cavatappi pasta

Cavatappi pasta is corkscrew shaped and great with creamy sauces. Serve it with a creamy white sauce, spinach, and sundried tomatoes for an easy dinner! (For a vegan option, use 4 cups Vegan Alfredo Sauce instead of the cauliflower sauce.)

Creamy Cavatappi Pasta

garlic cloves*

cauliflower (1 1/2 to 2 pounds), enough

butter oil

vegetable broth

garlic powder

oregano

salt

Parmesan cheese, divided

Delallo cavatappi pasta

baby spinach

Delallo sundried tomatoes, minced

Red pepper flakes (optional)

parsley

Make the cauliflower sauce*

Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the cauliflower and saute for 4 minutes until lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the vegetable broth, garlic powder, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a simmer, then cover and cook 6 to 7 minutes on medium high heat until the cauliflower is tender when pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, make the pasta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the pasta until it is al dente (start tasting a few minutes before the package recommends: you want it to be tender but still a little firm on the inside). When the pasta is just about al dente, add spinach to pasta water in last 45 seconds (it only needs this long to cook). Then drain the pasta and spinach and return to the pot.

Blend the cauliflower sauce

When the cauliflower is cooked (in Step 3), carefully transfer the hot cauliflower and broth mixture to a blender. Blend on high until a smooth sauce forms. Add 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese and an additional 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and blend again.

Serve

Once the pasta is done, pour in the cauliflower sauce. Add the chopped sundried tomatoes, the additional 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes (if using). Taste and if desired add salt or fresh ground pepper. Top with parsley and serve. Store leftovers refrigerated (see reheating instructions above.

I enjoyed this and I followed the recipe exactly, but for some reason the cauliflower "sauce" was more like thin mashed potatoes... any idea what happened? Did I not blend it long enough? I popped it in the oven with some breadcrumbs on top to turn it into a casserole instead, but it would be great to be able to make it correctly in the future if you have any thoughts.

This recipe is extraordinary! Easy to make and delicious. My wife is vegetarian and I am a sworn omnivore. This meal was great for both. Thank you for your ideas in the kitchen. You have given me a few wins as the newly commissioned cook in the house.

Cavatappi Pasta with Cream Sauce is a comforting pasta dish that combines tender cavatappi noodles and an easy, ultra creamy parmesan cheese cream sauce. It only takes 15 minutes to whip up!

Cavatappi Pasta with Cream Sauce

cavatappi

butter (dairy free as desired)

garlic

flour

broth

milk of choice (plain milk

Italian seasoning

Salt + pepper

broccoli florets

Cook the pasta according to package directions.

In a large skillet or saucepan, heat the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add in garlic and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.

Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute. Mix in the broth, milk, italian seasoning, cheese, salt and pepper. Mix until fully combined and bring to a simmer. 

Cook for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the cheese is fully melted and combined into the sauce.

Add the drained pasta to the skillet with the sauce and stir to coat fully. Serve immediately and ENJOY!

This simple but so delicious recipe for baked mac and cheese is sure to become a family favorite! Trading traditional macaroni for cavatappi pasta, this recipe combines sharp cheddar and gruyere cheese for an al dente bite full of luscious cheesy goodness.

Baked Mac and Cheese

lb Cavatappi pasta

oz sharp cheddar cheese,

oz gruyere cheese, freshly shredded

tbsp butter

tbsp flour

milk (I recommend whole milk)

tsp black pepper

cayenne (optional)

nutmeg (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta about 1-2 minutes less than package instructions. Very al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, grate the cheese. Mix the cheddar and gruyere, then divide out approximately 2 cups for the sauce and 1 cup for the topping. Set aside.

Make the roux by melting 3 tbsp of butter over medium high heat in a dutch oven or other pot. Add 3 tbsp of flour and cook over medium high heat for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly. While continuing to whisk, stream in 3 cups of whole milk. Whisk until smooth and there are no more lumps. Bring the sauce to a low boil over medium high heat while whisking frequently so the it does not scorch. This will take about 5 minutes. Once a boil has been reached turn the heat down to low and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes until thickened. Remove from the heat and add salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne and nutmeg. Stir to combine. Add two cups of grated cheese and stir until the cheese has melted and is fully incorporated. Add the pasta to the cheese sauce and stir until it is evenly coated.

Pour 1/2 of the pasta and cheese sauce into the bottom of the casserole dish. Sprinkle about 1/3rd cup of cheese evenly on the top. Add the remaining pasta and cheese sauce and top with the remaining cheese.

Bake the mac and cheese uncovered at 375 degrees F for about 15-17 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to rest at least 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

Top 3 cavatappi pasta recipes from across the web

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Creamy Cavatappi Pasta

Cavatappi Pasta with Cream Sauce

Baked Mac and Cheese

Top 3 cavatappi pasta recipes from across the web

The most viewed cavatappi pasta recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Creamy Cavatappi Pasta

Cavatappi Pasta with Cream Sauce

Baked Mac and Cheese

The most viewed cavatappi pasta recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine