Baked Cauliflower is an easy way to elevate a simple vegetable into yummy side dish!
Nothing fancy needed, no crazy ingredients but lots of flavor and simple to prep. Simply chop, season, and bake. Add in cheeses and your favorite herbs and seasonings to change it up.
Why We Love This Recipe
There are so many new and tasty ways to enjoy the vegetables we grew up with (zoodles anyone?). Want to take your veggie game to the next level? Baked veggies are the way to do it!
We love that this recipe needs just a few ingredients and almost no prep time!
It can easily be adapted to whatever seasonings you have on hand to complement the rest of your meal.
This side can bake at various temperatures so it’s perfect to put in the oven with your main dish.
Leftovers are great added to soups and stews or even chilled and added to salads.
How to Prepare Cauliflower Florets
Cauliflower is a compact and heavy vegetable, so it is easy to work with. For this baked cauliflower recipe:
- Wash & Drain After rinsing, drain well (leftover water will steam and they won’t brown as nicely).
- Remove any green leaves at the bottom and cut off the stem.
- Cut Cut the entire head in half vertically from the stem up. Then, with your fingers, break apart each half into smaller pieces. These are the florets.
If you prefer more texture or crunch, keep your florets on the larger side so they can brown without getting too soft. If you prefer softer cauliflower, break them up to be a bit smaller.
How to Make Baked Cauliflower
This recipe is very simple but if I have fresh herbs on hand, I add those in too! Feel free to season with anything you like even toss with a dressing after it comes out of the oven!
- Preheat oven. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil and your fave seasonings (try lemon pepper, taco seasoning, or Italian seasoning).
- Spread on a greased sheet pan and bake:
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- Bake at 350°F about 30-35 minutes
- Bake at 375°F about 25-30 minutes
- Bake at 400°F about 20-25 minutes
These times are a guide if you like your cauliflower softer, cook it longer if you prefer more tender-crisp, cook it less.
A higher temperature will give more browning (and flavor). I personally don’t stir them, I like one side to get nice and browned. Don’t overcook them, you still want them to be a little crunchy!
More Cauliflower Yum
- Roasted Cauliflower Soup – so much flavor!
- Cauliflower Fried Rice – low carb and delicious!
- Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes – creamy and so good
- Cheesy Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole – no condensed soup
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad – perfect potluck side dish
- Favorite Roasted Cauliflower– an easy favorite!
- Air Fryer Cauliflower – ready in 20 minutes
Did you enjoy this Baked Cauliflower dish? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!
Easy Baked Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Wash and prepare 1 head of cauliflower. Slice so it has one flat side,
- Mix together olive oil and remaining ingredients.
- Toss dried cauliflower with olive oil mixture.
- Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until tender and lightly browned.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Side Dish
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Sorry. I had just read the recipe portion. I realize you have info on separating the cauliflower into pieces in the body of the article.
The picture looks like chopped cauliflower but the directions read like you are just baking it as a whole head.
Hi Pat, to prepare this cauliflower I cut the entire head in half vertically from the stem up. Then, with your fingers, break apart each half into smaller pieces. These are the florets. I hope this helps!
Can I USE Frozen Cauliflower ??????????????????????????????
Hi Carol, frozen cauliflower is softer than raw cauliflower so it may not take as long to cook. It also may not get as browned on the exterior due to the extra water content in the cauliflower. But it would still be a delicious way to prepare it! We hope you enjoy it.