Roasted Cauliflower with Italian Cheese and Herbs

posted by Roz on Nov 24, 2020

We’re just loving cauliflower now . . . and for good reason! When prepared in recipes such as Roasted Cauliflower with Italian Cheese and Herbs, it’s not only healthy . . . it’s damn delicious! This recipe is so simple and yet really tasty as either a healthy snack or a great side dish.

We’ve had a love affair with cauliflower for decades, but our favorite way to prepare it is by roasting it. If you haven’t roasted vegetables yet, you are going to devour them like an addict whose hooked on a new drug. When the cauliflower comes out of the oven, I get all excited and can literally eat it right off the hot pan! Especially with melted cheese on top!

As a side dish, roasted cauliflower is super easy and because it’s very flavor-neutral, it pairs well with almost anything!

Even though we just love raw cauliflower with a creamy dip, when you roast it, the simple white flowerets caramelize in the oven and become a gorgeous golden color.

Even though my family loves cauliflower prepared simply, we really like to get creative with it as the base for delicious flavor combinations. And of course, I have an Italian-flavored version that we just love!

Italian Roasted Cauliflower

Set out your ingredients including cauliflower, Italian parsley, and garlic

Toss the cauliflower with olive oil, a wee splash of freshly-squeezed lemon juice to get it all nice and coated. Then it’s tossed with fresh Italian parsley, garlic, oregano, and thyme. If you want a little of kick of heat, include a sprinkle or two of red pepper flakes. Or you can sprinkle it on only half of the cauliflower.

On a baking pan sprayed generously with cooking oil, spread the florets all over the pan leaving a good bit of space betwen each piece.

This recipe for roasted cauliflower has a crispy, golden-baked cheese topping that is simply irresistible. We like to mix up a blend of freshly-grated Italian cheeses: Parmigiano, asiago, and/or pecorino, but you can use any variety of cheese you prefer.

Sprinkle the cheeses on after baking half-way.

Ah! Look at that! Perfectly cooked with melted cheese all over the pan too!

(scrape off some of that roasted cheese and enjoy a tasty, cheesy treat!)

GORGEOUS!!!

Tips on Perfect Roasted Cauliflower

It’s a good idea to cut the cauliflower in equal sizes so that they cook evenly. The flat sides of each slice will caramelize better, which means they will taste all that much better! Some people like large slices and others like smaller, chunks of the cauliflower’s natural floret shape that you simply snap off one by one. Its’ totally up to you.
Coat the baking pan very well with olive oil and butter to help get that caramelized finish.
Spread the cauliflower out all over the pan with space between so that the sides will also get nice and golden.
Always roast at high temperatures, such as 425 or higher. I also use the broiler during the last bit of roasting time if I want more browning to take place. If you use the broiler, do keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
After baking halfway through, about 15 minutes, don’t forget to turn the cauliflower over to get that beautiful, golden caramelization all over the florets.

**Nordic Ware Aluminum Baker’s Half Sheets (2 Pack)**

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