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Roasted Cauliflower with Filippo Berio Red Pepper Pesto
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5 from 1 vote

Oven Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce

A holiday-worthy vegetarian side dish made with hearty roasted cauliflower, crispy toasted pine nuts, and a deliciously creamy, rich red pepper pesto sauce.
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time28 mins
Total Time43 mins
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Vegetarian
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Basil and Bubbly

Ingredients

  • 1 head raw cauliflower
  • ¼ cup good quality extra virgin olive oil I use Filippo Berio Robusto Olive Oil
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup freshly grated pecorino romano or parmesan cheese
  • ¼ cup pine nuts
  • 1 jar 6 oz Filippo Berio Sun Dried Tomato Pesto
  • 3 ounces heavy cream
  • parsley optional garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 425 F.
  • Slice the tip of the cauliflower stem off to remove any dead / less than fresh edges, and pull or slice off any remaining leaves. Discard all of what you've cut off.
  • Slice the head of the cauliflower into large wedges, about 1 ½" thick at the top of the florets, tapering down to a point at the stem. You'll lose a few florets while you do this, and that's totally okay!
  • Drizzle half ofthe olive oil onto a pan with edges ( like a ¼ Sheet Pan or a large jelly roll pan ).
  • Place the wedges along with any loose florets from the cutting process onto the pan. Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the wedges / loose pieces of cauliflower. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, and grated cheese on top.
  • Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes at 425 F. Remove the pan from the oven, add the pine nuts to the pan, and give them a quick stir so they are coated in any residual oil, salt, pepper, and cheese on the pan.
  • Return the pan with the cauliflower and the pine nuts back to the oven. Bake for another 6 to 7 minutes, or until the pine nuts are toasted. Remove the pan as soon as you see the pine nuts start to brown! They can go from brown to burnt VERY quickly and require a close eye at this stage!
  • In a small bowl, mix the Filippo Berio Sun Dried Tomato Pesto with the heavy cream. Pour half of the creamy pesto onto the serving dish. When the cauliflower and nuts come out of the oven, place the cauliflower on top of the creamy pesto, and then sprinkle the toasted pine nuts on top of the cauliflower. Garnish with parsley, if so desired. I like the pop of color it brings.
  • Serve with a small dish of the other half of the creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pesto on the side, or drizzle it on top right before serving. This dish is wonderful warm, but can also be made ahead and served chilled.