This Creamy Cauliflower Pasta recipe is made with an easy dairy-free vegan cauliflower cream sauce that’s healthy, nutritious, and delicious!
I love creamy pasta and I love cauliflower, so this creamy cauliflower pasta is a winning combination. The Italian creamy cauliflower sauce is like a vegan alfredo sauce that is rich and flavorful. It is filled with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and plant-based protein. The homemade vegan parmesan in the recipe is nut-free, yeast-free and only takes 3 minutes to make. This easy vegan creamy cauliflower pasta is ready in 20 minutes or less, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights, and since it is so healthy I get to eat more! I love it!
Pasta with cauliflower cream sauce is filling and satisfying served alone, but it is great with extra ingredients tossed in. If you want to add extra plant-based protein to your pasta, try tossing in Italian Herb Walnuts or this Easy Baked Tofu. You can also add these White Wine Mushrooms or some Roasted Broccoli for a super cruciferous vegetable pasta! The cauliflower cream sauce is a great substitute for traditional alfredo sauce. For example, try using it in this Spinach Alfredo Spaghetti Squash Recipe for a healthy low-carb alternative to regular pasta. For a nice big Italian meal, try serving it with an Italian Salad and some Italian Herb Bread or Parmesan Garlic Bread. Yum!
Vegan Creamy Cauliflower Pasta Recipe Ingredients
These healthy vegan recipe ingredients create a creamy cauliflower pasta sauce that is nut-free, yeast-free, gluten-free, and low-carb, but the sauce is packed with lots of flavor and nutrients!
- Pasta– You can use the pasta of your choice. I used farfalle protein pasta made with lentils.
- Cauliflower– fresh cauliflower florets and frozen cauliflower both work, but fresh tastes better.
- Plant milk – Use the unsweetened plant-based milk of your choice. I use unsweetened flax milk or almond milk.
- Plant-Based Parmesan – This homemade vegan parmesan is yeast-free, nut-free, and ready in 3 minutes!
- Olive oil – I always use good quality organic olive oil.
- Italian seasoning – dried herbs including basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and sage.
- Garlic – fresh minced cloves are best, but you can also use the jarred garlic.
- White wine – I used Sauvignon Blanc, but any dry white wine will work.
- Salt & pepper – to taste.
- Fresh basil – as garnish.
Cauliflower Cream Sauce
I love this vegan cauliflower cream sauce for pasta, but this delicious creamy cauliflower sauce can be used with so many other things! It is a vegan sauce, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be used as a healthy sauce for things like chicken or seafood, like Italian Roasted Shrimp that is wonderful tossed into the pasta as well. It is also a great sauce to serve over roasted veggies! So don’t limit yourself to just pasta, get creative and make something new, healthy, and super yummy!
However you decide to use it, I hope you enjoy the cauliflower cream sauce! I have listed some more cauliflower and pasta recipes to try below. Happy Cooking!
More Cauliflower Recipes
- Creamy Cauliflower Risotto
- Cauliflower Tabbouleh Salad
- Italian Breakfast Skillet
- Cauliflower Pasta with Crispy Parmesan
- Chipotle Cauliflower Tacos
- Cauliflower Pizza Crust
- Healthy Cauliflower Falafel
- Roasted Cauliflower Rice
- Cauliflower Breakfast Skillet
- Cilantro Lime Cauliflower Rice
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Spinach Mashed Cauliflower
- Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
- Instant Pot Cauliflower Soup
- Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
- Roasted Cauliflower with Garlic and Rosemary
- Shrimp Fajita Cauliflower Rice
- Tuscan Cauliflower Rice
More Pasta Recipes
- Creamy Italian Ravioli
- Tuscan Shrimp Pasta
- Creamy Mushroom Pasta
- Cajun Shrimp Pasta
- Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta
- Basil Spinach Pesto Pasta
- Creamy Red Pepper Pasta
- Baked Ravioli
- Creamy Tortellini Soup
- Pumpkin Fettucine Alfredo
- Creamy Ratatouille Pasta
- Chicken Diavolo Pasta
- Creamy Pesto Pasta
- Caprese Pasta Salad
- Italian Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Fall Tortellini Pasta Salad
- Creamy Sage Turkey Pasta and Peas
- Instant Pot Spaghetti and Meatballs
- Roasted Cauliflower Pasta
- Sage Butter Ravioli
- Creamy Mushroom Tortellini
- Pasta Primavera
- Vegan Pesto Pasta
How to Make Creamy Cauliflower Pasta
To make this vegan creamy cauliflower pasta, first, make the cauliflower cream sauce base. First, steam the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower to a microwave-safe dish, add about 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and microwave for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through. The cauliflower should be soft and tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then drain. While the cauliflower is cooking, make the plant-based parmesan, you can also make it in advance. Add the cauliflower, vegan parmesan, and milk to a food processor and blend in 15-second intervals, scraping the sides between intervals, until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper.
Note: This method works when using my vegan parmesan recipe. If you are using store-bought cheese, you will wait to add it at the end of cooking the sauce. I highly recommend using my plant-based parmesan, it works perfectly, is so much healthier than store-bought, and only takes 3 minutes to make.
While you are cooking the sauce, boil your pasta according to the package instructions and drain when finished. Make sure you add salt to your pasta water.
Creamy Cauliflower Sauce
To make the creamy cauliflower sauce, first, add the olive oil to a large saute pan over medium heat. Next, add the Italian seasoning and the minced garlic to the pan and saute for about 1 minute, or until the garlic is fragrant, not burnt. Add the wine to the pan and simmer for 2 – 3 minutes, or until the wine is reduced by half.
Stir in the cauliflower cream sauce base, bring to a simmer, and keep it at a simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh basil and extra parmesan if you would like. Serve hot and enjoy!
Creamy Cauliflower Pasta (Vegan)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pasta
- 2 cups cauliflower florets
- 1 cup unsweetened plant-based milk
- ½ cup Plant-Based Parmesan plus extra for serving (see notes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic 3- 4 cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ¼ cup white wine dry white wine (I use Sauvignon Blanc)
- salt & pepper to taste (I use about ¼ to ½ teaspoon of each)
Optional Garnish
- fresh basil
Instructions
- To make the cauliflower cream sauce base, first steam the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower to a microwave-safe dish, add about 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and microwave for 5 minutes, stirring halfway through. The cauliflower should be soft and tender. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then drain. While the cauliflower is cooking, make the plant-based parmesan, you can also make it in advance.
- Add the cooked cauliflower, vegan parmesan (see notes), and milk to a food processor and blend in 15-second intervals, scraping the sides between intervals, until smooth and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Note: This method works when using my vegan parmesan recipe. (see notes)
- While you are cooking the sauce, boil your pasta according to the package instructions and drain when finished. Make sure you add salt to your pasta water.
- To make the creamy cauliflower sauce, first, add the olive oil to a large saute pan over medium heat. Next, add the Italian seasoning and the minced garlic to the pan and saute for about 1 minute, or until the garlic is fragrant, not burnt. Add the wine to the pan and simmer for 2 - 3 minutes, or until the wine is reduced by half.
- Stir in the cauliflower cream sauce base, bring to a simmer, and keep it at a simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the cooked pasta. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fresh basil and extra parmesan if you would like. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
- If you are using store-bought cheese, you will wait to add it at the end of cooking the sauce. I highly recommend using my plant-based parmesan recipe, it works perfectly, is so much healthier than store-bought, and only takes 3 minutes to make.
- If you need to thicken the sauce, add more parmesan. If you need to thin the sauce, add more milk.
- You can substitute the wine with vegetable broth if needed.
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