Low carb cauliflower puttanesca is an easy meal with lots of big flavor. Tender cauliflower is mixed with a spicy puttanesca sauce that cooks up in just minutes.
For this recipe you’ll need: bacon, cauliflower, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers, chicken broth, parsley, parmesan cheese, hot sauce, salt and pepper.
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Pasta Puttanesca is an Italian dish that translates to “Pasta like a prostitute’s“. The garlicky sauce is so quick to put together that the rumor was that the “girls” could make it between clients on a busy evening.
Luckily low carb cauliflower puttanesca works just as well for busy low carbers as it does for hard working hookers, and I am thankful for that. It would stink if this was something only ladies of the evening could enjoy — I’d probably consider a career change. It’s that good.
There’s a lot of spice in this dish. You can cut back on it by substituting fresh or regular canned tomatoes for the Ro*Tel. A traditional puttanesca sauce usually contains anchovies but I don’t like them so I don’t add them. I can tell you that bacon is delish in this dish!
If you don’t want to use cauliflower you can use sauteed cabbage ribbons, spaghetti squash, or whatever other low-carb base you like. Add a crispy salad and you’re done.
I have been to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean but I have not been to Europe. I vacillate between wanting to drink wine in an Italian vineyard at sunset and sipping cafe au lait while watching the sun go down over Paris. Someday maybe I’ll do both. In the meantime I will cook my favorite dishes, spend time with Rosetta Stone practicing languages, and stay on my low-carb eating plan — because I will achieve my goals eventually. 🙂
Don’t try to make this low carb cauliflower dish ahead. It can be done but just isn’t as good. This is one really huge serving. If you’d like you can add grilled chicken and make two servings — which would cut the carbs in half.
Table of Contents
Low Carb Cauliflower Puttanesca Recipe
Cauliflower Puttanesca
Ingredients
- 3 strips bacon
- 1/2 pound cauliflower broken into florets, about 1 cup
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic ground
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes optional
- 1 tablespoon tomatoes diced
- 1 tablespoon kalamata olives pitted and quartered
- 1 teaspoon capers
- 1/4 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 teaspoon parsley minced
- 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Dash of hot sauce
Instructions
- Cook the bacon in a small skillet.
- Remove bacon from the skillet and set aside. Reserve 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease in the pan.
- Add the cauliflower, garlic, and oregano -saute for 2 minutes.
- Add the crushed red pepper, tomatoes, olives, capers, and chicken broth.
- Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer about 5 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender.
- Remove the lid and let any excess liquid cook off.
- Stir in the parsley, Parmesan, and cooked bacon. Taste and adjust seasonings – add hot sauce for a little extra punch.
Nutrition
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This looks heavenly! Sharing on The Low Carb Test Kitchen
Thanks Carolyn… it was delicious!