In all my years of cooking pasta, this roasted cauliflower pasta recipe might be my favorite! Featuring spaghetti with roasted cauliflower in a browned butter sauce with tons of citrus, capers and golden raisins. Learn what makes this simple spaghetti so special and make it yourself!

Of all the many, many pasta dishes on this site, this recipe for roasted cauliflower pasta with browned butter sauce might be my favorite. I mean, there’s browned butter involved, so I guess it’s not a very fair competition.

What makes this seemingly simple roasted cauliflower pasta so special? I love the combinations of flavors in this dish - caramelized roasted cauliflower and red onion, nutty browned butter, briny capers, acidic tomatoes, citrus from the lemon juice and a bit of sweetness from golden raisins. That might seem like a lot, but trust me - one bite and you’ll understand.

The other special ingredient that takes this pasta up a notch? Anchovies. Again, if you’re anti-anchovy, you’re going to have to trust me on this one. When the anchovies are sautéed in olive oil, it loses the fishy flavor and transforms into nutty and umami deliciousness. Browned butter is already rich and nutty tasting, and the anchovies pump that flavor up exponentially.

How to Make Browned Butter

Have you ever tried browned butter before? I first discovered it making my all time favorite cake recipe, a bittersweet chocolate and pear cake from Smitten Kitchen. I had only used it in dessert recipes until I made this browned butter spaghetti a few years ago, and now I love to use it in pasta dishes, drizzle it over roasted vegetables or mash it into creamy potatoes. If it’s new to you, browned butter is simply regular butter that’s been cooked over medium heat until the milk solids caramelize and brown, giving it a rich, toasty flavor. Also, it makes your kitchen smell like heaven. I swear, it’s better than any scented candle you’ll ever purchase.

Browned butter is pretty simple to make, but it isn’t exactly hands off and you want to be sure not to burn the butter, which makes it taste bitter and ick. To make browned butter for this roasted cauliflower pasta, I use this tutorial from Serious Eats. It has pictures of each step if you’re a visual learner like me, but essentially you’ll warm cubes of butter in a light colored pan (this way you can see the color of the butter) over low heat, stirring regularly to prevent burning. The butter will eventually sizzle and foam, and the bits of milk solids in the butter will caramelize and brown. When it smells nice and toasty and the milk solids are a golden brown color, the butter is ready.

Roasted Cauliflower Pasta Recipe Adaptions and Serving Suggestions

If you’d like to add more protein to this dish, try it with lentil spaghetti, toss in chickpeas or chicken.
I like this roasted cauliflower pasta with whole grain spaghetti because it tastes great with the nutty browned butter sauce, but feel free to serve it with fresh.
To make this vegan, omit the anchovies and use a vegan butter. It won’t have the same nutty flavor, but it will still be delicious! You could also try this recipe for vegan browned butter. I’ve never tried it before, so let me know how it works out!
To bump up the citrus flavor, I’ve added a couple tablespoons of chopped preserved lemon to the pasta and it’s really tasty. I also love it with crumbled feta cheese over the top.

Pair this pasta with a simple salad, like this spring salad with sauteed peas and scallions or a basic arugula salad with lemon and parmesan.
Pair with crusty baked bread to sop up all the browned butter sauce. Try my roasted garlic focaccia or your favorite loaf from the local grocery.

This post was originally published December 2013. Recipe, images and text have been updated to give you the best possible content.

If you like this roasted cauliflower pasta recipe, follow my favorite pasta recipes Pinterest board for more cooking inspiration.

Roasted Cauliflower Pasta with Browned Butter Sauce

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 6-8 cups)
Extra-virgin olive oil for roasting cauliflower, plus 1 tablespoon for sauce
8 ounces whole wheat spaghetti
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium red onion, diced
1 large clove garlic, minced
6 anchovy fillets
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/3 cup chopped parsley
Parmesan cheese, for serving

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Spread cauliflower florets evenly across a large baking sheet. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt and black pepper. Place in the oven and roast until tender and golden, tossing halfway, for a total of about 30 minutes.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions and drain, reserving 1/2 cup starchy pasta water.
Heat butter in a small/medium skillet on medium heat (it’s best to use a light colored skillet if you have one). Once melted, start whisking. The butter will start to bubble and foam and in about 2 minutes, then you will start to see browned bits on the bottom. Continue cooking about 30 more seconds while whisking, until butter is golden and browned, but not blackened. If you see any bits start to blacken, remove from heat immediately - if it goes too long it will taste burnt. Scape butter into a small bowl to stop the cooking and set aside until ready to use.
Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in cherry tomatoes and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and anchovy to the skillet, and break apart the anchovy with the spatula so it melts into the sauteed vegetables. Cook a minute or two, stir in capers, golden raisins, spaghetti and enough starchy pasta liquid to make a sauce. Toss in brown butter, lemon zest and juice, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper and serve with parmesan cheese.