Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower is a delicious dish of crispy cauliflower, garlic, and salty Parmesan, ready in about 30 minutes!
Crispy and easy to make, this Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower recipe will make a cauliflower lover out of anyone with its amazing flavors! This simple dish of cauliflower tossed with minced garlic, lemon juice, oil, salt, and pepper, then roasted to crispy perfection, makes it a wonderful side to serve with chicken, steak, or any of your favorite dishes!
Roasting Done Right
I love that cauliflower has gotten so popular over the last few years- it has always deserved to shine as a veggie star! Most people, myself included, were not raised on properly cooked cauliflower, and it can take a stellar dish like Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower to bring people over to the side of yummy cauliflower. Easy Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower has a wonderful bite-worthy texture, with a bright, garlicky flavor and a pop of salty Parmesan that makes people do a double-take and then grab a double portion! Serve this simple cauliflower dish with any meal and don’t be surprised when it gets gobbled up!
Spicy Buffalo Cauliflower Bites and smoky BBQ Cauliflower Bites both pack big flavor punches that you can share with friends, or just devour before they get there!
Other Recipes to Serve with the Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
- Low-carb or not, these cheesy Low-Carb Cauliflower Breadsticks are too delicious and make every dinner even better!
- Bacon Cauliflower Mac and Cheese feels super indulgent but is packed with yummy veggies and mouthwatering bacon!
Ingredients
Veggies: Grab a head of cauliflower to chop for this delicious dish, along with garlic to mince, and a lemon to juice. You can also use jarred minced garlic or garlic powder, along with bottled lemon juice, if you like.
Parmesan: Freshly grated Parmesan is wonderful in this recipe, so pick up your preferred block or grab a package of preshredded Parmesan.
Seasoning: You will need olive oil, salt, and pepper to season this dish.
How to Make Cheesy Roasted Cauliflower
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the cauliflower florets and minced garlic together in a large bowl. Drizzle the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper over the cauliflower and mix.
STEP TWO: Spread the cauliflower evenly over a rimmed baking sheet. Roast the cauliflower for 15 minutes, then stir and roast for another 10 minutes.
STEP THREE: Once out of the oven, sprinkle Parmesan over the cauliflower and serve immediately.
Tips for Success
- When chopping the cauliflower, try to make sure the florets are all about the same size. This will ensure that the cauliflower is evenly roasted and prevent smaller pieces from burning while larger pieces are not yet tender. Bite-sized pieces are perfect.
- Grab a bag of pre-chopped cauliflower, a jar of minced garlic, and a bag of preshredded Parmesan to make this recipe even faster for a great weeknight side!
- Store leftovers for up to three days in an airtight container in the fridge.
Why is my roasted cauliflower not crispy?
The three most common reasons cauliflower doesn’t turn out with crispy, caramelized edges are overcrowding, oven temperature, and floret size. When spreading the cauliflower on a baking sheet, make sure there is a little space between the florets and that they’re not piled together. The space will allow the steam to escape and the florets to roast nicely. Also, make sure the oven is set to the right temperature. A high temperature will get things roasting quickly, and the cauliflower will come out tender. Lastly, be sure to cut the florets into mostly uniform, bite-sized pieces so they roast evenly, without some pieces burning and others not done.
What do you flavor roasted cauliflower with?
Thanks to the low-carb cauliflower craze and all of the wonderful recipes that have been developed, we’ve all come to appreciate how versatile cauliflower is! Cauliflower can truly be taken in so many directions, and now that you know how to roast it, you can season it however you like. After tossing the florets with olive oil, try some of your favorite spices, like curry or a Southwest blend of cumin and chili powder, for a flavor-packed bite! Ranch, Italian seasoning, or red pepper flakes are also fun seasonings to try. However you serve it, cauliflower is the perfect side to any meal!
More Incredible Ways to Enjoy Cauliflower
- Loaded Cauliflower Steaks
- Cauliflower Rice
- Cauliflower Pizza Crust
- Roasted Garlic and Cauliflower Soup
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
*This post originally posted on 01/09/2020.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower trimmed and cut into florets
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Combine the cauliflower and garlic in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Stir until evenly coated.
- Transfer cauliflower to a large rimmed baking sheet and spread into a single layer.
- Roast for 15 minutes. Then carefully stir the cauliflower around, and roast for another 10 minutes.
- Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Serve warm with your favorite meals.
Liz says
Thank you and have a great week!
Gloria @ Simply Gloria says
This DOES look so appetizing that I would even pass the fries…which is really hard for me to do! But I bet this would do the trick! Love how simple it is!!