One-Pan Braised Cauliflower and White Bean Piccata

When I’m working with a tight budget and really trying to rein in my grocery shopping, I’m determined to pull off impressive meals that are packed with flavor, totally satisfying, and easy enough for weeknight cooking. A tall order, maybe, but not far from impossible. Here’s how I do it: I start with a dish that’s packed with bold, punchy flavor for inspiration — here, it’s piccata — then I shop my pantry.

While the ingredient list for this plant-based piccata is short, I assure you the flavor is anything but basic. Just like you’d expect from a traditional piccata, fresh lemon juice and briny capers provide that signature punchy flavor. For this recipe, I’ve subbed cauliflower for chicken and I thicken the thin, glossy sauce slightly with white beans, which add a hint of creamy richness. 

What I love most about this bright vegetable-forward piccata is that not only is it inexpensive to pull together, but I also usually tend to have most (if not all) of the ingredients on hand. It’s the cheap dinner I rely on when I really want to keep to my budget and want a super-flavorful dinner that feels a little extra (and isn’t pasta or tacos).

One of my absolute favorite dinnertime strategies is keeping a well-stocked pantry. Having items like canned beans, lentils, grains, tomato paste, broth, pasta, tinned fish, and condiments on hand means I can pull together a variety of meals at a moment’s notice — like tomato soup, black bean tacos, and tuna patties. 

I love my pantry strategy for two reasons. First, most pantry items are cheap (this really helps keep my grocery bill in check). You may already have most, if not all of the items on hand to make this one-pan piccata. But if not, I crunched the numbers and the total cost of this recipe is approximately $14 — just $3.50 per serving. The second reason is some of the best flavor boosters can be found in a pantry. For instance, condiments and pickled, briny things like capers instantly perk up any food.  

I love serving this braised cauliflower and white bean piccata with crusty bread to mop up every last drop of sauce. If you’re looking for other options to serve it with, I recommend using something you already have on hand — perhaps orzo or another pasta, a grain like rice, quinoa, or farro, or spooning it over a pile of greens (spinach, kale, arugula, and mixed greens are all great here).