The easiest (and the only) oven Roasted Cauliflower recipe you’ll ever need! So crispy, garlicky, and cheesy, and done in just 20 minutes!
For more roasted vegetable recipes, check out my popular posts for Roasted Butternut Squash, Oven Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic Glaze, and Crispy Parmesan Green Beans.
I know, I know, you’re probably thinking to yourself: More cauliflower? But hear me out. This veggie has long gone unnoticed and now it’s taking center stage in so many dishes, and for good reason! It’s available everywhere, so easy to break down, and takes on a myriad of flavors so easily! Give this baked cauliflower recipe a try – you won’t regret it!
Here’s How You Make It
Making this crispy cauliflower in the oven couldn’t be any easier!
- First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Next, stir together the salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets together with the olive oil.
- Now, sprinkle the spice mixture over the cauliflower and toss again. (photo 1)
- Add the parmesan cheese and give it a good stir to coat the cauliflower in the cheese as well. (photo 2)
- Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet.
- Put the baking sheet in the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until the cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork and is golden brown on the edges.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Why This Recipe Works
Simple ingredients — Do you have cauliflower, garlic powder, salt, pepper, olive oil, and parmesan? Great, then you’re ready to go! Even if you don’t have all the ingredients, they’re readily available at any grocery store.
Perfect every time — It’s really hard to mess this recipe up. Even if you undercook it, it’s still tasty and if you overcook it? Still delicious!
Budget friendly — Cauliflower is one of the less expensive vegetables out there and one head makes a ton of florets. In fact, you’ll probably have some roasted cauliflower leftover, unless of course, you devour it all like I usually do.
Kid approved — My kids love this parmesan cauliflower. I’ve shared this recipe with some other parents with picky kids and they’ve reported back their kids gobbled it up too! This oven roasted cauliflower might just be the breakthrough veggie that you’ve been waiting for!
Ideas for Customizing this Recipe
- Mix it up by adding some broccoli too. A head or two of broccoli cut into florets works really well with this baked cauliflower. Double up the spices, parm, and oil to make sure you get a good coating on all the veggies.
- Make it spicy by adding a little chili oil before roasting or sprinkling with red pepper flakes.
- Add a teaspoon of lemon zest over the top of the cauliflower (with or instead of the parmesan) to make take the oven roasted cauliflower to the citrusy side.
- Mix up the cheese. If you don’t want to use parm, try a harder cheese like gruyere or gouda.
- Add some baby carrots to the sheet pan with the cauliflower. They make a great combination!
- For a low-carb meal, add the roasted cauliflower to some Baked Chicken Breasts. So filling and easy!
Is It OK to Eat Cauliflower Every Day?
Experts agree it’s okay to eat vegetables like cauliflower every day. Why? Well, because non-starchy vegetables like cauliflower are filling and full of fiber, which can help aid digestion and is what keeps you feeling fuller, longer. Cauliflower also contains cancer-fighting antioxidants, folate, and vitamin C.
However, cauliflower can also lead to excessive gas and bloating so pay attention to how your body reacts to cauliflower and skip a day or two if it’s giving you any distress. It’s always great to mix up the veggies in your diet anyway. Remember to try to eat the rainbow.
Expert Tips
- To cut apart the cauliflower, what I do is first chop the cauliflower into florets, then chop individual florets in half lengthwise to create a nice flat, broad side to lay flat on the sheet pan.
- While I almost always recommend freshly grated parmesan cheese, in this recipe I love to use the pre-grated parmesan cheese that comes in the shaker can. I’ve found that it creates such a nice crispy, golden crust on the cauliflower.
- If you’d like a crispier crust on the cauliflower, a trick is to line your baking sheet with parchment paper.
- This crispy cauliflower will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. I do not recommend you freeze it.
- If you have cauliflower but aren’t ready to cook with it yet, the best way to keep your cauliflower fresh is to store it in a plastic bag lined with paper towels, then put that bag in the fridge in a veggie drawer for up to 7-14 days before cooking.
Try These Recipes Next
- Baked Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese
- Cauliflower Fried “Rice”
- Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
- Baked Sweet and Sour Cauliflower
- Roasted Lemon Garlic Cauliflower and Broccoli
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup
- Cauliflower Crust Pizza
Did you try this baked cauliflower recipe? EXCELLENT! Please rate the recipe below!
Oven Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower - chopped into thin florets, see note
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ⅓ cup grated parmesan cheese - see note
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Stir together salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- In a large bowl, toss cauliflower and olive oil.
- Sprinkle salt, pepper, and garlic powder over cauliflower and toss well.
- Add parmesan cheese and toss well to coat the cauliflower.
- Transfer to a lightly greased baking sheet (see note).
- Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until cauliflower is easily pierced with a fork and is golden brown on the edges. Serve immediately – enjoy!
This is exactly what I’ve been looking for and I’m anxious to try it this week. Do you serve it with any sauces for dipping or as-is? Thanks, Tiffany.
I usually just eat it as is but you can totally have ranch or any other dipping sauce you like with it! I also have a Easy Buffalo Cauliflower Wings recipe you can try if you want to mix things up a bit 🙂 or if you want to add things to this recipe you can mix it up by adding some baby carrots to the pan or even broccoli too. A head or two of broccoli cut into florets works really well with this baked cauliflower. Double up the spices, parm, and oil to make sure you get a good coating on all the veggies. Or you can make it spicy by adding a little chili oil before roasting or sprinkling with red pepper flakes. Another idea is to add a teaspoon of lemon zest over the top of the cauliflower (with or instead of the parmesan) to make take the oven roasted cauliflower to the citrusy side. You can try a harder cheese like gruyere or gouda instead of the parmesan. Or for a low-carb meal, add the roasted cauliflower to some Baked Chicken Breasts. So filling and easy!
Do you cook the cauliflower before putting it in the oven?
No
COULD HAVE MADE A MEAL OF THIS ALONE
I used Chinese Cauliflower. wonderful recipe