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 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!!
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!
★★★★★
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.
Where do you get the vodka sauce recipe???
I know this recipe is 3 years old but I just found your blog! This will be perfect for fall!
Amazing Italian fix while on Keto!
This recipe is excellent and fixes the need for an Italian dish on Keto. Thanks, love your recipes!
Ok I made this and it was so dry! I used a whole jar of sauce and it was still way too dry. I did two heads of cauliflower and followed the directions precisely
★
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.
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!
I made the vodka sauce from your link. Amazing. And roasted the cauliflower. However, when the dish came out of the oven, there was a lot of liquid on the bottom. Not sure what to do to reduce the liquid. Maybe use canned tomatoes without the liquid?
★★★★
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.
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!
Where do you find Vodka sauce ? I live in Canada. Not sure where I would find this.
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 ! :)
What is the portion size?
You left that off of the nutritional info
★★★★★
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!
★★★★★
I was thinking of roasting the cauliflower too. Smoked provolone and red pepper flakes – yes!!
I think zucchini noodles would be awesome if you are tired of cauliflower….doncha think?
★★★★
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.
★★★★★
If you add shrimp, would you saute it first or add it uncooked to the casserole so that it cooks in the oven?
A very good recipe, but I made a few changes. First, I used 6 cups of cauliflower (frozen) and 2 cups of shredded chicken. Maybe it was the change, but it came out a little dry, so next time I will use a extra cup of Vodka Sauce.
NOTE: If you are really watching your carbs, like during Atkins induction phase, be very careful about which brand of sauce you use. I picked up a Newman’s Own, and it had 9+ grams of net carbs per serving. I then looked at a Rao’s (or another higher end brand) and it was about 2 grams of net carbs per serving. A MAJOR difference. Admittedly the higher end sauce was $3 or $4 more per jar.
★★★★