This roasted cauliflower combines Italian ingredients and delicious browned veggie goodness for an amazing and easy side dish!
Here’s A Video Showing How To Make Italian Roasted Cauliflower:
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Why Roast Your Vegetables?
I’m in love with oven roasted vegetables. They brown at the edges and get so sweet and delicious. Way tastier than steaming or sauteing them, definitely. What I love even more than their flavor though is how much easier they are to make than any other preparation. When you steam or sauté vegetables the timing is really specific; even a minute too long can result in overcooked mush. You have to stand over them, watching and stirring to make sure that they don’t overcook.
With roasted vegetables, you can walk away. I set a timer so I don’t forget about them though. Roasted veggies are simply more forgiving than other types. A few extra minutes can even make them better since more time means more browning.
Roasted Cauliflower
My favorite roasted vegetable is roasted cauliflower. I never used to be a huge fan of cauliflower at all but roasting it was like a gateway drug. I became addicted to it roasted and then started to love it every other way. And while I now do all kinds of things with cauliflower, I always go back to what got me hooked, sometimes adding some new flavors or methods to keep it interesting. If you’re looking for more ideas, check out this Cauliflower with Mustard Parmesan Crust.
How to Cook Italian Roasted Cauliflower
To make it you whisk together tomato paste, olive oil, and a bit of Dijon mustard. Note that the oil won’t fully incorporate. That’s ok. It might even be a good thing since I think that’s why some bits of tomato paste stay separate on the cauliflower and end up browning more.
Then, add Parmesan cheese and seasonings before combining the mixture with cauliflower florets. Bake until it’s slightly darkened in spots and has the desired tenderness. For me, I like it not quite fork-tender, about 20-25 minutes at 425°F. If you like it softer, you might want to roast it for longer at a slightly lower temperature so that it doesn’t get too dark before it gets soft enough.
Here’s my quick Italian Roasted Cauliflower recipe:
Italian Roasted Cauliflower
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
DESCRIPTION
This roasted cauliflower combines Italian ingredients and delicious browned veggie goodness for an amazing and easy side dish!
If you like your cauliflower more tender, roast at a lower temperature for longer (e.g., 375°F for 35 minutes).
Ingredients
- 5 tsp. tomato paste
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. Dijon mustard
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 tsp. dried oregano leaves
- 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. coarse black pepper
- 1 medium head cauliflower
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- In a large bow,l whisk together the tomato paste, olive oil, and Dijon mustard. Note that the olive oil will not fully incorporate. That’s ok. Add 1/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the oregano, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Break the head of cauliflower into florets and add them to the tomato paste mixture. Stir using a spatula to make sure the sauce is getting onto the cauliflower, which should end up stained red. Use the spatula to transfer all the cauliflower and sauce to a large baking sheet.
- Roast until darkened in spots and is tender-crisp when stuck with a fork, 20-25 minutes. Stir gently with a metal spatula and, if desired, sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese to serve.
Video by Leigh Olson. Article, photos and recipe by Christine Pittman.
This post originally appeared in October 2014 and was revised and republished in March 2020.
Bryan Hammaker says
Wht are the nutrient numbers for Italian cauliflower, like mainly carbs
Christine Pittman says
We’re in the process of adding nutritional info to this site. For now, I can tell you that this recipe is 157 calories per serving with 9.7 grams of carbs.
Lisa says
I really wish I could watch your videos….i had to watch 5 ads before the cauliflower was even introduced. And they arent quick 15 second ads they are like 1-2 min ads! Its impossible to watch one of your videos.
Christine Pittman says
Lisa, that’s really weird. I only see one ad before the video and it’s like 15 seconds. I will send your comment to my tech person and see what they can find out. Thanks for letting me know!
Mike Gawronski says
Is it just me or should cauliflower actually be included on the ingredients/grocery store list for Italian Roasted Oven Cauliflower recipe?
Christine Pittman says
Mike, Thank you so much for pointing this out. Error is fixed.
Colleen says
Great recipe. My four year old and I made it together and both enjoyed it. This is the first recipe I have made from this site and will definitely be back!
Christine Pittman says
Colleen, I’m so happy you liked it and I’m excited to have you among the regular visitors to this site. Thank you!!
Sharon says
will try this tonight along with the roasted pork thanks christine
Stuart Lehrman says
great recipes, to many pop up ad’s way too many,
Annie Johnson says
WOW! This stuff is amazing! I’m really trying to eat my veggies and cauliflower is NOT a favorite, but when I saw this I decided to give it a try. What can I say, you’ve changed my mind! This recipe is so good that I can’t stop eating it!!! Thank you for a great recipe. Even if you don’t like cauliflower you should try this one, you’ll love it!!!
Christine Pittman says
Annie, Thank you so much! I’m delighted that you like it. Have a great weekend!
Annie says
I was looking for something different in a common vegetable, and did make this… it was delicious! We will be making this again. My thoughts: no more than 20 minutes in oven, and a little less tomato paste – worked perfectly for us. Great creation!
Christine Pittman says
Annie, I’m delighted that you liked it. Thanks for letting me know!
Betty says
Going to fix this tonight. It looks delicious.
Christine Pittman says
Thanks Betty. How did it turn out?
May EatCookExplore says
Love this idea. I’m defintiely going to try roasting cauli’s Italian style.
Isabelle says
This recipe looks amazing! I’ve never seen cauliflower baked with a tomato based sauce before. I can’t wait to try it. I will also share this recipe for others to enjoy!
Angela says
I love cauliflower.
This recipe looks perfect to me.
Kristal says
I LOVEE roasted cauliflower! Cant wait to try this recipe!
Gerilee Ternitsky says
This is a delicious recipe! Family loved it. Thanks
Christine Pittman says
Gerilee, Thanks so much for letting me know. I’m delighted that everyone liked it!!
Anna says
Can’t wait to try this one!
Julie says
I had to come back to tell you that I made this last night and my family LOVED it! We roast veggies all the time but this has to be one of the most delicious variations ever! Thanks so much!!
Christine Pittman says
Hi Julie, Thank you SO MUCH for making my recipe and for coming back to tell me about it. I am beyond delighted that you and your family enjoyed it. I hope you’re having a great day! -Christine
Jane's Adventures in Dinner says
This looks so great. I always had a bit of a hate on cauliflower for WAY too long but roasting is magical.
Christine Pittman says
Agreed! Once I started roasting cauliflower I came to appreciate it more and more. I even like it raw now, which I couldn’t handle at all in my 20s. Hope you’re doing great, friend!
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
What a delicious way to use and cook cauliflower! I regularly am on the lookout for new and delicious ways to cook veggies so you can definitely consider I will be recreating the recipe. Thanks for sharing it!
Christine Pittman says
Thanks Thalia! I am also always on the lookout for ways to cook veggies. I get bored so easily!
Christine
Betsy Barnes says
Oh my, this absolutely looks amazing! I love cauliflower, however, I have never roasted, definitely giving this one a try :)
★★★★★
Christine Pittman says
Betsy,
Thanks! Cauliflower is truly one of my favorite veggies to roast, with or without the Italian flavors. If you try it, let me know what you think :)
Christine
Stephanie K says
I haven’t roasted cauliflower before and was intrigued by this recipe. I’m picking up a head of cauliflower on my next shopping trip, thanks to you, so I can try this out.
Carly says
Mmm! I love roasted cauliflower. I’m definitely making this next week!