Cauliflower Carbonara
A creative twist on classic carbonara featuring roasted cauliflower, crispy bacon, and a rich Parmesan egg sauce tossed with orecchiette pasta. This hearty dish combines the traditional flavors of carbonara with charred cauliflower for added depth and texture.
Ingredients
- •1 head cauliflower
- •¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- •1 tsp kosher salt
- •2½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper
- •1 clove garlic
- •6 oz bacon
- •5 large egg yolks
- •2 oz Parmesan
- •12 oz orecchiette
- •½ cup parsley
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Preheat oven to 450°F. Remove outer leaves and core of cauliflower. Cut florets into 3/4" pieces. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Add 1/4 cup oil, 1 tsp. salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper and toss to combine. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until cauliflower is deeply charred in spots, 30-35 minutes. Immediately grate garlic over hot cauliflower and toss to combine (you're counting on the residual heat to soften the garlic); set aside.
35 min
- 2.
Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until crisp, 8-10 minutes. Transfer bacon and 1 Tbsp. bacon fat to a large bowl. Add egg yolks, 1 cup Parmesan, 2 tsp. pepper, and remaining 2 Tbsp. oil. Whisk to combine with a fork (it will be very thick, but that's okay).
10 min
- 3.
Add pasta and 1/2 cup cooking liquid to bowl with egg yolk mixture and toss vigorously and continuously with a wooden spoon to create a creamy emulsified sauce that coats pasta, adding more cooking liquid as needed. This may require more tossing than you expect! Keep at it for at least 1 minute. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed. Add roasted cauliflower and parsley and toss again to coat.
5 min
- 4.
Divide pasta among bowls. Top with more Parmesan and a few generous cranks of pepper.
2 min