Cheesy Creamy Cauliflower Pasta
with Crispy Bacon, Baby Spinach and Chives
Making a mac n’ cheese you’ll melt for starts with a creamy cheddar cheese sauce with bacon drippings and a swirl of sour cream. Roasted cauliflower, crispy-smoky bacon pieces, and a chive garnish add some elegance to this everyday favourite dish!
Produced in a facility that processes milk, sesame, eggs, fish, shellfish, crustaceans, mustard, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybean and sulphites.
Ingredients
1 cup
Cheddar Cheese, shredded
(Contains Milk)
100 g
Bacon Strips
285 g
Cauliflower
7 g
Chives
170 g
Rigatoni
(Contains Wheat)
56 g
Yellow Onion, chopped
1 tbsp
All-Purpose Flour
(Contains Wheat)
56 g
Baby Spinach
1 unit(s)
Sour Cream
1 tsp
Chili Flakes
Not included in your delivery
½ cup
Milk*
2 tsp
Salt*
¼ tsp
Salt and Pepper*
1 tbsp
Oil*
Nutrition Values
Utensils
Instructions
Add 10 cups water and 2 tsp salt in a large pot (NOTE: Use same for 4 ppl). Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Meanwhile, cut cauliflower into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice chives. Cut bacon into 1/4-inch strips.
Toss cauliflower with 1 tbsp oil (dbl for 4 ppl) on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast in middle of oven, until golden-brown, 14-16 min.
While cauliflower cooks, add rigatoni to the pot of boiling water. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10-12 min. Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water (dbl for 4 ppl). Drain, then return to the same pot. Set aside, off heat.
While rigatoni cooks, heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, 5-7 min.** Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Reserve 1 tbsp bacon fat (dbl for 4 ppl). Discard excess bacon fat.
Heat the same pan with reserved bacon fat over medium heat. When hot, add onions. Cook, stirring often, until softened, 3-4 min. Sprinkle over flour. Cook, stirring often, until coated, 1 min. Add 1/2 cup milk (dbl for 4 ppl) and bring to a boil. Cook, stirring often, until thickened, 1 min. Remove the pan from heat and add reserved pasta water, sour cream, cheddar and spinach. Stir, until wilted, 1 min.
Add cheese sauce and half the cauliflower to the pot with rigatoni. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Divide between bowls and top with remaining cauliflower. Crumble over crispy bacon. Sprinkle over chives and 1/4 tsp chili flakes (NOTE: Reference Heat Guide in Start Here).