Pasta with Green Beans and Cauliflower
This pasta with green beans and cauliflower is a light, flavorful Italian recipe made with simple ingredients. A classic pasta and green beans dish that comes together quickly and doesn’t need any cream.
Servings: 4
Calories: 2301kcal
Ingredients
- 1 pound orecchiette pasta
- 1 pound green beans trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil plus more if needed
- 1 small onion diced
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Parmigiano Reggiano for serving
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the green beans and cook until tender and bright green, about 8–10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- In the same pot of boiling water, cook the orecchiette according to package instructions until al dente.
- While the pasta cooks, steam the cauliflower florets until soft, about 10 minutes.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until soft and lightly golden.
- Mash the cooked cauliflower with a fork or pulse it briefly in a food processor. Keep some texture.
- Add the green beans and mashed cauliflower to the skillet with the onion. Stir to combine.
- Drain the pasta, reserving about ½ cup of pasta water. Add the pasta to the skillet.
- Toss everything together, adding pasta water as needed to create a light, silky sauce. Drizzle in more olive oil if needed.
- Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with grated Parmigiano Reggiano.
Notes
- Reserve your pasta water, it helps create the sauce
- Don’t over mash the cauliflower, texture makes the dish better
- Use good quality olive oil for the best flavor
- You can add garlic with the onion for extra depth
Nutrition
Calories: 2301kcal | Carbohydrates: 370g | Protein: 67g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 40g | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 1969mg | Fiber: 27g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 3130IU | Vitamin C: 55mg | Calcium: 264mg | Iron: 11mg