Easy Sicilian Cauliflower Pasta (Pasta chi Vruocculi Arriminati) is a delicious combination of traditional Sicilian ingredients. Cauliflower is combined with exotic flavors like sweet raisins, bright saffron, the crunch of pine nuts and homemade breadcrumbs. Ready in under 30 minutes!
If you love Sicilian pasta, you will also want to try my Pasta alla Norma, Busiate with Trapanese Pesto, and Pasta with Ricotta and Peas.
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If you enjoy cauliflower recipes, you will like my Sicilian roasted cauliflower or my paprika cauliflower soup.
Originally published March 2021 and updated for content March 2024.
There have been so many recipes I have been meaning to share here with all of you from my dad's beloved region of Sicily.
One dish that brings back so many memories of dad and his cooking is "pasta chi vruocculi arriminati" also called "pasta cu vrùocculi 'rriminati. The name in Sicilian translates to "pasta that is mixed with cauliflower", because arriminari is translated to stirred or mixed, but it also could refer to mixing it with seasonings/flavors.
Sicilian food may seem really unusual and different compared to traditional Italian recipes that have become famous in America (and the rest of the world). What makes this pasta so very Sicilian is that it is made with raisins, anchovies, saffron and pine nuts. These are classic Sicilian ingredients that blend together in a magical and unique way.
These are flavors in savory Sicilian dishes that go all the way back to the centuries of Arabs ruling this incredible island (don't forget, Sicily had many different conquerors that left their mark on their food, which makes it all so fascinating and delicious!).
The Saracens (Arabs) conquered the Western side of Sicily in 827 and it is still today known as the Arab side of Sicily, with Palermo as its capitol, which is where this pasta dish was created. And the Eastern side of Sicily is referred to as the Greek side of Sicily. Which is the side of Sicily my dad is from and in my genetics, I am part Greek!
If you haven't explored traditional Sicilian recipes, you may be surprised to learn that raisins, pine nuts, anchovies and even saffron are a part of many of their recipes. Sweet, savory and absolutely delicious when combined together. The one thing I insist you do with the recipe is top it off with the homemade breadcrumbs. It is just that special and simple touch that brings the subtle sweetness all together.
Ingredients
- Cauliflower - purple cauliflower is traditional in Sicily, but standard white cauliflower or fioretto both work well
- Pine nuts - called pinoli in Italian; toasted until golden for crunch
- Stale bread - called muddica in Sicilian; pulsed into coarse crumbs and toasted as the finishing topping. Store-bought breadcrumbs work if you do not have stale bread on hand.
- Olive oil - a good quality extra-virgin olive oil makes a real difference in a dish this simple
- Onion - sweet or white onion; garlic is not traditional in this dish, though you can add it if you like
- Anchovy fillets - melt into the onions for umami depth; leave out for a vegan version
- Raisins - essential to the dish; plumped in warm water before adding
- Saffron- another Arab-influenced ingredient; steeped in warm water to release its color and flavor
- Sea salt and freshly ground pepper - go light on salt if using anchovies, since they are already salty
- Pasta - bucatini, spaghetti, or linguine all work well
Equipment you need to make this recipe:
- Cutting board: I like to use bamboo cutting boards, but use whatever type you have on hand.
- Sharp knife: A really sharp knife is needed to chop up the veggies.
- Large pot: You'll need a nice and big pot to boil the pasta.
- Large skillet: You'll need a large skillet to make the sauce. It has to be big enough to combine the sauce with the pasta.
How to make Sicilian pasta with cauliflower?
Here is what I did to make this delightful Sicilian pasta recipe. Full printable recipe is found below.
First thing is to gather all the ingredients.
To make the sauce, the first thing you do is cook up the cauliflower.
I happened to be lucky and found at my local fruit/veg market some fioretto. Fioretto is actually a hybrid of broccoli and cauliflower. It happens to have a more delicate and sweet flavor than standard cauliflower. It even has small florets that you may find looks similar to broccoli. They aren't easy to come across, so keep in mind, standard cauliflower is also great for this recipe!
You're not cooking it until it's mushy. It should be tender when you poke it with a fork. And keep in mind, it will cook up a little more with the rest of the ingredients in the sauté pan.
While the cauliflower is boiling, you could do some other steps.
While the cauliflower is cooking, prep the raisins by placing them in a small bowl and covering with warm water to plump them up.
In another small bowl, add the saffron and cover with 2 tablespoons of warm water.
In a small sauce pan, toast up the pine nuts.
When they are golden brown, set aside the pine nuts and add bread crumbs to same pan with a little olive oil and toast them up. Set the bread crumbs aside.
In a large sauce pan, heat up olive oil and begin by sautéing the onion and adding chopped anchovy fillets. The anchovies melt away with the onion and add a subtle kick of umami (salty flavor).
To that you add in the raisins (drained) and the toasted pine nuts (I left mine whole, but feel to chop them into smaller pieces).
Next, add in the cauliflower and saffron (with its liquid)and stir everything and let it simmer for just a few minutes while the pasta cooks.
Drain the pasta and add it in to the pan with the cauliflower sauce ingredients and some reserved pasta water.
The pasta gets plated up and the final addition is a sprinkling of the toasted bread crumbs. And of course, a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil.
What to serve with this Italian pasta recipe?
Sicilian cauliflower pasta is Italian comfort food and it goes really nicely with any roasted vegetable, side dish, or bread.
