Here’s my crispy oven baked cauliflower with grated parmesan cheese… A family favorite! Did you know that you can prepare fresh cauliflower in so many ways? I just love this delicious vegetable!
Are you a fan of cauliflower?
Unfortunately not everyone is all wild about it. And like so many other foods and vegetables especially, that usually has to do with the way lots of us prepare it. I don’t like boiled and mushy cauliflower either. Just keep cauliflower crunchy and full of flavor.
Texture
It is the same with my Thai stir fried cauliflower by the way: it still has a lot of bite and texture. And again, flavor. It’s such a delicious vegetable, why cook it until it is inedible and bland?
And I am also sure that you will adore my next vegetable side dish: oven baked cauliflower with melted parmesan cheese! I’m a huge cauliflower fan.
The fact that cauliflower can be prepared in so many ways is just great: steamed, boiled, in a gratin, stir fried, deep-fried, roasted, baked, in soups… even raw as an appetizer or in a crunchy summer salad! I love it all.
Again, we are just 2 here at home so 1 cauliflower head is good for at least 2 to 3 recipes.
Baked Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese
No matter what recipe I use, I always like to keep cauliflower quite crunchy.
This gives this lovely vegetable so much more punch. That’s why I don’t steam or blanch the cauliflower in the beginning of this recipe. While the cauliflower bakes in the oven, the sliced florets crisp up nicely around the edges. Add to that a layer of savory melted parmesan cheese.
And what a great side dish for steaks or pork chops this is!
Do you love baked cauliflower side dishes with cheese?
Then also check out my cauliflower au gratin in a creamy cheese sauce!
Enjoy!
Baked Cauliflower Recipe
My crispy oven baked cauliflower with grated parmesan cheese... Fresh Cauliflower can be prepared in so many ways, I love this vegetable!
- 1 large fresh cauliflower
- 2 handfuls parmesan cheese grated
- 1 bunch fresh parsley chopped
- olive oil
- spicy paprika powder
- salt
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Clean and trim the cauliflower. Remove any green leaves and dark spots. Sever the florets from the thick cauliflower stem. Then transfer the florets to a sieve and rinse them thoroughly under cold running tap water.
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Let the cauliflower drain a little. Then transfer the the florets to a clean chopping board and slice them up thinly using a sharp knife.
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When all of the cauliflower is sliced, transfer that heap onto a large baking tray and sprinkle generously with some olive oil. Season with a good dash of the spicy paprika and some salt. Stir well (goes best if you do this with your hands) and then place the cauliflower slices neatly next to each other on the tray so it bakes evenly.
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Bake the cauliflower in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) for 20 to 25 minutes until a little golden. Take the tray out of the oven and turn the slices carefully.
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Then pop the tray back into the oven for another 15 minutes. After that sprinkle the baked cauliflower with the grated parmesan cheese.
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Bake or grill the cauliflower for another couple of minutes until the cheese has nicely melted and the cauliflower starts to brown. Then transfer it to a large serving dish. Sprinkle with the freshly chopped parsley and extra grated parmesan. Serve hot.
