Parmesan Lemon roasted cauliflower is one of the tastiest ways to cook cauliflower! See how we turn boring cauliflower into perfectly tender and browned cauliflower. Jump to the Roasted Cauliflower Recipe or read on to see our tips for making it.
We’re hooked on roasted cauliflower. It’s sweet, nutty and so easy to make. Perfect as a side, for topping pastas or eaten as a snack. We’re even thinking that it might convert a few anti-cauliflower cooks out there. (Fingers crossed).
How to Roast Cauliflower in the Oven
Roasting is one of our favorite ways to cook cauliflower — in fact, we love this method so much that we’ve used it to make spicy roasted cauliflower, buffalo roasted cauliflower wings, and a Thai curry roasted cauliflower.
Start by cutting the cauliflower into florets then toss them onto a large baking sheet, add a little olive oil, salt, pepper and some thyme — fresh or dried thyme work. Slide the cauliflower into a hot oven — we go for 425 degrees Fahrenheit — and roast, turning once until the florets have caramelized a little on all sides. It takes about 30 minutes.
TUTORIAL: How to Buy and Cut a Cauliflower
When the cauliflower is browned in places and tender in the middle, we toss a handful of parmesan cheese on top, and then slide it back into the oven for an extra 5 minutes. The cheese melts and browns a little — so delicious.
Then, just before serving we scatter lemon zest and a spritz of lemon juice on top. The lemon brightens the dish up and works so well with the sweet nutty flavor of the cauliflower.
Recipe updated, originally posted April 2013. Since posting this in 2013, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear. – Adam and Joanne
Parmesan Lemon Roasted Cauliflower
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Parmesan lemon roasted cauliflower is one of our favorite ways to cook cauliflower. Roasting brings out cauliflowers natural sweetness. Topped with parmesan cheese and fresh lemon, this is a lovely side dish (even for those that may not be cauliflower fans).
You Will Need
1 medium cauliflower cut into florets (about 5 cups)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 ounce grated parmesan cheese (about 1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Juice from half a lemon
Directions
1Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
2Add cauliflower florets to baking sheet and top with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Using kitchen tongs or hands, toss until florets are well coated. Spread florets into a single layer.
3Roast the cauliflower for 20 minutes, stir, and then continue to roast until tips and edges have turned golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.
4Scatter the parmesan over cauliflower and place back into the oven for 5 minutes until cheese has melted and begins to brown. Remove from the oven and finish with lemon zest and lemon juice on top.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Nutrition facts: The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We have used the USDA Supertracker recipe calculator to calculate approximate values.
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #inspiredtaste — We love to see your creations on Instagram and Facebook! Find us: @inspiredtaste
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Incredible recipes, right up my alley!! Thank you
Is there a way to prepare this a day in advance? Would it reheat well?
Hi Shiela, I love this as leftovers, but keep in mind that the cauliflower will be less crisp on the outside. You could always throw them back into a hot oven to crisp up slightly, though.
I am allergic to citrus, therefore, I cannot have the lemon. I want to make this and wondered how much leaving the lemon out would change the taste. Also is there anything I can substitute in place of lemon in so many recipes or just leave it out?
Thanks
You can simply leave it out or try a dash of apple cider vinegar or balsamic.
This method of preparing cauliflower is outstanding. Naturally we all have our own special touches. Mine is to use lemon olive oil and salt and that is all. If I have time a bit of lemon zest is wonderful, but anything else is overkill for this amazing veggie.
oooh, delicious! made it tonight and the whole family loved it. took your suggestion and used curry powder instead of thyme, and also added a sprinkle of crushed almonds when i added the cheese. many thanks.
Saw this recipe this morning and prepared it this evening. Super easy, Super delicious and will definitely make again and again and again.
oh yum, we love cauliflower and always looking for new ways to fix it!
what is the nutritional value? Thanks. Haven’t made it yet ,, but plan to.
Hi Kathy, we don’t publish nutrition facts yet but there is a great tool that will help you calculate nutrition facts for any recipe. It is called Calorie Counter, here is the link: CalorieCount.com
We’ve just discovered roasting vegetables and we are so in love with them. We’ve done carrots, asparagus, brussel sprouts, onion and sweet potato, but we haven’t done cauliflower yet, but after reading this we definitely will! Thanks
This looks so lovely!!