Roast cauliflower in the oven or air fryer, toss it with cooked pasta, sautéed serrano and red bell peppers, and coat everything in a creamy, spicy Bang Bang sauce for a quick, flavorful weeknight meal.
Choose a pasta shape with nooks and crannies to hold the sauce. This recipe originally appeared on the Food Network blog.
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Want to make this recipe perfectly the first time? Use the Table of Contents to find the sections that help most.
Having a few versatile sauces in the fridge makes weeknight cooking easier. I often keep chimichurri, maple tahini dressing, and a bright salsa verde on hand to add instant flavor to roasted vegetables, beans, or grains.
🤓 What is a Bang-Bang Sauce?
Bang Bang Sauce is a sweet-and-spicy Thai-style sauce typically blended with mayonnaise, lime juice, and Sriracha. It’s popularly used as a dipping sauce for breaded cauliflower or shrimp, but it also makes an excellent creamy sauce for pasta, sandwiches, or roasted vegetables.
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- A rich, creamy sauce with a customizable level of heat.
- Pasta and sauce can be prepared ahead, so assembly is fast for weeknights.
🧅 Main Ingredients + Notes
Small shortcuts—like using store-bought pantry items or making components in advance—can cut active time. See the Recipe Card at the bottom for exact ingredient amounts and full directions.
- Farfalle pasta (or any shape with texture to trap the sauce)
- Cauliflower florets, cut bite-size
- Serrano chile (seeded if you prefer less heat)
- Red bell pepper, diced
- Garlic, minced
- Cream cheese and mayonnaise for creaminess
- Thai chili sauce for sweet-heat (choose a less-sweet variety if you want more spice)
- Lime juice to brighten the sauce
- Sriracha or your preferred hot sauce
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links for products I use in my kitchen. At no extra cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you purchase through those links.
🔪 Recommended Equipment
Using the right tools makes prep simpler. Basic items for this recipe:
- Large heavy-bottomed pot (Dutch oven or similar) for boiling pasta
- Colander to drain pasta
- Chef’s knife for chopping
- Air fryer (optional) or oven/toaster oven for roasting cauliflower
- Medium skillet to sauté peppers and garlic
- Wooden spoon for stirring and tossing
Bang Bang Pasta with Cauliflower and Peppers
Cuisine: Any |
Keyword: bang bang pasta
Equipment
- Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot
- Colander
- Chef’s knife
- Air fryer (optional)
- Medium skillet
- Wooden spoon
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups dried farfalle pasta (or other textured shape)
- 4 cups cauliflower florets, cut bite-size
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 Serrano pepper, seeds and pith removed, minced (use less for milder heat)
- 1 small red bell pepper, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Bang Bang Sauce (recipe below)
- ⅔ cup reserved pasta water
- ½ cup toasted breadcrumbs (optional)
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese (optional)
Bang Bang Sauce
- ⅓ cup cream cheese
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ⅔ cup Thai chili sauce
- 2 teaspoons lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Sriracha (or to taste)
Instructions
- Pasta. Cook the pasta in well-salted water according to package directions. Before draining, reserve ⅔ cup of the pasta water. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
- Cauliflower. Preheat the air fryer, toaster oven, or oven to 400°F. If using an oven or toaster oven, line a baking sheet with parchment. Toss the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and arrange in a single layer. Roast until tender: about 10 minutes in an air fryer or 15–20 minutes in an oven.
- Peppers. In a medium skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the minced Serrano and diced red bell pepper until tender and aromatic, about 5–7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook 1–2 minutes more until fragrant.
- Bang Bang pasta. Add the roasted cauliflower, sautéed peppers and garlic, and all Bang Bang Sauce ingredients to the pot with the drained pasta. Over low heat, toss everything together with a wooden spoon until the cream cheese melts and forms a smooth sauce. Stir in about half of the reserved pasta water, then add more as needed to reach your desired sauce consistency.
- Serve warm, topped with toasted breadcrumbs and/or grated Parmesan if desired.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 26.4 g |
Protein: 7.3 g |
Fat: 24.9 g