Linguine with Romanesco Cauliflower, Green Olives, & Almonds

Recently The Kitchn posted 8 Indulgent Vegan Pasta Dishes. Hooray, right? Who doesn’t love a nice bowl of comforting pasta? Especially now, as we are all gearing up for healthy resolutions & New Year’s cleanses!

I was a little disappointed when I clicked on the first recipe, only to find that it was, in fact, not vegan…unless there is a vegan substitute for Pecorino Romano or Parmigiano-Reggiano that I did not know about? I didn’t fret for long, as this was a minor oversight that could be easily adjusted to make this a truly “vegan pasta dish.”

Instead of the more commonly known white cauliflower, I jazzed this up with its more fashionable (& flavorful) cousin, Romanesco. I get so excited when Romanesco cauliflower is in season. I love it simply roasted with sea salt, pepper & a squeeze of lemon, or sautéed with garlic, shallots, & pine nuts. I picked some up from a local farm & decided to use it here, with a few stalks of leftover white cauliflower thrown in.

I absolutely love the base of the sauce in this recipe - green olives & parsley. Yum. So simple, but so full of flavor.

The recipe called for pitted green olives in brine, stuffed or unstuffed. To be honest, I used a jar of pimento-stuffed martini olives that came in a gift basket my dad gave me. Vibrantly colorful, with richness from the olives, & freshness from the parsley.

LINGUINE WITH ROMANESCO CAULIFLOWER, GREEN OLIVES, & ALMONDS

Author: Melissa, Honey Bee Vegan (Inspired by The Kitchn)

Recipe Type: Pasta, Main Dish

Cuisine: Vegan

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup pimento-stuffed green olives

• ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 3 Tbsp olive oil

• 1 head Romanesco cauliflower, cut into 1-inch-wide florets

• ½ tsp salt

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• ½ tsp dried hot red-pepper flakes

• ¼ cup water

• ½ lb dried whole wheat linguine

• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast

• ½ cup whole almonds with skin, toasted & coarsely chopped

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pulse olives & parsley in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.

2. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat. Cook cauliflower with salt, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic & red-pepper flakes & cook, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and garlic is golden about 3 minutes.

3. Stir in water & boil for 1 minute. Add olive mixture & cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta cooking water. Drain in a colander & return to pot.

5. Add cauliflower mixture & toss well, then add nutritional yeast & toss again. If pasta is dry, moisten with some reserved cooking water.

6. Sprinkle pasta with almonds & serve immediately.

This was such a wonderfully delicious dish of pasta! The delicate cauliflower balanced beautifully with the rich “sauce” & the sprinkle of almonds gave a subtle nuttiness & crunch. I highly recommend you give it a try.