Cauliflower cheese & spinach pasta bakes

Cauliflower cheese & spinach pasta bakes

Somewhere between macaroni and cauliflower cheese, these pasta bakes are perfect for a cold day

Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 45 mins

Vegetarian Freezable

Vegetarian

Method

  1. For the tomato sauce, cook the sliced garlic in the oil for 1 min, then add the passata. Season, half-cover the pan and simmer for 20 mins until rich.
  2. Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce. Put the milk, flour and 50g butter into a pan. Heat, whisking non-stop, until smooth, then bubble for 3 mins, stirring to make sure any flouriness is lost. Cool for 5 mins, then stir in the mustard, most of the cheddar, half the blue cheese and half the nutmeg.
  3. Boil the penne and cauliflower for 8 mins in salted water until the pasta is almost cooked and the cauli is tender. Keep 2 tbsp water from the pan, then drain. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a pan, add the whole garlic clove, spinach, remaining nutmeg, salt and lots of black pepper. Stir for 2 mins, then remove the garlic clove.
  4. Set aside 300ml cheese sauce and mix the rest into the cauli and pasta. Divide half the tomato sauce between 6 dishes and top with some spinach. Fill with cauli mix, top with more spinach, then the rest of the tomato sauce. Top with the cheese sauce, cheeses and pine nuts. Cover with cling film, cool and chill for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month. To cook, defrost if frozen. Heat oven to 200C/ 180C fan/gas 6. Cook on a baking sheet for 18-20 mins until golden and bubbling. Good with green salad or garlic bread.

591 kcalories, protein 28g, carbohydrate 60g, fat 29 g, saturated fat 13g, fibre 8g, sugar 18g, salt 1.91 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, January 2010.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 1-20

  • Binder photo Gbobs

    15 December 2009

    Gbobs rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    these were delicious although i made mine in a large dish for six, they were really moorish, lots of sauce it was great. Will without a doubt become a family favourite.

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  • Binder photo Joyce

    16 December 2009

    Joyce rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I also made this in a large dish and it was great. Lots of sauce, very tasty and 3/5 a day all in one go!

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  • Binder photo Mammu

    16 December 2009

    Mammu rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Very nice even without the blue cheese if someone doesn't like it.

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  • Binder photo Loubob

    26 December 2009

    Loubob rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo cloud9clara

    02 January 2010

    cloud9clara rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo adele

    18 January 2010

    adele rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Josie

    25 January 2010

    Josie rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Miss B.

    26 January 2010

    Miss B. rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Beth

    13 April 2010

    Beth rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    Nice - if a little fiddley for the result. Used the tomato sauce in the make a batch article from March 2010.

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  • Binder photo Bettina

    25 April 2010

    Bettina rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo Marie Hancock

    27 April 2010

    Marie Hancock rated this recipe

    4 stars

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  • Binder photo Mcgruder

    08 May 2010

    Mcgruder rated this recipe

    2 stars

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  • Binder photo KatyCooks

    18 May 2010

    KatyCooks rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    This was extremely tasty - real comfort food. Admittedly, to save time after work, I did use a ready made tomato sauce, but everything else was exactly as per the recipe apart from cutting it down to feed two and putting it into one dish. A really nice combination of ingredients.

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  • Binder photo kittiekat

    15 September 2010

    kittiekat rated this recipe

    5 stars

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  • Binder photo schizopear

    22 September 2010

    schizopear rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    it doesn't take much to convince me that a big pile of cheesy pasta and cauliflower is a good thing, but with the addition of a lovely tomato sauce and spinach (i used fresh, wilted), how could i resist? i'll never need another macaroni cheese recipe. unfortunately the boyfriend still thinks of cauliflower cheese as a punishment so i won't be able to get away with cooking it too often :(

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  • Binder photo Pelupi

    26 October 2010

    Pelupi rated and commented on this recipe

    2 stars

    Tasty but in no rush to do it again. Didn't live up to its promise

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  • Binder photo My recipes

    20 November 2010

    My recipes rated and commented on this recipe

    1 stars

    Fiddly, disappointing and not worth the effort.

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  • Binder photo Swirlgirl

    10 January 2011

    Swirlgirl rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    omg, lush and tasty! even my uber-picky brother had a whopping 2x seconds despite the presence of cauliflower and leek (own addition - also added ham and a less harsh cheese instead of the blue one to make it childproof). Definitely some fiddling involved but I think it's worth it.

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  • Binder photo thespecialk

    18 July 2011

    thespecialk rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Made this when my Veggie sister was over for a visit, went down very well with everyone, meat eaters included! Even lasted us for dinner the next day!! I left out the blue cheese because I'm pregnant but it was still lovely. I also added sugar to my tomato sauce as tomato sauce tends to be quite bitter without it. The only downside is that you will use many pots and pans & it does take quite a while to make, but it still deserves the 5 stars!

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  • Binder photo le

    19 September 2011

    le rated and commented on this recipe

    4 stars

    filling, however might be better with broccoli

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Difficulty and servings

Easy

Serves 6

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 45 mins

Vegetarian Freezable

Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 850ml milk
  • 50g plain flour
  • 50g butter , plus 1 tbsp
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 100g extra mature cheddar , grated
  • 25-50g blue cheese
  • ½ tsp finely grated nutmeg
  • 250g penne
  • 1kg cauliflower (2 medium ones), cut into florets
  • 750g frozen spinach (whole leaf), defrosted and squeezed dry
  • 25g toasted pine nuts

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE

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591 kcalories, protein 28g, carbohydrate 60g, fat 29 g, saturated fat 13g, fibre 8g, sugar 18g, salt 1.91 g

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