Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Parmesan Dip

Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan Dipping Sauce — Even people who say they don’t like cauliflower will love this version! Oven roasted cauliflower is easy to prepare, and I’ve given detailed instructions on bake times and oven temperatures. 

Best Ever Roast Cauliflower 

Cauliflower is pretty trendy right now. But this isn’t a trendy recipe.

It’s a classic roasted cauliflower recipe. You know, the kind of recipe you actually make.

Recently I’ve seen recipes for cauliflower pizza crust, cauliflower florets made to be like buffalo wings, cauliflower puree that’s a stand-in for alfredo sauce, mashed cauliflower as a sub for mashed potatoes, cauliflower breaded and baked or fried for chips, and the list goes on.

Except I’m not that creative, I’m on vacation, and I eat tons of cauliflower exactly like this.

Drizzled with a little coconut oil, seasoned with smoked paprika or turmeric, and baked for about 20 minutes. It’s vegan, gluten-free, and full of flavor.

It’s filling, hearty, comforting, and stays al dente. There’s enough texture retained so it’s not at all mushy and has plenty of chomp factor.

The smoked paprika, along with the natural flavors that are brought out when you roast vegetables, make the cauliflower so tasty.

While I don’t mind the raw bitey-ness that raw cauliflower has, some people do, and roasting tempers and mellows it.

Normally I eat my vegetables fairly plain and basic, which some may call ‘boring.’ However, when it comes to vegetables, basic and ‘boring’ is what I always go back to.

But if you’re trying to twist someone’s arm to eat more vegetables, the easy, 30-second cauliflower dipping sauce can’t hurt. It’s made with with equal parts sour cream and shredded cheese. 

I can demolish a head of cauliflower by myself. So good.

Ingredients for Oven Roasted Cauliflower 

To make roast cauliflower in the oven, you’ll need: 

• Fresh cauliflower
• Coconut oil 
• Smoked paprika 
• Salt and pepper

For the cauliflower dipping sauce, you’ll need: 

• Sour cream
• Grated Parmesan cheese

How to Make Oven Roasted Cauliflower 

This is such an easy roasted cauliflower recipe that’s easy to customize using your favorite spices. Here’s my preferred method for roasting cauliflower in the oven: 

1. Place cauliflower florets on a baking tray, arranged in a single flat layer.
2. Evenly drizzle or massage with oil. 
3. Evenly sprinkle with smoked paprika, and optionally sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
4. Roast at 375ºF until cauliflower is done to taste.
5. Serve with the creamy Parmesan dipping sauce. 

What Temperature to Roast Cauliflower? 

I prefer roasting my cauliflower at 375ºF. A slightly lower temperature gives the cauliflower time to cook from the inside out before it starts to caramelize on the bottom. 

How Long to Roast Cauliflower? 

I find 20 to 25 minutes at 375ºF is perfect! 

Can the Coconut Oil Be Substituted? 

I love roasting vegetables with coconut oil and don’t think it makes the cauliflower taste like coconut at all. Use olive or another favorite oil if you’re concerned.

Can You Roast Frozen Cauliflower? 

Technically, yes. You can roast frozen cauliflower straight from the freezer, just add a few minutes to the bake time. 

However, I find that frozen cauliflower is mushy once roasted and doesn’t retain any bite or texture, which is what I love about classic oven roasted cauliflower. 

Tips for the Best Roasted Cauliflower 

To oil the cauliflower: I prefer to dip my fingers in the melted coconut oil and run my fingers over the florets so they don’t become over-oiled nor have oil pooling on the baking tray.

Roasting time: Note that the top side of the florets stays whiter while the base could be caramelizing/browning quite a bit, so make sure to check the undersides when testing for doneness. I don’t bother flipping it midway through roasting, although you could.

For the dipping sauce: You can use cream cheese or mayo, including vegan or lite versions, instead of sour cream. I had Parmesan handy, but most any cheese will work.

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4.62 from 13 votes

Oven Roasted Cauliflower with Creamy Parmesan Dip

By Averie Sunshine

Even people who say they don't like cauliflower will love this version! Oven roasted cauliflower is easy to prepare, and I've given detailed instructions on bake times and oven temperatures. 

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

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Ingredients 

• ▢ 1 head of washed and trimmed cauliflower, broken into 1 to 2-inch florets
• ▢ about 1 tablespoon coconut oil, or your favorite oil
• ▢ about 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or use turmeric, Old Bay, seasoning salt, grill seasoning, garlic powder, or your favorite spices or seasoning blend
• ▢ salt and pepper, optional and to taste

Dipping Sauce

• ▢ ½ cup sour cream, or cream cheese or mayo; use lite or vegan versions as desired
• ▢ ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, or your favorite shredded cheese; use lite or vegan versions as desired

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Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 375F. Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or with foil; set aside.
• Place cauliflower florets on baking tray, arranged in a single flat layer, not quite touching, if possible.
• Evenly drizzle or massage with oil. I prefer to dip my fingers in the oil and run my fingers over the florets so they don’t become over-oiled nor have oil pooling on the baking tray.
• Evenly sprinkle with smoked paprika, and optionally sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Bake for about 2o to 25 minutes, or until cauliflower is done to taste, noting that the top side stays whiter while the base could be caramelizing/browning quite a bit, so make sure to check the undersides, too. I don’t bother flipping it midway through roasting, although you could.
• While cauliflower is baking, make the dip by stirring together the sour cream and cheese in a small bowl; set aside until serving.
• Remove cauliflower from oven and serve with the dip as soon as it’s cool enough to eat. Cauliflower is best warm and fresh although can be kept airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; eat chilled or gently reheat as desired. Extra dip will keep airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1, Calories: 174kcal, Carbohydrates: 9g, Protein: 7g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 330mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 4g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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