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Easy, Tasty Pasta With Healthy Cauliflower for Fiber and Antioxidants

Looking for an easy cauliflower recipe? This healthy, simple cauliflower dish is high in fiber and antioxidants to support heart health and more.

By 1MD Nutrition Editorial Staff

5 minute read

Last Updated June 3, 2022

Easy, Tasty Pasta With Healthy Cauliflower for Fiber and Antioxidants

Cauliflower is all the rage these days. People everywhere are discovering that this vegetable is actually a great substitute for meat. 

It may sound strange, but it’s true. Many vegan and vegetarian recipes use cauliflower instead of meat because of how the texture of cauliflower can change when it is cooked. 

But there are a lot of benefits to cooking with cauliflower besides its delicious taste. Cauliflower is loaded with essential nutrients, and with this simple recipe, you can help support your health and treat your taste buds.

cauliflower bolognese fettucine


Cauliflower Bolognese

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 small head of cauliflower

1 onion, chopped

1 large can diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried herbs (suggested: thyme, basil, rosemary, oregano)

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ cup fresh basil, chopped

Salt

Pepper

Olive oil

Parmesan cheese (optional)

cauliflower bolognese pasta

Instructions:

1. Break up the cauliflower into medium-sized florets. Place about one-quarter of the florets into a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower becomes crumbled (about 2-3 pulses). Add in the remaining florets between several rounds of pulses.

2. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan and cook the onion for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and then cook for another 1 minute.

3. Stir the cauliflower and tomato paste in with the onion mixture and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add the herbs and diced tomatoes, and continue cooking for another 6 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with spaghetti and chopped basil. Top with Parmesan cheese if desired.

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Health Benefits of Cauliflower

In addition to great taste, any recipe with cauliflower will get a host of health benefits.  

Digestive Support

This nutrient is essential for healthy digestion. It helps support healthy bowel movements and nourishes the good bacteria in your gut. By eating cauliflower, you provide the microbiome with fuel to support proper digestion and gut health, which can help reduce occasional indigestion. 

Heart Health

Antioxidant compounds found in cruciferous vegetables, like cauliflower and broccoli help reduce typical oxidative stress in the body. By helping to promote antioxidant capacity, cauliflower helps support heart and circulatory function. Cauliflower also contains vitamin K, which promotes arterial health and healthy blood pressure.  

cauliflower in a basket

Bone Health 

One of the most important vitamins for healthy bone density is vitamin K, and cauliflower has lots of it. The bone cells responsible for bone mineralization are dependent upon vitamin K2 to bind calcium to the bone matrix to support healthy bone growth and density.

Eye Health

The vitamins and antioxidant compounds in cauliflower help support eye health. By helping to reduce typical oxidative stress and promoting healthy blood flow to the eyes, these nutrients can support healthy long-term vision. 

Cognitive Health

Cauliflower contains choline, a mineral that is similar to the B vitamins, and it is responsible for a variety of your body’s functions. Choline helps support brain cell function to promote healthy cognitive function. 

raw pasta with vegetables

Healthy Weight Management

One of the best parts about cauliflower is that it’s very low in carbohydrates, which means you can load up. The high fiber content also means that you will feel full for longer, which can help you avoid the temptation of processed snack foods. The choline in cauliflower also helps the body to break down fat to support normal energy and healthy weight management.

The Bottom Line

So, now you understand some of the benefits of cauliflower, and you also have a great recipe to enjoy that will make adding it to your diet easy and delicious.

It may seem like a strange vegetable, but once you experience the health benefits of cauliflower (and its delicious taste) you just might start looking for ways to add it into every meal.