This low carb cauliflower casserole recipe has been on my list of things to work on for months but I kept putting it off in favor of more Summer friendly recipes. I finally tested it out the other day because I had all of the ingredients, but didn’t plan on posting it until this fall when comfort food reigns supreme again.
After the first bite it was so amazing that I immediately bumped it to the top of my calendar because I simply couldn’t wait to share it with you! Once you taste it you’ll know why!
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.
Though if I ever get a chance to eat at Rao’s again, I will definitely be chowing down on some of their Penne alla Vodka (without regret!) along with their amazing meatballs and seafood salad! Aaaaaaand now I’m starving.
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!
Cheesy Cauliflower alla Vodka Casserole – Low Carb
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!
- Yield: 8 generous 1 cup servings 1x
- Category: Low Carb Vegetarian Side Dish
- Cuisine: Italian American
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
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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.
★★★★
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.
★★★★★
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!
★★★★★
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!
★★★★★
Glad you and your mom both enjoyed it Lindsay, thanks for letting me know!!!
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
Yes Rebecca, a simple tomato sauce would definitely work in this recipe! Enjoy!
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!
I used Rao’s Vodka Sauce and it was fantastic!!
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!!!
★★★★★
I also added chicken! Great one dish meal! :-)
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!
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.
★★★★★
How many ways to cook cauliflower? LOVE! Btw – how much cauliflower makes 8 cups?
Trying this stat!
It will probably take 2 heads – or you can use frozen which is easy to measure out! Hope you like it!
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
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! ;)
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. ?
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!
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…
Now you’re talking! Melissa’s recipe sounds do delish.. but might have to add a little bacon or prosciutto! ! :-)
SO MUCH YES.
:-D
THAT. SOUNDS. AMAZING.
the bacon and garlic sound amazing! will have to try that next time!
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!
I microwaved mine for about 12 minutes Ashley which got them nice and tender but not falling apart soft. Hope you like it!
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 !!
Right?? The Rao’s is my favorite and I’ve tried tons of brands! Glad you guys liked it!
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.
Thanks Maria, let us know how it turns out!!
Hi Mellisa,
how do you mKE THE VODKA SAUCE.
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!
This looks so good. Definitely going to try it soon. Thank you!
Hope it’s a hit Annie, let us know what you thought of it!
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!
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!
sounds like heaven!
It really is Susan, I’m pretty sure you’re going to love it! Let me know!
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.
It might win him over Kate – but if not that’s more for you! ;) Let me know how it goes!
This recipe looks very good but is not vegetarian because of the rennet (or lipase) –both of which are animal products– in parmesan cheese.