This keto cauliflower alla vodka casserole recipe is hearty and satisfying, but without the carbs and gluten in a traditional penne alla vodka.
If you’re making your vodka sauce from scratch (this is my favorite recipe), it’s the perfect way to use up some of those ripe, summer tomatoes – but you can also use a good quality store bought sauce like I did for expediency (read: get it into your face faster!)
Mr. Hungry and I have always been huge fans of Penne alla Vodka and have eaten it in some of the best restaurants in New York, including the very exclusive Rao’s in Harlem thanks to a friend who works for someone with a table there (everything we ate that night was amazing by the way.)
After going low carb and gluten free, Penne alla Vodka is one of the things I miss most when we eat out at Italian restaurants now. Mr. Hungry orders it often still and it’s hard for me to resist every time – if I’m being honest sometimes I don’t, but I usually regret it the next day.
Anyway, this low carb penne alla vodka casserole recipe using cauliflower to stand in for the pasta is a surprisingly good substitute – just as hearty and satisfying as the real thing in my opinion. I added loads of Parmesan cheese and I think it really makes it, so don’t skimp there and use a good quality cheese for the best flavor.
Another important note is to make sure your cauliflower is very well drained before adding it to the casserole or you’ll end up with a bland, watery sauce. I microwaved my cauliflower, which dries it out nicely, but even then I could have let it drain in a colander after cooking for a bit.
In fact I wish I had, because the next day I had to drain some liquid out of the casserole that had leached out of the cauliflower overnight. Still delicious, just diluted a little – so be sure to dry out your cauliflower as much as possible before mixing it with the sauce.
This is the perfect low carb vegetarian main meal or side dish, but you could also add cooked chicken or shrimp to this recipe to make it even more hearty and turn it into a delicious one pot meal the whole family will love.
Even Mr. Hungry was surprised at how good it smelled – he made the statement “you can’t smell the cauliflower at all” which is high praise because the man really detests cauliflower in all forms and can’t even stand the smell of it when I cook it for myself.
If I could actually get him to eat it then I’d really be celebrating, but…baby steps.
This is definitely one of my best low carb cauliflower recipes to date, and that’s saying something because the Pepperoni Pizza Cauliflower Casserole and Jalapeno Popper Cauliflower Casserole recipes are both really popular here on IBIH.
I expect this amazing cauliflower recipe to jump to the front of the pack pretty quickly though and I’m looking forward to hearing your feedback in the comments if you try it!
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Cheesy Cauliflower alla Vodka Casserole – Low Carb
- Yield: 8 generous 1 cup servings 1x
Description
This penne alla vodka recipe uses cauliflower instead of pasta to make it low carb and gluten free. Easy and delicious, it’s just as good as the real thing!
Ingredients
- 8 cups cooked cauliflower florets, well drained
- 2 cups vodka sauce
- 2 Tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 2 Tbsp melted butter
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
- 6 slices Provolone cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
- Combine the cauliflower, vodka sauce, heavy whipping cream, butter, Parmesan cheese, kosher salt, and black pepper in a large bowl and toss to coat well.
- Transfer into a 9 x 13 baking dish (or equivalent) and top with slices of Provolone (or mozzarella) cheese.
- Bake in a preheated 375 degree (F) oven for 30 – 40 minutes or until the casserole is bubbling and the cheese is completely melted.
- Remove from the oven and let it rest for about 10 minutes.
- Top with chopped fresh basil and serve.
Notes
Approx. nutrition info per serving: 214 calories, 14g fat, 6g net carbs, 12g protein
- Category: Low Carb Vegetarian Side Dish
- Cuisine: Italian American
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Melissa Richards says
Had this tonight with your keto meatballs. Both were delicious! I’ve been looking for a pasta replacement and cauliflower may just be my go to
Pasta replacement.
