2(250g or 3 cups) medium leeks(white and light green parts only), sliced
½(300g or 4 cups) cauliflower head, cut into small florets
1½tbspFilippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for roasted garlic
½tspsea salt, plus more for roasted garlic
½tsponion powder
½tspdried oregano
½tspdried basil
⅛tspwhite pepper
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1whole garlic bulbwith top trimmed off
Pasta and Assembly
375g linguini(use gluten-free if desired)
2cupsreserved pasta water
1tbspFilippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1tbsplemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1 ½tspwhite miso
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Cheesy Almond Topping
½cupslivered almonds
1tbspnutritional yeast
1tbspFilippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for roasted garlic
1tbspmaple syrup
Generous pinch of sea salt
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Roasted Veg
2(250g or 3 cups) medium leeks(white and light green parts only), sliced
½(300g or 4 cups) cauliflower head, cut into small florets
1½tbspFilippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for roasted garlic
½tspsea salt, plus more for roasted garlic
½tsponion powder
½tspdried oregano
½tspdried basil
⅛tspwhite pepper
Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
1whole garlic bulbwith top trimmed off
Pasta and Assembly
375g linguini(use gluten-free if desired)
2cupsreserved pasta water
1tbspFilippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1tbsplemon juice
Zest of 1 lemon
1 ½tspwhite miso
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
Cheesy Almond Topping
½cupslivered almonds
1tbspnutritional yeast
1tbspFilippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus more for roasted garlic
1tbspmaple syrup
Generous pinch of sea salt
Prepare the Roasted Veg
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 400ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2
Arrange the leek slices and cauliflower florets on the baking tray, keeping them separate from one another.
Step 3
Drizzle the vegetables with olive oil and sprinkle on the spices. Toss to coat with your hands.
Step 4
Place a garlic bulb into foil. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Wrap the foil around the garlic and place it on the baking sheet with the leek and cauliflower.
Step 5
Bake the leeks for 25 minutes until tender then remove from the baking sheet and transfer into a bowl. Bake the cauliflower for an additional 10 minutes (total of 35 minutes) until fork tender then remove from the oven and transfer to a bowl. Roast the garlic for an extra 5 minutes (total of 40 minutes) until soft.
Step 6
Cook the linguini in salted water until al dente. Drain, making sure to save 2 cups of pasta water. Return to the pot and coat with a little bit of oil to prevent from sticking while you whip up the Cheesy Almond Topping and the creamy sauce.
Prepare the Cheesy Almond Topping
Step 1
Heat a small pan on medium-low. Add the almonds and toast until golden-brown, tossing frequently to prevent from burning.
Step 2
In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, nutritional yeast, maple syrup, and salt.
Step 3
Pour over the toasted almonds in the hot pan. Toss to coat and transfer to a parchment-lined plate to cool off completely.
Assemble the Pasta
Step 1
Transfer half of the roasted leeks and half of the roasted cauliflower along with the roasted garlic (peel off the skin) to a high speed blender.
Step 2
To the blender, add 1 cup of the reserved pasta water, the oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, miso, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
Step 3
Pour the sauce over the prepared linguini and heat on low heat. I like to rinse off my blender by adding an additional ½ cup of reserved pasta water to it and running it until the walls are clean. Add to the pot of pasta alongside the rest of the roasted leeks and roasted cauliflower florets.
Step 4
Taste the pasta and add more salt and/or pepper to your liking. For extra brightness, add more lemon juice. If you find that the pasta sauce is still a little to thick to your liking, you can thin it out with a bit more pasta water, making sure to incorporate it well with every addition.
Step 5
Serve topped with the Cheesy Almond Topping and a generous crack of pepper.
Recipe created in the context of an Instagram partnership with Filippo Berio.
There comes a point in the winter, usually around the end of January for me, when a dish that is both comforting and bright in flavor is all I am craving.
I am talking soups with a tang from citrus or vinegar, a chickpea pancake with a punchy pesto, or like in this case, a creamy pasta with a lemon kick.
This Creamy Leek and Cauliflower Linguini is by no means light and summery, but I find it is a great bridge between knowing you are still in the dead of winter thus wanting warming foods and having a little hope that in a month, you will be much closer to spring than you were after the holidays.
What I love about this pasta dish is that although the sauce is creamy, it features no nuts, dairy-free milk or cream. It is essentially created by blending together deliciously roasted leeks, cauliflower and garlic alongside some reserved pasta water.
The result is a satisfying sauce that is not overly rich, but still coats beautifully the linguini.
To serve this pasta, I highly recommend that you pair it with a the Cheesy Almond Topping as it truly elevates this dish by adding crunch, flavor and bite diversity.
When it comes to the ingredients used in this recipe, below are the ones I used.
For any modifications, refer to the Common Questions & Swaps section.
Leeks: Mild, lightly sweet, and with a delicate onion taste, when roasted they become delightfully soft and caramelized, making them a great base for the sauce of this pasta dish.
Cauliflower: Quite neutral in flavor, but a great vehicle for spices, the cauliflower pairs beautifully with the roasted leek and helps transform the sauce into pure silky goodness.
Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil: With its rich taste and subtle notes of olive, it helps truly highlight the texture and flavors of all the elements of this dish.
Sea salt: A key to bring out the the various spices and flavors of the vegetables.
Spices: The blend of spices in this dish helps elevate the flavors of the vegetables.
Garlic: Slow roasted in this recipe, the whole garlic head brings creaminess, depth of flavor, and a subtle sweetness to the sauce.
Linguini: The pasta of choice for this dish, but it can be swapped for another.
Lemon juice & zest: It really brings a lot of brightness to this pasta dish and balances out the richness and creaminess of the pasta.
White miso: Fermented, slightly sweet, and with tons of umami notes, it helps season the pasta sauce while adding depth to it.
Slivered almonds: The base of the Cheesy Almond Topping. I love that by using slivered almonds, you don’t have to do any nut chopping. Plus, they toast quickly, and their mild flavor makes them a perfect vehicle for flavor.
Nutritional yeast: It adds a little cheesiness to the almonds that complements really well the pasta.
Maple syrup: Not only does the maple syrup make the topping extra crunchy because it caramelizes with contact with the hot almonds, but it also gives the whole dish an extra touch of sweetness.
Winter in Eastern Canada has been wintering this year with record snowfalls starting right after Halloween and although I have come to love this time of the year, the prospect of warmer days, brighter flavors, and summer produce calls me to try and include brightness in my current creations. So I am really excited about sharing this dish as it might satisfy your cravings too.
As I was making this dish, I loved transforming the golden roasted vegetables into a rich, luxurious sauce that coated perfectly the linguini and I hope that as you make this recipe, you savor that process too.
If you make this recipe, I’d appreciate it if you left a review above in the recipe box and shared about it on social media. Don’t forget to tag me (@muriellebanackissa).
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