Pasta noodles tangled with perfectly roasted cauliflower and a luscious red pepper and tomato sauce! This dish takes minutes to make and is perfect for those craving a hearty bowl of pasta - with roasted veggies to make things healthier.

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Freezer Friendly: Yes

INGREDIENTS:

• 8 oz box pasta noodles
• Medium head cauliflower
• 2 teaspoons BACI Kitchen EVOO
  
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Red Pepper Tomato Sauce

• 12 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained
• 1 1/2 cups marinara
• 1/3 cup raw cashews
• 1/3 cup filtered water
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 garlic clove

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
   
   
2. Cut into small, bite-sized florets.
   
   
3. Place cauliflower in bowl and drizzle with BACI Kitchen EVOO. Generously season with salt and garlic powder. Toss until evenly coated. Lay cauliflower on sheet pan and bake for 30-minutes, flip halfway through.
   
   
4. Add all of red pepper sauce ingredients into a high-powered blender with a pinch of salt. Blend on high for 30-seconds until consistency is creamy and smooth. 
   
   
5. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until "al dente." Drain the pasta - reserving a little bit of pasta water with the noodles (a couple of tablespoons). 
   
   
6. In the same pot with the noodles, add 1 cup of red pepper sauce and toss to coat, then incorporate cauliflower. 

NOTES: 

Dress pasta with fresh chopped basil, fresh parmesan and additional red pepper sauce, to taste. Omit parmesan to keep vegan.

Before blending cashews, soak them in boiling water for 15-minutes (after water comes to a boil, cover pot and turn off heat source). The cashew meat will soften, creating a creamier texture while blending.

You will have leftover sauce. Place in freezer-safe container to serve for another time.

WINE PAIRING: 

Since pasta dishes with tomato sauce are acidic, it's best to pair them with a medium-bodied red wine. A wine that doesn't match the acidity of the sauce will make the wine taste bland. The perfect red wine for a tomato-based sauce would be a Cabernet Sauvignon or Zinfandel.