Crispy Roasted Cauliflower with Cheddar & Parmesan

Name: Crispy Roasted Cauliflower with Cheddar & Parmesan
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 large cauliflower; 6 tbsp. olive oil; 1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning; ½ tsp. chili pepper; Fresh ground pepper (- a nice sprinkle); 8 oz. sharp white cheddar cheese (- grated); 4 oz. parmesan (- grated)

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Roasted cauliflower with crispy, sharp white cheddar and freshly grated parmesan is one of my favorite side dishes for cozy, Autumn dinner parties and Thanksgiving!

With only 7 ingredients, this recipe is perfectly Keto, gluten-free, incredibly low-carb, and takes only 30 minutes to make!

Contents hide

1 How to Make This Cauliflower Recipe – Step by Step

2 Common Questions

3 More Delicious Side Dish Inspiration

4 Crispy Roasted Cauliflower with Cheddar & Parmesan

Seasoned with a little Old Bay, chili pepper and a little fresh pepper, you’ll be amazed how excitingly flavorful roasted cauliflower can be!

I made this cauliflower for my Lovely Lady’s Supper Club dinner party in October, with a mix of yellow and purple cauliflower that I found at my local Farmer’s Market. My lady friends and I all contributed to the dinner and laughed all night! I also made an Autumn crudités and bruschetta with charred cherry tomatoes and roasted garlic!

A close shot of a head of cauliflower on a cutting board beside a knife.

How to Make This Cauliflower Recipe – Step by Step

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. (230 C.) and pull florets from the cauliflower head. Slice big ones in half.

2. Add cauliflower to a large mixing bowl with 6 tbsp. of olive oil, and stir to thoroughly coat.

3. Sprinkle florets with ½ tsp. of Old Bay seasoning, ¼th tsp. of chili pepper, and a nice sprinkle of fresh pepper, toss, then sprinkle seasoning again in the same amounts to ensure all florets have been evenly coated.

4. Pour the cauliflower onto a foil-lined baking sheet and make sure they’re all touching the foil, and not piled on top of each other. Turn any sliced florets so the flat side is on the foil. They’ll roast in a much tastier way. Bake on the top rack for 15 minutes.

A collage of 4 numbered images showing how to make roasted cauliflower with cheese.

5. While the cauliflower bakes, grate 8 oz. of sharp white cheddar cheese and 4 oz. of parmesan cheese.

6. Remove the almost-roasted cauliflower, and sprinkle florets with cheese, covering them evenly. Place cauliflower back in the oven on the top rack, and bake for 7-10 more minutes, until cheese is crispy.

7. Use a spatula to scrape all that wonderful, crispy cheese from the pan as you pour cauliflower into a bowl, and serve.

2 numbered images showing how to make roasted cauliflower with cheese.

Common Questions

1. How do I reheat the cauliflower?

First, keep in mind, it has the best tenderness and crispiness when fresh out of the oven, and reheating it will make it more soft and tender. It will still be delicious, just more “done” and less crispy. Simply spread cauliflower on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake at 450 F. (230 C.) for 7-10 minutes. Don’t microwave, or it will turn to mush.

2. How long will the roasted cauliflower last in the fridge?

It will stay delicious for about a week and can be reheated with the instructions above.

A small roasted cauliflower florette on an antique fork.

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