Smoky Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower (5 Ingredients!)

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!

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 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.

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.