Creamy, flavorful, and with an inviting crust on top, the baked pasta with cauliflower and gorgonzola is a perfect first course for the whole winter season and also ideal for Christmas lunch. Among the baked first courses that are simple yet impactful, this recipe is a great alternative to classic lasagna and is perfect if you’re looking for vegetarian recipes for Christmas full of flavor.
The preparation is very easy and does not require béchamel sauce: the creaminess comes from the combination of sweet gorgonzola and cauliflower, which is first boiled then sautéed in a pan with a clove of garlic until it almost becomes a cream. You can make this pasta timbale with white cauliflower or choose yellow cauliflower, as I did, to give the dish an even more inviting touch of color. Perfect for those who love cauliflower recipes, this flavorful variant will conquer even those who appreciate rich and tasty first courses.
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- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very cheap
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 4People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stove
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Fall, Winter
- Energy 414.66 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 32.54 (g) of which sugars 3.77 (g)
- Proteins 19.34 (g)
- Fat 23.95 (g) of which saturated 11.53 (g)of which unsaturated 6.05 (g)
- Fibers 4.45 (g)
- Sodium 657.59 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 350 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for baked pasta with cauliflower and gorgonzola
- 11 oz pasta (for me gluten-free)
- 1.3 lbs cauliflower (weighed already cleaned)
- 6.3 oz gorgonzola (sweet)
- 1.4 oz Parmigiano Reggiano DOP (grated)
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- to taste salt
- 1 knob butter (for the baking dish)
Tools
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Knife
- 1 Pot
- 1 Slotted Spoon slotted
- 1 Pan non-stick
- 1 Baking Dish about 8×12 inches
How to prepare baked pasta with cauliflower and gorgonzola
To prepare the baked pasta with cauliflower and gorgonzola, start by cleaning the cauliflower: remove the outer leaves (1) then cut the florets, halving or quartering the larger ones (2). Weigh about 1.3 lbs and boil them in plenty of lightly salted water for about 15 minutes until they are tender (3).
Meanwhile, in a non-stick pan sauté the whole garlic clove in the oil (4). When the cauliflower is cooked, drain it with a slotted spoon and transfer it to the pan (5). Sauté it in the pan for 4-5 minutes, so that it flavors and breaks down into a sort of cream (6). Adjust the salt, remove the garlic clove, and turn off the heat.
Boil the pasta in abundant salted water (the same used for the cauliflower is fine) and drain it al dente. Transfer it to a bowl and add the cauliflower (7). Mix well, then add the sweet gorgonzola cut into cubes (8). Keep some pieces aside to add at the end. Mix carefully to combine it with the pasta and cauliflower (9).
Lightly butter a baking dish of about 8×12 inches and transfer the pasta to it (10). Garnish it with the reserved gorgonzola cubes and a good sprinkle of grated parmesan (11). Bake the baked pasta with cauliflower and gorgonzola in the already heated oven at 392°F (200°C) for 35-40 minutes, until the top is nicely gratinated (12).
Remove from the oven and let it rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting it. Serve the baked pasta with cauliflower and gorgonzola for a special occasion, such as Christmas lunch or Sunday lunch.
Storage
You can store leftover baked pasta in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 days. If you want to prepare it in advance, you can dress it and place it in a baking dish, then freeze it. You can then bake it from frozen, extending the cooking time by 15-20 minutes.
Tips and Variations
If you want to add an extra touch of flavor to the baked pasta, you can use 3.5 oz (100 g) of smoked pancetta or speck, sautéed with the garlic.
