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!
This was so good even with my modifications. I used cojita instead of parmesan and added three cubed yellow potatoes. I forgot to use parchment paper and really wish I had – the cheese makes cleaning the pan a real pain haha.
This recipe was so easy and we enjoyed the delicious cauliflower! We don’t have much time after work to cook a big meal. But it was so quick and easy! Thank you.
Yum! Something else to dip in your comeback sauce! That was a hit in our household. Looking forward to trying the cauliflower.
Looks delicious! What is the sauce you use for dipping?
That’s comeback sauce. :)
I haven’t roasted cauliflower in ages so this is moving to the top of my “to cook” list. Do you think this would come just as good in an air fryer too?
Unfortunately I’ve never used an air fryer, but from what I understand about how they work I think it will do just fine. :)
This recipe and your Smoky Roasted Cauliflower are the only two ways my husband will willingly eat cauliflower! I make the smoky recipe regularly! So delicious!
Can you use frozen cauliflower?
You can definitely roast frozen cauliflower but I feel like the florets might be too wet to get the Parmesan to actually stick. Also, while you can roast frozen cauliflower and broccoli, it doesn’t get quite as much caramelization as the fresh vegetables do (again because it’s more wet).
We love this recipe and it’s my favorite way to eat cauliflower. We’ve made it many times and this will continue to be our go-to recipe for cauliflower florets! So grateful to have found this!
I don’t think I’ve ever bought cauliflower before because, as you suggested, it’s not one of the cheaper veggies at the store. I got some at the store last week because it was on sale last week for $2.50, ha! I wanted a recipe that was going to be simple but not totally hide the cauliflower so I made this. The only thing I didn’t use was the fresh parsley (forgot to buy it) and the bit of cheese at the end (I forgot to add it). SO YUMMY. Thank you!
Happy to hear it Kristin!
Yum! Was perfect after 30 minutes. Served it with roasted pork and green beans, everyone enjoyed it.
Do you have a farmers market in your area? I got a huge head of cauliflower today for $2!
Made this earlier in the week…my husband had never tried cauliflower before (he is from England, not as common) and he enjoyed this. :) Great recipe!
I have used this recipe several times and it’s a huge hit with the family. At that temperature, though, I find 45 minutes to be way too long. For me, 30 minutes is just about right. Absolutely delicious!!! This is seriously one of the most requested side dishes from my 12 year old son.
Made it, loved it! My 4yo son loved it too.
My husband and I love this! We never eat cauliflower because we hate it, but this makes it delicious. I did a small head of cauliflower and a small crown of broccoli, and the flavors were all great together.