Smothered Roasted Cauliflower
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It's time to let cauliflower shine just being cauliflower with this easy yet delicious Smothered Roasted Cauliflower!
With all of the things that cauliflower has been turned into these days, I'm amazed that anyone still eats it plain. Don't get me wrong, I completely love making healthier versions of things, and cauliflower has become so many awesome foods. However, growing up, one of the things that I always loved was my grandmother's holiday roasted cauliflower.
This simple throw-together recipe always reminded me of the holidays. It's SO good you can make it any time of the year. I promise your family will ask for you to make it over and over again.
This Smothered Roasted Cauliflower is coated in a deliciously simple mixture and roasted in the oven until it's perfectly roasted and tinder. It makes a really easy, healthy-ish side dish for your Thanksgiving Christmas dinner. This Smothered Roasted Cauliflower recipe is also gluten-free, grain-free, low carb, and Keto friendly.
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Ingredients in Smothered Roasted Cauliflower
-
- Cauliflower
- Mayo
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Salt
- White Pepper
- Paprika
- Cheddar Cheese
Why is this Smothered Roasted Cauliflower so AMAZING?
There are several reasons why this recipe is so awesome.
- It's EASY to make! This recipe is so easy to throw together, but it will impress any crowd you serve it to because it looks fancy.
- Being easy means it's simple to cater to all your guests no matter what they are eating. It's gluten-free, grain-free, low carb, and keto-friendly. Sure, you could make it dairy-free by subbing in a dairy-free cheese in place of the regular cheddar, but I haven't personally tried that with this recipe since it's my husband's favorite, and he can handle real cheese.
- I can be prepped ahead of time! I mean, who doesn't love a side dish (especially for the holidays) that can be prepped ahead of time. Par-steam the cauliflower and coat it, and then cover and place in the fridge until it's time to pop it in the oven the day of.
How to make Smothered Roasted Cauliflower
Trim the Cauliflower
The easiest way to do this is to remove the leaves, stems from the base that is usually attached to the cauliflower. I like to slightly lift the core from the center of the cauliflower enough to remove the more tough sections of the cauliflower but leaving enough so the head remains intact.
Par Steam the Cauliflower
This might seem silly because you're going to roast it. However, I've found that par steaming the cauliflower on the stove helps to ensure even roasting in the oven without it taking an hour. I mean, who wants to wait on a side dish in the oven for a holiday meal for an hour? Take the time to steam it for 5-10 minutes, and I promise you'll understand why it makes the difference.
Note: Make sure you place the cauliflower on a paper towel and allow it to drain while you prepare the toppings to remove excess moisture.
Cover the Cauliflower
This recipe calls for the cauliflower to be coated in a mixture of mayo, onion, and spices. It is then topped with cheese before being roasted. This probably sounds interesting (if you've never had it), but I promise it yields a beautifully mild, tender, and delicious end roasted cauliflower.
I usually make my mayo (get the recipe here), or I'll buy Primal Kitchens Mayo because it's grain-free and delicious.
Roast the Cauliflower
Once the coating is on the cauliflower, roast it for 25-30 minutes until the cauliflower is completely coated in melted cheese and cooked to perfection.
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Smothered Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 Whole Head of Califlower
- 1 C Mayonaise
- ½ C Yellow Onion Grated
- 1 TSP Garlic Powder
- 1 ½ TSP Salt
- 1 TSP Pepper
- ½ TSP Smoked Paprika
- 1 C Cheddar Cheese Shredded
Instructions
- Trim the head of cauliflower, make sure you keep it whole and intact.
- Place the cauliflower into a medium pot (or one to fit the head) with a little bit of water. Cover and let it steam over medium-high heat 5-10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- Combine the remaining ingredients except the cheese into a bowl and set aside.
- Remove the cauliflor from the pot and allow it to drain a minute over some paper towels to collect any excess moisture.
- Place the cauliflower into an oven save dish and then coat the cauliflower with the mixture and then top the cauliflower with the cheese.
- Put the cauliflower into the oven and bake for about 20-30 minutes until the cheese is melted and slightly golden. The cauliflower should be soft enough to pierce with a fork.
- Remove the cauliflower from the oven, and allow it to cool slightly before slicing and serving along with the rest of your holiday (or anytime meals)
Let me know what you think or if you have any questions.