- Panzanella Toscana >>> A really nice Tuscan salad! It's simple and delicious!
- Insalata mista >>>This is my favorite and really easy Italian salad.
- Crusty bread >>> I think it's always a good idea to have some great bread to sop up all the sauce! Or try an easy Greek bread: psomi spitiko .
- Rosemary breadsticks >>> Truly delicious breadsticks!
Recipe Tips
- Do not skip the breadcrumbs. They are not a garnish, they are essential to the dish. The crunch and toasted flavor tie together the sweetness of the raisins and the brine of the anchovies.
- Cook the cauliflower in the pasta water. Reusing that pot for both the cauliflower and the pasta means one less pot to wash and the pasta water picks up a little extra flavor.
- Check the salt before adding more. Anchovies bring a lot of salt on their own. Taste the sauce before seasoning further.
- Reserve pasta water generously. It is what turns this into a cohesive, silky sauce rather than dry pasta with toppings scattered on it.
- No saffron on hand? A pinch of turmeric gives a similar golden color, though the flavor will be milder and more earthy rather than floral.
- Make it vegan. Simply omit the anchovies. The dish is still deeply flavorful from the saffron, raisins, and toasted pine nuts.
- Storage: Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days. Freezing is not recommended, as the cauliflower texture suffers.
Some other pasta recipes you'll love:
📖 Recipe
Pasta with Cauliflower (Pasta chi Vruocculi Arriminati)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 whole cauliflower roughly chopped into florets, (* I used fioretto)
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 3 ounces stale bread should make about ½ cup coarse bread crumbs
- 3 Tablespoons olive oil plus extra to serve (I used extra-virgin Sicilian)
- 1 medium onion finely diced
- 4 canned anchovy fillets or anchovy paste optional, optional *if you omit, this pasta is vegan
- ¼ cup raisins or currants
- 1 teaspoon saffron strands
- 1 pound pasta bucatini, spaghetti, or linguine
Instructions
- Boil water: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
- Boil cauliflower: Add the cauliflower and cook until soft and tender (but not mushy), about 10-15 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the cauliflower and set aside in a large bowl. Turn off the heat and save the water in the pot to cook the pasta.
- Prep raisins: While the cauliflower is cooking, prep the raisins by placing them in a small bowl and covering with warm water to plump them up.
- Prep saffron: In another small bowl, add the saffron and cover with 2 tablespoons of warm water.
- Toast pine nuts: In a small sauce pan in medium heat, add the pine nuts and toast them until golden brown (keep a good eye on them and be sure to move them around with a wooden spoon so they don't burn). When nice and golden brown, set them aside in a small bowl.
- Prep the bread crumbs by cutting the bread into small portions. Add it to a food processor and pulse until you get coarse crumbs.
- Toast breadcrumbs: In the pan you toasted the pine nuts, add a tablespoon of olive oil and turn the heat to medium. Add in the bread crumbs. Let them toast up and stir them with a wooden spoon (so that they don't brown too much on one side). As soon as they are nice and crispy and a dark golden color, place them in a small bowl and set aside.
- Cook pasta: Bring the pot of water that you cooked the cauliflower in to a boil and add more water to the pot (if needed). When water is boiling, add in the pasta and cook until al dente, following time suggestion on the pasta box.
- Heat pan: Place a large frying pan on the stove to medium heat and add in 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil has heated, add in the onion and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes).
- Add anchovies: If you are using anchovies, add them in now and stir them together with the onions. They will break up and melt together with the onions.
- Drain the raisins and add them in. Also add in the toasted pine nuts. Lower the heat and stir it all together.
- Add the cauliflower and the saffron water to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to stir it all together, breaking up any large pieces of the cauliflower. Season with salt.
- Drain pasta: When pasta is cooked to al dente, drain and reserve a cup of the pasta water. Add the pasta and some of the reserved pasta water to the pan with the cauliflower sauce. Stir everything together. If needed, add some more of the reserved pasta water and stir together with the pan on the heat (be sure not to keep it too long on the heat as you don't want the pasta to overcook and get mushy).
- Season: Check the seasoning and add more salt, if needed, and freshly ground pepper.
- Serve: Add the pasta to a serving bowl or platter. Drizzle on some really good extra-virgin olive oil. Sprinkle the toasted bread crumbs on top. Serve immediately and ENJOY!
Nutrition Disclaimer
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information presented below is an approximation and may vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
Notes
-
- No saffron on hand? Substitute a pinch of turmeric for color, though the flavor will be milder.
- For a vegetarian or vegan version, omit the anchovies entirely - the dish remains full of flavor.
- Purple cauliflower is traditional in Sicily; standard white cauliflower or fioretto both work well.
- Store: Airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days. Not recommended for freezing.
I recently tried the Sicilian Pasta with Cauliflower, and it quickly became one of my favorite dishes. The combination of tender cauliflower with the sweet raisins and aromatic saffron created an intriguing and delicious flavor profile. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a quick yet flavorful pasta dish.
Hi Cara-Thanks for taking the time to let me know you enjoyed one of my most favorite Sicilia pasta dishes. It is definitely very flavorful and I'm so happy you enjoyed the Sicilian pasta with cauliflower!
Thank you Lora!
This pasta dish must be a dream to eat.
Interested in historic and flavoursome every day dishes.
Look forward to follow you.
Hi Christina-Thanks for stopping by! I really appreciate your kind comment! XX