This simple recipe includes a great, healthy shortcut! Store bought marinara! I love a good shortcut to make dinner easier to get to the table. Well, who am I kidding. It’s probably my couch… Sorry, not sorry.
When you’re looking at store bought marinara sauce, look for organic brands that do not contain added sugar, or any funky ingredients. I’ve been keeping the Kirkland brand of organic marinara (from Costco) in the pantry for simple meals like this one, or even whipping up a quick spaghetti dish with spaghetti squash.
I have to be honest; cauliflower is not my favorite vegetable. I have learned to love it as a great vehicle for flavor though! If you have had a hard time with cauliflower, be sure to season it liberally. That’s the key! I think the cauliflower does a great job of soaking up the marinara in this recipe, so cauliflower haters should still enjoy this dish!
Italian Sausage & Cauliflower Bake
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1 lb Cauliflower Florets cut into small pieces
- 1 lb Ground Pork
- 1 medium Onion thinly sliced
- 32 oz Organic, Sugar-Free Marinara
- 1 tsp Dried Basil
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 2 tsp Sea Salt divided
- 1/2 tsp Dried Sage
- 1/2 tsp Dried Marjoram
- 1/2 tsp Ground Garlic
- 1/4 tsp Fennel Seed
- 1/4 tsp Ground Black Pepper
- 4 oz Mozzarella sliced or torn apart (omit for Dairy-Free)
- Fresh Basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F.
- In a medium size sauce pan, bring 6 cups of water and 1 tsp of salt to a boil.
- Add cauliflower florets to the boiling water and cook for about 6 minutes, or until the florets are fork tender. Pour water and florets into a colander over the sink and set aside to drain thoroughly.
- In a large, oven safe skillet pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Saute onions for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Add the ground pork to the pan and break apart. Stir frequently and brown the ground pork until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Pour in the marinara sauce and the remaining seasoning. Stir to combine.
- Add the cauliflower florets to the skillet pan and stir to combine.
- Top with mozzarella (optional) and place in the oven for 25-30 minutes. The dish is done when there is bubbling around the edges and the mozzarella has melted. (See Note.)
- Garnish with fresh basil before serving.
Notes