Roasted cauliflower is so flavorful! And it's an easy recipe too: The florets are tossed with olive oil, garlic, and parmesan, then baked until golden.
It's easy to come up with keto cauliflower recipes! After all, the vegetable itself is low-carb. It's just a matter of adding the right ingredients to keep it that way.
This is why I love making this roasted cauliflower recipe for my family. It's so delicious, and we all love the cheesy topping. The cauliflower becomes so wonderfully creamy as it bakes! It's a wonderful side dish that goes with so many meals.
The ingredients you'll need
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make oven-baked cauliflower. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
Fresh cauliflower: I was surprised to learn that you can absolutely bake frozen cauliflower. But in this particular recipe, I use fresh.
Olive oil: I love cooking with this delicious oil. But if you worry about its relatively low smoke point, you can use melted butter instead.
Sea salt and black pepper: Freshly ground black pepper tastes best.
Garlic powder: You can use fresh minced garlic instead. But I like the way the powder uniformly coats the cauliflower, and it also doesn't burn as easily as minced garlic.
Grated Parmesan: I think it's best to use finely grated cheese, although coarsely shredded parmesan will work if that's all you have.
What cauliflower to use?
When making roasted cauliflower, you can buy a whole head and separate it into florets (or roast it whole!). Or you can buy one of those bags of pre-washed florets.
If you opt for the second option, you'll probably see that some of the florets are quite large while the others are small. It's a good idea to cut the large ones ao that they are all about the same size.
No breadcrumbs needed
This is a tasty, creamy and cheesy side dish. Even the Picky Eater loves it! To keep it low-carb and gluten-free, I don't use breadcrumbs in this recipe, and frankly, I don't miss them.
It's possible to sprinkle some almond meal on top of this dish in addition to the Parmesan, or maybe pork panko (pork rind breadcrumbs, available on Amazon). But really, this recipe is really good with just the cheese.
How to roast a cauliflower
It's so easy! This is one of my easiest side dishes, which is why I make it so often. Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:
1. Trim the clean cauliflower and separate it into florets.
2. Place the cauliflower florets in a rimmed baking dish. Toss it with olive oil and spices. I use my hands to make sure all the pieces are well coated.
3. Bake the cauliflower for 15 minutes in a 425°F oven.
4. Gently stir, sprinkle with parmesan, and roast for 10-15 more minutes.
What to serve with roasted cauliflower?
It's a very versatile side dish that goes with anything! But since I bake it in a 425°F oven, I like to serve it with a main dish that I can cook in the same oven. So I often serve it with one of the following main dishes:
What to do with the leftovers?
Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days in a sealed container. Reheat them gently in the microwave on 50% power prior to serving. I haven't experimented with freezing the leftovers, so I don't know if that would work.
More tasty cauliflower recipes
Ever since I started eating low carb, I've been making cauliflower a lot. It's a tasty, versatile vegetable that can work well to replace starchy dishes.
In addition to roasted cauliflower, mashed cauliflower and cauliflower potato salad are staples in this household. And these cauliflower tots are the perfect game day snack! They always get rave reviews from guests.
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Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large head cauliflower, cleaned and separated into florets (1 lb.)
- 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Place the cauliflower florets in a rimmed baking dish large enough to accommodate them in a single layer, such as a 9 X 13 rectangular baking dish.
- Right in the pan, toss the cauliflower florets with the olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Roast the cauliflower for 15 minutes.
- Gently stir the florets, sprinkle with the parmesan, and continue baking until tender and golden, about 10-15 more minutes. Serve immediately.
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Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. 