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
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 generous 1 cup servings 1x
- Diet: Diabetic
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 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon 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
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Keto Side Dish
- Cuisine: Italian American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 214
- Fat: 14g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 12g
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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 :)
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!