★★★★★
Tasha says
This was an easy weeknight meal that we really enjoyed. I needed to use some leftover shredded chicken so I added that and only used half the cauliflower. Delish! Thank you :)
★★★★★
April says
This recipe is very tasty! Hubby is low carb and I love pasta, so this was a good compromise. However, even though I followed the suggestion of letting the cauliflower drain really well, my dish came out with a LOT of liquid. I drained at least a cup of liquid out after it cooked. We were hoping for a creamy sauce. I did cut the recipe in half so maybe I messed up somewhere? I’m eating the remainder for lunch today and I think it tastes better the second day! I would make this again but might tweak to try to get less liquid.
★★★★
jeff hashtag says
This is why I prefer to microwave the cauliflower uncovered to dry it out – if you steam or boil, even when you drain it the cauliflower is water logged and will continue to leach water out into the sauce.
Jessica says
Amazing!! Great sub to satisfy any Italian pasta craving!
★★★★★
Melissa says
It’s a great base recipe! I did make some changes due to taste preferences. I love roasted cauliflower, so I roasted the cauliflower with a cut up red pepper first. I also sauteed shallots to add to the mix. After everything was roasted I followed the directions and just didn’t cook as long. The roasted red pepper adds so much flavor to this. But really, you can add whatever veggies you have. Having cauliflower as the base makes it so versatile. It really is a great recipe to have on the rotation. We’ve made it several times. Provolone cheese is delicious on here but we’ve also used whatever cheese we need to get through and it turned out great as well!! Thanks so much for the inspiration!
★★★★★
Nicolette says
Just made this today. It was soooooo good. I even forgot to add the basil. And, I had a second helping. Adding this to my recipe file for sure! Thank you!!
Sue says
I loved this recipe! Made it last night after first putting the cauliflower on a hot grill for 10 min with a little olive oil wrapped in foil. Turned 5 min more, then continued with your recipe. It was absolutely delicious! Thanks!
★★★★★
Chelsea says
Made this for 6 people when we had company. They ate every last bite. I roasted the cauliflower for a long time to get the water out plus the roasting adds a nice texture. Also added some sautéed onions.
Sharon says
Where do you get the vodka sauce recipe???
Caroline Lee says
I know this recipe is 3 years old but I just found your blog! This will be perfect for fall!
Cathy Dineen says
Amazing Italian fix while on Keto!
Cathy D says
This recipe is excellent and fixes the need for an Italian dish on Keto. Thanks, love your recipes!
Mellissa Sevigny says
8 cups cooked cauliflower is called for. Your two heads must have been much more than that for this to turn out dry. Follow the recipe exactly next time and measure your ingredients and I’m sure you’ll have better results.
Claudia Vaglica says
I made this with rotisserie chicken and it was good. But I made it again last night with Italian sausage and it was fantastic! The seasoning in the sausage gave the casserole so much flavor. I made it with one pound of Italian sausage, but next time I think I’ll use 1.5 pounds (husband is a carnivore). Big hit in the family. Thanks for this recipe!
Brandy says
Did you cook the sausage first? Or was it raw? Thanks!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Unless the vodka sauce was very runny it’s likely that your cauliflower is what released the liquid – next time try microwaving it or roasting it long enough to evaporate more of the water from it before adding the sauce.
Jess says
Hi,
Looks like a great recipe! One question – why pre-cook the cauliflower beforehand? 30+ minutes in a 375 degree oven should be enough to roast raw cauliflower.
Thanks!
Lynn says
Where do you find Vodka sauce ? I live in Canada. Not sure where I would find this.
Lynn says
Ok, I did find the vodka sauce and made this over the holidays and man oh man, it was a hit at my house. What a wonderful idea to use cauliflower instead of pasta. Now i can have a second serving without the guilt ! :)
Franklin Vilcsek says
What is the portion size?
You left that off of the nutritional info
★★★★★
Mickie Gross says
I roasted the cauliflower w/salt, pepper, minced garlic (25 mins @ 440). Browned 1# italian sausage. Mixed it all up with shredded SMOKED provolone. And served w/red pepper flakes. YUMMMM! I have saved literally every recipe you have posted in the past 3 months!
★★★★★
Nadine Bukovic says
I was thinking of roasting the cauliflower too. Smoked provolone and red pepper flakes – yes!!
