more for garnish
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
- In a food processor, pulse the cremini and shiitake mushrooms until coarsely ground. Transfer to a medium bowl.
- In a food processor, pulse the cauliflower until coarsely ground.
- In a large pot, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil and 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, 6-8 minutes.
- Add onion and remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, 8-10 minutes.
- Add garlic, serrano pepper, rosemary and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.
- Add tomato paste and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to darken, about 2 minutes.
- Add cauliflower and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown, 8-10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente according to package directions. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cooked pasta to pot with sauce.
- Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter, Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and 1 cup reserved cooking liquid to pot; stir to combine. If necessary, add more reserved cooking liquid to loosen the sauce. Stir in parsley and season with additional salt to taste. Garnish with lemon zest and additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and serve immediately.
