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Cajun-spiced cauliflower pasta bake

Name: Cajun-spiced cauliflower pasta bake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets, stalk roughly chopped (about 300g); 175g small pasta shapes; Sweetcorn sliced from 2 cobs (use 250g frozen/tinned kernels if you like); 500ml whole milk; 4 tsp cornflour; 1 tbsp olive oil; 175g mixed peppers, sliced; 1½ tbsp cajun or fajita seasoning; 150g cheddar, grated (vegetarian if you need it to be); 1 spring onion, finely sliced, to serve; You’ll also need; Medium-large baking dish; Food processor or blender

By: Katy McClelland

Published: 9 Nov 21
Updated: 25 Mar 24

This hearty, cajuin-spiced pasta bake is packed with veggies. Cauliflower, peppers, sweetcorn and pasta are baked in a rich cheddar sauce.

For comfort food at its finest, try our cauliflower and macaroni cheese.

Easy
October 2021

Test kitchen approved

Serves 4
Hands-on time 20 min

This hearty, cajuin-spiced pasta bake is packed with veggies. Cauliflower, peppers, sweetcorn and pasta are baked in a rich cheddar sauce.

For comfort food at its finest, try our cauliflower and macaroni cheese.

Vegetarian recipes

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 519kcals
Fat: 22.7g (11.8g saturated)
Protein: 23.3g
Carbohydrates: 52.1g (11.6g sugars)
Fibre: 6.5g
Salt: 2.2g

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Ingredients

1 small cauliflower, cut into florets, stalk roughly chopped (about 300g)
175g small pasta shapes
Sweetcorn sliced from 2 cobs (use 250g frozen/tinned kernels if you like)
500ml whole milk
4 tsp cornflour
1 tbsp olive oil
175g mixed peppers, sliced
1½ tbsp cajun or fajita seasoning
150g cheddar, grated (vegetarian if you need it to be)
1 spring onion, finely sliced, to serve

You’ll also need

Medium-large baking dish
Food processor or blender

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Method

Heat the oven to 200ºC fan/gas 7. Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cook the cauliflower florets for 3 minutes or until just tender, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a colander and cool under running water. Transfer the florets to a baking dish. Bring the pan back to the boil and cook the pasta for 1 minute less than the pack instructions. Drain, cool under cold water, then add to the dish with the cauliflower.
Meanwhile, put the sweetcorn and 150ml of the milk in a food processor/ blender and whizz to combine. Add the cornflour and pulse again until smooth.
Heat the oil in a pan over a high heat, then fry the peppers and all but a pinch of the spice mix for 2 minutes on each side to brown lightly. Add to the baking dish and gently mix everything together.

Put the pan back on a medium heat, add the sweetcorn mixture and the rest of the milk, then bring to the boil, whisking often, until slightly thickened (about 5 minutes). Add most of the cheese and stir until melted and smooth. Pour the cheese mixture over the pasta bake, then sprinkle with the remaining cheese and spice mixture. Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbling and golden on top. Sprinkle with the sliced spring onion and serve.

Recipe from October 2021 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 519kcals
Fat: 22.7g (11.8g saturated)
Protein: 23.3g
Carbohydrates: 52.1g (11.6g sugars)
Fibre: 6.5g
Salt: 2.2g

delicious. tips

Cajun spice mix combines chilli, cumin, coriander and paprika for a distinctive, earthy flavour. It works a treat to liven up ingredients such as pasta and cauliflower. Other ways to use it? Try rubbing it on steaks or oily fish.