One Pot Cauliflower Piccata Pasta

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This One Pot Cauliflower Piccata Pasta has all the flavors of your favorite piccata dish in a quick and easy meatless meal.

301 CAL 52g CARBS 13g FAT 13g PROTEIN
3 Comments

I have always loved the flavors of piccata with the lemon, butter, and salty capers but sometimes I just don't have it in me to pound out the chicken, bread everything, lightly fry it, and make the sauce. Even though it's a fairly quick meal, it's pretty labor-intensive.

Lately, I have been experimenting with bringing the flavors or piccata to a quick and easy pasta dish like this One Pot Cauliflower Piccata Pasta. Everything is cooked in one pot. The starch from the pasta creates a creamy sauce when combined with the Parmesan cheese. The capers and lemon bring the bright and salty flavors you expect out of a traditional piccata dish and the parsley brings some freshness.

Craving protein? You could also add chickpeas, chicken breast, or chicken thighs. For the chickpeas, just add them right into the pan as you cook the garlic and shallot. For chicken, brown chunks of chicken with garlic and shallot. Then let the chicken cook with the pasta. Easy and delicious.

Looking for another quick version of piccata? Try this delicious version with shrimp and zucchini noodles.

Ingredients and Pantry Swaps

  • Cauliflower: The base of this recipe is cauliflower. Fresh cauliflower florets work best since they have the most crunch and texture. Frozen will work but it will be much softer in the final product.
  • Pasta: This recipe works best with regular or whole wheat pasta. Substitute pasta made with chickpeas, rice, or lentils will not work in this recipe. It is best to prep those on the side and adds them to the sauce after.
  • Garlic: Fresh garlic will give you the best flavor in the sauce. Minced garlic will also work. Garlic powder can work but the flavor won't be the same. 
  • Butter: Butter is a key flavor in the sauce so make sure to use the real thing!
  • Capers: It isn't piccata without the capers. If you haven't cooked with capers before, they are salty and briny with a similar flavor profile to olives. In a pinch, you could swap in some olives to get a similar taste.
  • Parsley: This dish needs to be finished with fresh herbs to balance the richness of the sauce. Parsley is traditional but you could also use basil.
  • Lemon: Lemon is another essential component of piccata. Make sure to use fresh lemon juice.
  • Vegetable broth: Vegetable broth gives extra flavor to the sauce and pasta. You can swap in water or chicken broth as well. 
  • Parmesan cheese: This adds creaminess to the sauce and some extra salt. Pecorino Romano works or nutritional yeast for a vegan cauliflower piccata.

What is Piccata sauce made of?

Piccata is an Italian dish where protein is served in a sauce made with butter, garlic, lemon, capers, and parsley. Typically piccata is made with breaded chicken cutlets or veal cutlets but it can also be made with fish, shellfish, and vegetables. 

Some piccata sauce contains white wine as well to add some acidity to the sauce. 

Recipe Ideas

There are lots of creative ways to make this cauliflower piccata dish your own.

  • Add protein: Boost this pasta dish with some extra protein. For a vegetarian option, add chickpeas, cannellini beans, or cooked tofu. For meat eaters, add cooked chicken, white fish, or shrimp.
  • Add more veggies: Don't be scared to add move veggies to the recipe. Try it with some spinach, kale, zucchini, or cherry tomatoes. If you add a lot of extra veggies, you may need some extra sauce.
  • Add extra red pepper flakes: For a little spice, add some red pepper flakes along with the garlic. This adds some nice spice to the dish.
  • Flavor boosters: Add sliced olives, sundried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, or artichoke hearts.
The Recipe
Cauliflower piccata pasta with capers, garlic, lemon, butter, and parsley in a bowl.

One Pot Cauliflower Piccata Pasta

301 CAL 52g CARBS 13g FAT 13g PROTEIN
PREP TIME: 10 Min
COOK TIME: 15 Min
TOTAL TIME: 25 Min
3 Comments
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 1 tbsp butter (or olive oil)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 8 oz. high fiber pasta
  • 4 cups cauliflower florets
  • 3 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 lemon (zest and juice)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. capers
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 cup parsley, chopped

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Instructions

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1

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large pot. Add the garlic, shallot, and red pepper flakes. Cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.

2

Add the pasta, cauliflower, vegetable broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to the pot and bring it to a boil. Cook for 10-12 minutes until pasta is fully cooked, cauliflower is tender, and the remaining liqui becomes thick and saucy. If needed, add extra vegetable broth to thin out the sauce so the pasta doesn't stick.

3

Turn off the heat and stir in the capers and Parmesan cheese. Once the cheese melts, stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper if needed.

Diets:
Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 1.5 cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 301
Calories from Fat 118
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13g
20%
Saturated Fat 3g
14%
Monounsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0g
0%
Cholesterol 10mg
3%
Sodium 1681mg
73%
Total Carbohydrate 52g
17%
Dietary Fiber 9g
34%
Sugars 5g
Protein 13g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
3 Comments
On One Pot Cauliflower Piccata Pasta
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Clelia
November 16, 2021 - 03:37
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4
MnnnYou just made what my mother made for us every Friday of the week in Italy. It is still a stable there.
Thank you for reminding me if my yought! It has been a long time! Happy day.
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Larry Russ
November 15, 2021 - 20:03
Add a Rating:
5
Can’t wait to try this recipe!
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August 23, 2016 - 08:18
Looks like something I'd like to try!
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