Cheesy Baked Cauliflower Pasta

We promise you’ll be making this simple, delicious kid-friendly dish on repeat at your house.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound penne pasta
  • 1 14 ounce can cherry tomatoes
  • 8 ounces mozzarella, grated
  • 5 ounces white cheddar, grated
  • 3 ounces Parmesan, grated
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1 small head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces
  • Olive oil (to grease the pan)
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling water for half of the recommended cooking time (so it will not overcook when baked). Reserve 1/2 cup pasta water.
  3. Drain the pasta and rinse it under cold water.
  4. Add the cherry tomatoes in a large bowl and crush them gently with a rubber spatula. Add the cheeses, milk, and pasta water into the bowl. Mix to combine.
  5. Add the cauliflower, cooked pasta, salt, and pepper into the bowl and toss to combine.
  6. Lightly grease a 3 qt baking dish with olive oil. Spread the pasta mixture out into the pan. Cover with tin foil.
  7. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil, increase oven temperature to 425 degrees, and bake until the cheese is bubbling.