This Cauliflower Parmesan recipe is one my household enjoys frequently, and I’m so excited to share it with you! Thick cauliflower steaks are brushed in an herby marinade, topped with contemporary tomatoes and two varieties of cheese, and baked within the oven till golden, bubbly, and fork tender. And since I don’t use breadcrumbs on this recipe, it’s additionally naturally gluten-free! I really like this vegetarian tackle the basic rooster Parmesan, and it’s an effective way to include extra veggies into your meals!
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Typically, I steer clear of any “meals” that comprise components I can’t pronounce, so artifical meat substitutes are normally not on my grocery listing. Cauliflower is superior as a result of it’s a terrific hardy substitute for animal merchandise with out all the thriller components and chemical compounds. It additionally has a texture that may face up to excessive warmth and so many types of cooking—fried, simmered, steamed, uncooked, marinated, pickled, or baked (simply as I do on this easy cauliflower Parmesan recipe!).
What’s Cauliflower Parmesan?
Cauliflower Parmesan is my vegetarian tackle rooster Parmesan. As an alternative of utilizing breaded and fried rooster as the bottom, I slice a head of cauliflower into thick steaks and layer it with tomatoes, mozzarella, and provolone cheese. It’s then baked within the oven somewhat than fried, making it a more healthy (and simpler!) different to the normal dish. However don’t let the shortage of meat idiot you. Cauliflower is a hearty substitute that’ll go away you feeling full and glad. I promise!
Right here’s what you’ll must make this roasted cauliflower Parmesan recipe:
- Cauliflower: Select a big head of cauliflower with no brown spots or discoloration. Ideally, it must be massive sufficient so that you can reduce it into 4 1-1.5 inch slices. Don’t fear if some florets fall off once you reduce it; you possibly can group them across the sides of the cauliflower steaks and canopy them with cheese to maintain them in place!
- Tomatoes: My recipe is completely different from a variety of different cauliflower Parmesan recipes as a result of I take advantage of sliced tomatoes, not marinara sauce. They supply additional moisture and taste however are additionally a purposeful alternative. The slices cease the cheese from melting via the gaps between the cauliflower florets, retaining it on high of the cauliflower somewhat than pooling on the baking sheet.
- Mozzarella Cheese & Provolone Cheese: These add a scrumptious gooeyness to the dish and assist to carry all the pieces collectively.
- Olive Oil: I combine this with the seasonings to create an herby, garlicky marinade for the cauliflower.
- Seasonings: Garlic powder, Italian seasoning, salt, and black pepper infuse the cauliflower with tons of taste. If you’d like, it’s also possible to add pink pepper flakes for just a little warmth.
Should you’re chopping your cauliflower steaks to be round 1 inch-1.5 inches thick, they’ll prepare dinner simply wonderful. Certainly one of my largest pet peeves is overcooking greens till they flip to mush, however in order for you your cauliflower to be very smooth, you possibly can pre-bake it with the oil combination for quarter-hour earlier than you progress to the tomato cheese layering steps. That’s as much as you!
Serving Recommendations
I all the time serve my cauliflower Parmesan steaks with noodles and selfmade marina sauce. It’s such a simple, budget-friendly, and scrumptious veggie-packed meal! Add a slice of garlic bread or focaccia, and also you’ve acquired a restaurant-worthy dinner at house. However this dish would even be scrumptious served with my creamy Tuscan orzo (or any pasta dish, for that matter!) or a caprese salad.
How you can Retailer
I favor to serve this recipe for cauliflower Parmesan contemporary, however leftovers would nonetheless be scrumptious added to a salad the following day! You’ll be able to preserve them in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 3 days. To reheat, if desired, place them within the oven at 350°F till warmed via. Cowl them with foil if the cheese begins to brown an excessive amount of! Remember that the cauliflower and tomatoes might be a lot softer after storage and reheating.
Cauliflower Parmesan Recipe
This Cauliflower Parmesan recipe makes use of contemporary tomatoes, mozzarella, and provolone to create a flavorful essential dish that is not only for vegetarians!
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- 3 Tbsp olive oil ($0.57)
- ½ tsp garlic powder ($0.02)
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning mix ($0.52)
- 1 tsp salt ($0.01)
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper ($0.04)
- 1 massive head cauliflower, reduce into 4 thick slices (vertically) ($2.86)
- 2 tomatoes,* reduce into slices ($1.54)
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided into ¼ cup parts ($1.12)
- 8 slices provolone cheese ($1.44)
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Preheat oven to 450 levels. In a small mixing bowl, whisk collectively olive oil, garlic powder, Italian seasoning mix, salt, and freshly cracked black pepper. Put aside.
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Reduce the top of cauliflower from the highest of the top the place the florets are positioned to the underside of the stem into 4 thick “steaks”. Your steaks that do not comprise the precise stem may collapse, however that is okay! They are often grouped collectively, and the upcoming steps will assist preserve them collectively.
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Brush 2 Tbsp of herb oil combination on all sides of cauliflower steaks. Switch to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
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On high of every cauliflower steak, add 2-3 slices of tomatoes. This is a vital step, because the tomatoes will add nice taste and moisture and they’ll preserve the cheeses from melting off the cauliflower, via the holes and cooking onto the baking sheet.
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On high of the tomato slices, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly amongst 4 servings.
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Then, high every portion with 2 slices of provolone cheese per cauliflower steak.
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Bake the cauliflower within the oven for 40 minutes, or till fork tender.**
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** I favor just a little chunk to my cauliflower (all greens, the truth is.) This recipe will produce a cooked cauliflower that also requires a fork and a knife to get pleasure from—it’ll not be mushy! Should you discover your cheese is browning an excessive amount of in your private desire, you possibly can frivolously lay a sheet of tinfoil with cooking spray on high of the cauliflower steaks to maintain it from browning greater than you’d like. Personally, I prefer to get some browning on high! Some people even broil their cauliflower Parm for the final 3 minutes to make sure that their desired shade is achieved.
Serving: 1servingEnergy: 379kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 21gFats: 28gSodium: 1100mgFiber: 6g
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how you can make Cauliflower Parmesan – step-by-step photographs
Preheat oven to 450 levels. In a small mixing bowl, whisk collectively 3 Tbsp olive oil, ½ tsp garlic powder, 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning mix, 1 tsp salt, and ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Put aside.
Reduce 1 massive head of cauliflower from the highest of the top the place the florets are positioned to the underside of the stem into 4 thick “steaks”. Your steaks that don’t comprise the precise stem may collapse, however that’s okay! They are often grouped collectively, and the upcoming steps will assist preserve them collectively.
Brush 2 Tbsp of herb oil combination on all sides of cauliflower steaks. Switch to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
On high of every cauliflower steak, add 2-3 slices of tomatoes (reduce from 2 tomatoes). This is a vital step, because the tomatoes will add nice taste and moisture and they’ll preserve the cheeses from melting off the cauliflower, via the holes and cooking onto the baking sheet.
On high of the tomato slices, sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese evenly amongst 4 servings.
Then, high every portion with 2 slices of provolone cheese per cauliflower steak (you’ll want 8 provolone slices whole).
Bake the cauliflower within the oven for 40 minutes, or till fork tender.**