Hawkce541 says
Absolutely yummy. I made the sauce as per the link provided and it is great. I don’t know if the vodka added any favor or if it’s just fun to say that there’s vodka in it. I added three cubed chicken breasts for a little more substance and my picky 14 y/o daughter even ate two plates full even though it was “a little too spicy.” I could eat this all of the time.
★★★★★
Barbara says
If you add shrimp, would you saute it first or add it uncooked to the casserole so that it cooks in the oven?
Tory says
Just a few changes: If you use store bought Vodka sauce then be careful on adding the salt…Many store bought sauces already have a ton of salt and the dish can become over salted. We preferred covering the dish with Mozzarella cheese s. the provolone.
★★★★
Kathleen Geher says
So yummy and I really don’t like cauliflower! My son (who had already eaten) said it smelled delicious and my husband loved it! I did make my own vodka sauce and added prosciutto and onion which was great. Thanks for sharing such a fabulous recipe.
★★★★★
Dorothy says
I made this for dinner and it was GREAT! I used frozen cauliflower that I microwaved and then heated in a pan to get extra water out. This also allowed for easy way to melt butter. I also added Shrimp and Prosciutto. I made my own sauce based on the recipe you linked to (thank you). The only thing I changed is I used more hot pepper, and canned coconut milk instead of half and half because that is what I had. Even husband really really liked it!! He said he will put sun-dried tomatoes when we heat up left overs. Thanks again!
★★★★★
Lindsay says
My mom and I are completely in love with this recipe. I made it last night and we completely died and went to a really great place called low carb heaven.
Thank you!
★★★★★
Mellissa Sevigny says
Glad you and your mom both enjoyed it Lindsay, thanks for letting me know!!!
Rebecca says
New to your site and this looks delicious! I’ve never heard of vodka sauce and was wondering if I could substitute something else? I know it wouldn’t be the same, but I can’t drink alcohol. Would a simple tomato sauce work in place? TIA
Mellissa Sevigny says
Yes Rebecca, a simple tomato sauce would definitely work in this recipe! Enjoy!
katie says
Hi Melissa, can you share what brand of vodka sauce you used in this recipe? Would love to find a recommended low-carb brand to use. Thanks!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I used Rao’s Vodka Sauce and it was fantastic!!
Alexia says
Made this this evening. I was short two cups of cauliflower, so I subbed in 2 cups sliced zucchini and tried to drain as much water as I could. I also had to use mozzarella in place of the parm because I forgot to get some from the grocery store.
This was so yummy. Right up my alley and better than just making a basic marinara sauce bake. Thanks for a great recipe!!!
★★★★★
Alexia says
I also added chicken! Great one dish meal! :-)
Linda says
Oh! Forgot to tell you that I discovered a way to make cauliflower less stanky… My hub also hates the smell…. I put a splash of Apple Cider Vinegar in the water, steamed, covered in microwave 12 minutes, as you suggested. The vinegar worked, at least this first time. Hub came in a did not smell cauliflower cooking! Win!
Linda says
Wow Mellissa! You did not overstate how good this recipe is. I have never had this in a restaurant so it was a first. This is an outstanding meal. I added chicken, as you suggested. I also made the sauce you linked. Looking forward to trying Italian Sausage next time from reading other poster reviews. Thank you so much for excellent, tasty keto recipes! I try many of your excellent suggestions and look forward to all the new posts.
★★★★★
Leezee says
How many ways to cook cauliflower? LOVE! Btw – how much cauliflower makes 8 cups?
Trying this stat!
Mellissa Sevigny says
It will probably take 2 heads – or you can use frozen which is easy to measure out! Hope you like it!
susan says
I made the cheesy cauliflower ala vodka you know what tonight and my mom who has become very fussy at 82, practically licked her plate!!!! It was sooooooooooo goooood. Thank you Mellissa! Guess what’s for lunch tomorrow?
