Name: Smoky Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower (cut into florets); 1/4 cup olive oil; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 3 garlic cloves (minced); 1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese (crumbled); fresh Italian parsley (chopped (optional))

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This smoky garlic cauliflower roasted with Parmesan recipe is packed with the bold flavors of smoked paprika, garlic, and shaved aged Parmesan cheese. It's the perfect easy side dish for any entree!

parmesan roasted cauliflower in a grey bowl with a black and white kitchen towel

This post has been sponsored by Sargento. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cauliflower Roasted With Parmesan Cheese

In case you haven't noticed, cauliflower has been enjoying a moment in the spotlight recently. I mean, it's not at all unusual to find cauliflower rice, buffalo cauliflower wings, and/or cauliflower pizza on the menu at a restaurant these days.

Just a few years ago, though? Not a cauliflower floret in sight. Not that I'm complaining or anything... I happen to adore the versatility of cauliflower rice, and I'm ALL about a good buffalo cauli appetizer.

But hands down, my favorite tried and true cauliflower recipe to make at home is this easy Parmesan roasted cauliflower. Cauliflower is truly the perfect blank canvas for the bold flavors in this recipe: smoked paprika, garlic, and rich, nutty Sargento® Reserve Series™ Shaved 14-Month Aged Parmesan Cheese.

I have a feeling that this flavorful side dish is going to end up on heavy rotation in your weekly menu plan, just as it is in mine!

roasted cauliflower with aged parmesan cheese

Roasted Cauliflower With Sargento Reserve Series Shaved Parmesan

You know I'm a big believer in sourcing the very best ingredients for simple dishes, such as this garlic Parmesan roasted cauliflower. But when bagged cauliflower florets are on sale 3 for $5? Well, you can bet I'm going to press the easy button and save myself some chopping.

Also? I'm not above keeping a jar of organic minced garlic in the refrigerator for hectic weeknights. I assure you my kids won't notice the difference, and their bellies will be satisfied just a little faster. #momwin

BUT the one ingredient I'm certainly NOT going to skimp on is the Parmesan cheese...

Have you seen this new Sargento Reserve Series Shaved 14-Month Aged Parmesan Cheese, yet? Its complex flavor (from the aging process!) totally elevates this simple roasted cauliflower to a guest-worthy side dish, while the shaved cut adds visual appeal to the finished dish.

I highly recommend keeping a bag on hand at all times. I find myself sprinkling it over just about all of my favorite entrees and sides lately!

How To Roast Cauliflower

Want to know my secret for how to roast cauliflower? Um, well... actually, there really isn't one, LOL. I'm not one to overcomplicate things, so I pretty much roast any veggie I'm craving on a rimmed baking sheet at 425 degrees until it's tender and a bit caramelized.

Which is why I don't line my sheet pans with aluminum foil like I often see recipes recommend. Besides adding an extra step, it actually inhibits that delicious caramelization we're looking for! A well-seasoned rimmed baking sheet is worth its weight in gold, and the only way to achieve it is by roasting your cauliflower and other veggies with direct contact. You might save a few minutes in cleanup with the foil, but you'll be missing out on SO MUCH FLAVOR.

Oh, wait!!! I guess I DO have one secret I often use when making any kind of roasted vegetables... I keep my pizza stone in the oven on the bottom rack at all times. If I need to speed up the caramelization process, I place my rimmed baking sheet directly on the pizza stone. Just check your veggies a little more frequently, because they WILL cook faster!

How Long To Roast Cauliflower

I know there are many of you reading this still wondering, "But HOW LONG to roast cauliflower?" I get it — you want to set a timer and forget about it for a bit. So I'll share that, in total, it takes about 30 minutes.

For this specific roasted cauliflower recipe, I first toss the cauliflower with some olive oil, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper, and then roast it on my rimmed baking sheet for 20 minutes. Then I toss the partially roasted cauliflower with the garlic (this keeps the garlic from burning while the cauliflower is roasting), and sprinkle the crumbled Parmesan cheese over the top.

The sheet pan then goes back into the oven for about 10 more minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and the cheese is melted.

roasted garlic cauliflower in a grey bowl with a black and white kitchen towel

Parmesan Roasted Garlic Cauliflower

This Parmesan roasted garlic cauliflower is the ideal side for just about any entree: beef, pork, chicken, fish, you name it. But you know what? It's also delicious served over brown rice (see: how to cook brown rice in Instant Pot)for a hearty vegan meal. AND it's even pretty tasty cold the next day... Yes, REALLY! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

No matter how or what you serve your garlic Parmesan roasted cauliflower with, be sure to scrape up all of those little bits of caramelized garlic, cauliflower, and Parmesan from the baking sheet when serving this side dish. They're TOTALLY the best part! And a good sprinkling of fresh chopped parsley over the top adds a bright pop of color and another layer of flavor.

Printable Recipe ↓

parmesan roasted cauliflower recipe in a gray ceramic bowl with a black serving fork

Smoky Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

4.64 from 11 votes

This smoky garlic Parmesan roasted cauliflower recipe is packed with the bold flavors of smoked paprika, garlic, and shaved aged Parmesan cheese. It's the perfect easy low carb side dish for any entree!

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 30

Total Time 40

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 129 kcal

Ingredients

▢ 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
▢ ¼ cup olive oil
▢ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
▢ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
▢ 3 garlic cloves minced
▢ ½ cup shaved parmesan cheese crumbled
▢ fresh Italian parsley chopped (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Cut cauliflower into florets of roughly the same size, and toss with olive oil, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
Spread the cauliflower florets out on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven, and add the minced garlic to the cauliflower, stirring and tossing to mix them together well. Sprinkle the crumbled Parmesan cheese over top of the cauliflower, and place the baking sheet back in the oven for an additional 10 minutes, until tender.
Garnish with additional shaved Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley.

Video

Nutrition information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment & tag @unsophisticook on social

garlic parmesan roasted cauliflower in a gray bowl with Sargento Reserve Series 14-Month Aged Parmesan package

More Easy Roasted Veggie Side Dish Recipes

So you snagged a bag of Sargento Reserve Series Parmesan Cheese at Meijer for this Parmesan roasted cauliflower recipe, and now you're wondering what else to use it on? Look no further! Here are a few more sides that would be fabulous with a little Parm sprinkled over top.

If you like this cauliflower roasted with Parmesan recipe, you might also enjoy these other delicious roasted veggie side dish recipes:

Honey Roasted Carrots with Dill — this easy oven roasted carrots recipe is sure to get the whole family to eat their veggies! Just 4 simple ingredients: brown butter, carrots (of course!!), honey, and dried dill...
Crispy Roasted Garlic Ranch Potatoes — these easy ranch potatoes are totally one of my favorite roasted potato recipes... Crispy and seasoned to perfection with garlic and ranch seasoning!
3-Ingredient Roasted Sesame Asparagus — this simple 3-ingredient roasted sesame asparagus recipe is a quick and easy weeknight side dish, yet still impressive enough to serve at a more upscale gathering!
20-Minute Crispy Cheesy Broccoli Gratin — this quick and easy crispy cheesy broccoli gratin features crispy, caramelized broccoli florets topped with a panko cheddar Parmesan mixture that's out of this world… Have it on your dinner table in under 20 minutes!

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