In case you didn’t know, winter is citrus season and for good reason (citrus is rich in vitamin C). This pasta doubles down on lemon by using the peel and juice to create an easy white pesto. We’re cooking some sneaky cauliflower with the pasta for a dose of veggies that no one will detect. It all gets tossed in that bright lemony, cheesy pesto until glossy and saucy!
Ingredient Highlight
Lemon (citrus)! There’s a reason why we eat a lot more citrus in the winter months – citrus fruits are loaded with immune-boosting vitamin C. They’re also high in fiber and flavonoids (anti-oxidants).
P.S. The lemon peel and white pith contains just as much vitamin C as the flesh and is also loaded with fiber and other nutrients
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 12 minutes Ingredients
- 16 oz short pasta (pipe rigate, conchiglie, rigatoni, penne)
- 1 (12 oz) bag frozen or fresh riced cauliflower (about 3 cups)*
- ¾ cup toasted almonds
- 3 v wedge parmesan cheese, cut into smaller chunks (or about 1 cup grated)
- Zest strips from 1 lemon**
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ cup olive oil
- Chopped parsley or basil, for topping
- *You could also finely chop a fresh cauliflower yourself (3 cups worth).
- **Use a Y-peeler to peel the zest off in strips (see video).
- Note: the toasted whole almonds make more of a brown pesto, if you want it more white then use slivered or blanched almonds. Feel free to add in fresh basil if you want to make it green.
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with water and salt generously (about 3-4 quarts water, about 2 tablespoons salt). Bring to a boil, then cook the pasta according to the package instructions, adding the cauliflower in during the last 2 minutes of cooking time.
- Reserve about 1 cup pasta water, then drain (it’s best to use a fine mesh sieve if you have one that’s big enough so the cauliflower doesn’t fall through the holes of a colander). Transfer back to the pot.
- In a high-speed blender, add almonds, parmesan, lemon, salt, pepper, and garlic and blend until everything is finely chopped, scraping down the sides as needed. Scrape the sides down one final time and, with the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil. Blend until combined.
- Add the pesto to the pot along with ½ cup pasta water and stir constantly until the pasta absorbs the water and the sauce thickens, about 1 minute. Add more pasta water if it’s looking too dry.
- Serve topped with chopped herbs and black pepper.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Toast 1 cup almonds
- Make pesto
Substitutions:
- To make gluten free, use a gluten-free pasta (Jovial Foods brown rice pasta is my fav).
- To make dairy free, skip the parmesan and add 2 tbsp miso paste. Reduce the salt to ½ or ¾ teaspoon and add more to taste. The pesto won’t be as thick without the cheese.
- Skip the cauliflower if you’d like or use any other quick cooked finely chopped veggie (like broccoli).
- Use walnuts in place of almonds.
- To make nut-free try with toasted pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds, but reduce to ½ cup.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up leftover pasta in the microwave until warmed through. You can add a splash of water to your bowl before microwaving to help loosen up the sauce (mix it up after you warmed it).
- Top with fresh lemon juice to wake it up! And don’t forget the herbs and black pepper.
- Stir some arugula into the pasta for a dose of peppery greens.