Remember ten years ago or so when cauliflower suddenly got super popular and everyone was using it in place of every carb imaginable? And then the supply and demand got all out of whack and cauliflower was suddenly more than $5 per head??
Well, I’m glad that the supply has finally caught up with the demand and I can buy cauliflower for a reasonable price again. 😅 Because it really is a super versatile vegetable and you can use it in place of so many different things, but I love just roasting it up, as simple as can be, with a little garlic and Parmesan. This Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower makes a great side dish to go with dinner, or even a snack with a little Comeback Sauce for dipping. Any way you eat it, it’s gooooood.
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Is The Cauliflower Crispy?
I know texture can sometimes not come across well in photos, so I wanted to make sure no one mistakes this cauliflower for being crispy. Cauliflower gets softer went roasted. You do get nice caramelization on the edges that provide a lot of flavor, but it doesn’t actually get crispy.
Can I Use Fresh Garlic?
Yes, absolutely! I used garlic powder in this recipe because I find it more evenly coats the cauliflower than little pieces of fresh garlic, but you can absolutely use fresh garlic in place of, or in addition to the garlic powder for an extra garlic punch. Two to four cloves (minced) should do well in this recipe.
What to Serve with Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
As I mentioned above, this roasted cauliflower makes a great all-purpose side dish. The garlic-Parmesan flavor combo is so universal. This would go great next to some roasted meat like Herb Roasted Pork Tenderloin, a classic comfort food like Salisbury Steak, or something like Balsamic Chicken and Mushrooms. But today, when I made a batch to take the photos, I ate damn near the entire batch just dipping it into some Comeback Sauce (a good ranch dressing would also be good). :)
Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
Servings 4Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower ($2.39)
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan ($0.44)
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder ($0.05)
- ¼ tsp salt ($0.02)
- 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.02)
- 2 Tbsp olive oil ($0.24)
- 1 Tbsp chopped parsley (optional garnish) ($0.05)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Rinse the cauliflower well, then cut into bite-sized florets.
- In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Place the cauliflower florets in a bowl and drizzle the olive oil over top, followed by the prepared garlic Parmesan seasoning. Toss the florets until they are completely coated in oil and seasoning, and no seasoning remains on the bottom of the bowl.
- Spread the seasoned cauliflower out over a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, making sure the florets are in a single layer with some space around each piece. Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven.
- Roast the cauliflower for about 30 minutes, stirring half-way through, or until the florets reach your desired level of caramelization. Season with extra salt and pepper and sprinkle chopped parsley over top just before serving, if desired.
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Equipment
- Chef’s Knife
- White Cutting Boards
- Enamelware Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @budgetbytes or tag #budgetbytes on Instagram!How to Make Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower – Step by Step Photos
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Chop the head of cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Honestly, sometimes I just pull the head apart with my hands because the little florets snap off fairly easily at the base! But I use my knife to cut larger florets into smaller pieces.
Combine ¼ cup grated Parmesan, ½ tsp garlic powder, ¼ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper in a small bowl.
Place the cauliflower florets in a bowl and drizzle 2 Tbsp olive oil over top, then sprinkle the garlic Parmesan seasoning on top. Toss the cauliflower florets until they are well coated in oil and seasoning. Make sure you keep tossing (I use my hands) until all of that flavoring is stuck on and in the crevices of the cauliflower. You don’t want any left in the bowl.
Spread the seasoned cauliflower out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment, in a single layer, with as much room around each piece as possible. Giving the cauliflower space helps the cauliflower roast in a dry environment and produce that nice caramelization, rather than sitting in trapped steam and essentially stewing as it bakes.
Roast the cauliflower in the fully preheated 400ºF oven for about 30 minutes, stirring half way through, or until the cauliflower has reached your desired level of caramelization. Season with extra salt and pepper, if needed, and top with chopped parsley before serving, if desired.
Delicious!
I love this recipe. I make it time and time again. Just started Weight Watchers, and calculated in eTools that it is only 2 PointsPlus per serving!
Great recipe! Next time I will need to make a double batch. My 10 year old taste tester kept stealing them off the cookie sheet before the rest of dinner was finished.
Gonna make this this week, yay!
Delicious! This is the first time I have roasted cauliflower and the only time I’ve even remotely enjoyed eating it. Thanks for a great recipe.
I don’t have the nutrition stats but I think it’s fairly diet friendly. It just depends on how much you’re trying to avoid oil and cheese. There certainly isn’t *a lot* in this recipe, but it’s there. This is much, much healthier than, say, cauliflower au gratin.
Does anyone know nutritional info for this? Ie: is it safe for dieters?
First of all, just wanted to say that I love your blog. It’s given me so many ideas!
I would just like to point out that I tried this recipe and my cooking experience differed greatly from yours. I also had a whole chicken in the oven at 375 for an hour, so I figured the cauliflower would finish around the same time as the chicken with the lowered temperature. My cauliflower was starting to burn after only 20 minutes in the oven at 375 degrees… =(
This is one of the best things I have ever eaten! It barely makes it from the roasting pan to the serving dish. LOVE IT!!!
I have made this 3 times since you posted the recipe. I’ve easily put it in rotation. My whole family loves it. I can’t walk by a head of cauliflower in the produce section without thinking of your recipe! :)
Love roasted cauliflower SO MUCH.
I’ve done this with frozen cauliflower and it worked pretty well. I let the cauliflower thaw out for a bit before roasting and patted it dry, and couldn’t tell the difference. I also really like to add a very roughly chopped onion to the pan, they get all soft and caramelized, and complement the roasted cauliflower taste perfectly.
Another good flavor combination is Indian: add to your oil minced garlic and ginger, ground cumin, ground coriander, and cayenne.
Making this tonight with you honey mustard chicken strips – delicious smells coming out of my oven! Thanks for the great ideas!
This was so great, my fiance was raving about it! We will definitely be making this again, thank you!
K.A. – the texture is softer after reheating but the taste is every bit as delicious!
Out of curiosity, how does this reheat as leftovers?
I made this last night and it turned out great! Only difference was that mine seemed done/crispy after 30 minutes (stirring once in between) insted of 45 minutes. Thank you!