Fitness / January 15, 2024

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

Rekindle your love affair for the florets with Roasted Garlic Cauliflower—all it takes is a jaunt in the oven and sprinkle of Parmesan.

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower featured image top shot

Table of Contents

Toggle

If you couldn’t tell, I now use cauliflower for everything.

It’s my healthy substitute for buffalo wings, rice, pizza crust, and flour. It’s gotten to the point that I can’t recall the last time I actually had cauliflower as the vegetable side dish it was intended to be. Well, that’s going to change with this recipe.

I don’t blend it or deep-fry it or flatten then bake it. But I do roast it, which I think is when cauliflower tastes the loveliest. I then add garlic, salt, pepper, and a bit of Parmesan for flavoring. The result is a testament to versatility of cauliflower—while it can play understudy to so many other ingredients, it shines in the role it was born to play.

Is Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Healthy?

Yes. Cauliflower is high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and low in carbs and calories, making it suitable for a number of diets. The other prominent ingredient—the Parmesan—contains protein and calcium but is also high in sodium and saturated fat, so don’t add too much. This dish is suitable for low-carb, keto, vegetarian, Mediterranean, and gluten-free diets. If you removed/replaced the cheese, it would be suitable for paleo, Whole30, and vegan diets.

INGREDIENTS

1 head cauliflower (half should fill a sauce pan)
1 clove garlic
coarse salt (to taste)
ground black pepper (to taste)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

INSTRUCTIONS

Prep

Wash the cauliflower with cold water. Cut it into bite-sized pieces. Finely chop the garlic cloves.

Arrange

Arrange the cauliflower pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Top

Drizzle the cauliflower with the olive oil, sprinkle with coarse salt, and add a dash of black pepper. Scatter the garlic throughout.

Bake

Place the cauliflower in a preheated oven (at 400°F). Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon for even cooking.

Sprinkle

Remove the cauliflower from the oven. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan to taste. Replace it in the oven and bake for 3 minutes, until a light gratin (crust) forms.

DEVOUR!

Tips & Tricks to Making Perfect Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

The amounts of the ingredients aren’t etched in stone so add them in small doses and taste. Want more cheese? Add it.
Use a casserole dish if you don’t have a baking pan handy.
Instead of finely chopping the garlic, you can thinly slice it. Sliced garlic is less pungent than chopped.
Don’t walk away after applying the Parmesan. The cheese can burn easily so keep an eye on the cauliflower and remove it once the cheese starts to brown.
Try to cut your cauliflower all the same size for the sake of even cooking.

FAQs

what are signs of good cauliflower?

You’re looking for tightly packed florets with no blemishes. Also, check the leaves; they should be brilliant green and not brittle.

the garlic taste is uneven. what can i do?

Try mincing the garlic. Then heat the oil on MEDIUM and infuse it with the garlic. Then toss the florets in the oil and roast.

what garnishes can i add?

Fresh herbs like parsley and chives would work well here.

what other flavors can i experiment with?

Sprinkle red pepper flakes for heat or a squirt of lemon for a zip of citrus.

can i use packaged parmesan?

Yes, though freshly grated cheese has a more intense, savory flavor.

Serving Suggestions

If you’re looking for another side dish that shares the Parmesan flavor, try my Parmesan Potatoes. For an entrée that does the same, make the Baked Parmesan-Crusted Chicken. A chicken dish that doesn’t carry over the Parmesan would be this recipe for Pineapple 5 Spice Paleo Whole30 Chicken Wings. And for dessert, why not make some Cookie-Dough Banana Ice Cream?

How To Prep and Store Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

Let the cauliflower cool completely then store in an airtight container. It will last in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can reheat either on the stove or in the oven at 350°F until warm. Freezing isn’t recommended; the texture of the cauliflower and the Parmesan will be compromised.