Susan
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks so much for letting me know Susan and I’m so thrilled that your mom liked it! Also this reheats awesome so I’m a little jelly that you’ve got some left for lunch tomorrow! Wish I did! ;)
Rhonda Butler says
Hey Melissa! I made this tonight and OMG DELICIOUS!! I added chicken and substituted 1 1/2 tbsp of jalapenos pepper cream cheese for the whipping cream. This recipe is definitely a keeper! I think it would not only be good with shrimp but also hot italian sausage!! Thanks for this recipe. ?
Mellissa Sevigny says
Sounds awesome Rhonda and YES to the italian sausage especially!!! Can’t believe I didn’t think of it – will definitely be trying that next!
Annemarie says
I was known for my Penna ala vodka carbonara back in the early 90s…My college friends would call it heart attack on a plate. It was really more a half red/half alfredo with bacon sauce versus a real carbonara..but hey, it looked and sounded fancy…LOL.. I just roasted the cauliflower with garlic and bacon, made my vodka sauce using your Easy Keto Marinara.. and now this is roasting in my oven…and i CANNOT wait to eat this tonight… THANK YOU MELISSA for inspiring us all…
Kelly Mac says
Now you’re talking! Melissa’s recipe sounds do delish.. but might have to add a little bacon or prosciutto! ! :-)
Mellissa Sevigny says
SO MUCH YES.
Kelly Mac says
:-D
Mellissa Sevigny says
THAT. SOUNDS. AMAZING.
Alexia says
the bacon and garlic sound amazing! will have to try that next time!
Ashley says
Melissa, how long did you cook your cauliflower? Did you just throw it in a bowl into the microwave?
Sorry, I’m new to this. Can’t wait to try this recipe!
Mellissa Sevigny says
I microwaved mine for about 12 minutes Ashley which got them nice and tender but not falling apart soft. Hope you like it!
Ashley Dowdy says
Made it and loved it. Even the husband who is not a fan of most veggies enjoyed it. I LOVE the Rao’s sauce. I keep it in stock now. Probably going to make it again this weekend. Thank you !!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Right?? The Rao’s is my favorite and I’ve tried tons of brands! Glad you guys liked it!
Maria says
This looks great. My husband really likes vodka sauce but he’s not a cauliflower lover either. Maybe this will win him over as well. Pinned for fall.
Mellissa Sevigny says
Thanks Maria, let us know how it turns out!!
cherie says
Hi Mellisa,
how do you mKE THE VODKA SAUCE.
Mellissa Sevigny says
You can either buy it, which is what I did this time, or use any recipe online like the one I linked to at the top of the post which is really delicious!
annie says
This looks so good. Definitely going to try it soon. Thank you!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hope it’s a hit Annie, let us know what you thought of it!
Mary Watson says
I love your recipes. I use frozen cauliflower most of the time,cook as directed, in the plastic bag, then dump onto a kitchen towel and literally twist it dry. I make my cauli-mashed taters with salt and an ounce of cream cheese.
I want you to try Joseph’s Flax Seed pita bread, only available from wal-mart, in the deli section. Poke with a fork on each side, micro for 2 minutes then make a pizza broiled on bottom shelf of oven. Also half the pita and micro for 30 sec, then open up so it doesn’t stick together and it makes a great taco or sandwich. 60 calories and 4 net carbs. I’ll be watching to see what you do with them!! You go girl!
Mellissa Sevigny says
Hi Mary, thanks for the recommendation but unfortunately I can’t eat flax seeds anymore because they make my throat close up! It sounds like a great option for those who can tolerate them though, thanks for sharing!
susan says
sounds like heaven!
Mellissa Sevigny says
It really is Susan, I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it! Let me know!
Kate @ Mom's Radius says
Yum! This sounds so good. I need to try this recipe for sure. Maybe I can even get my husband to eat it? He’s not a cauliflower lover either.
Mellissa Sevigny says
It might win him over Kate – but if not that’s more for you! ;) Let me know how it goes!
kim says
This recipe looks very good but is not vegetarian because of the rennet (or lipase) –both of which are animal products– in parmesan cheese.