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A fun way to cook cauliflower is to make this Baked Cauliflower Parmesan. It is easy to make, vegetarian-friendly, tasty, and ready in just 30 minutes. A low-carb recipe that can be served as a side dish or main meal.
I love to serve them with my Mediterranean-baked salmon and a side of Persian Shirazi Salad.
If you love chicken parmesan but you want to make a vegetarian version of it, then use cauliflower instead of chicken. It is the perfect alternative without missing out on the tastes especially if you like cauliflower, it will be a perfect meal for you.
The cauliflower is sliced into steak size pieces, The cauliflower steaks are first prepared with bread crumbs, seasonings, and parmesan cheese, and they are then baked for about 20 minutes or until fork tender. Then topped with marinara sauce, and a slice of cheese, and popped in the oven again until the cheese is melted. It makes for a perfect low-carb vegetarian meal that can be enjoyed as a side dish or main meal.
Recipe summary
- Low Carb and filling: This meal is low in carbs and made with simple ingredients. You may use low-fat cheese to make this recipe. No added oil or butter is needed.
- Quick and easy: It is easy to make this baked cauliflower parmesan. Takes about 30-40 minutes tops depending on how crispy you like those cauliflower steaks.
- Fun and vegetarian-friendly: Dress up that baked cauliflower with marinara sauce and cheese and enjoy the burst of flavor it will add to your meal.
Ingredients you will need
Full measurements and printable options can be found in the recipe card below.
- Head cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch thick steaks
- Avocado oil cooking spray: you may use any cooking spray you have handy
- Seasonings: you will need oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, Kosher salt, and ground pepper to taste.
- Cheese: grated parmesan cheese and your favorite sliced cheese. I used mozzarella, but you can also use another sliced cheese like provolone.
- Panko bread crumbs: use either plain or seasoned.
- Tomato-based sauce: It is best to use either pizza sauce or marinara sauce.
How to make cauliflower parmesan
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.
Step 1: Slice the cauliflower lengthwise. Lightly spray the prepared pan with oil and sprinkle 1/4 of the parmesan
cheese and breadcrumbs.
Step 2: Arrange the cauliflower steaks on the prepared sheet pan. Spray with the oil and sprinkle with the seasonings, gently rubbing each piece to evenly coated. Sprinkle with the parmesan cheese and the breadcrumbs.
Bake for 20 minutes or until fork tender and crusty.
Step 3: Top with the marinara sauce and the cheese, then return to the oven and
continue to bake until the cheese is melted.
Step 4: Garnish with fresh chopped parsley or crushed peppers and serve.
frequently asked questions
It is always best and advised to rinse all your produce before cooking and consuming. Cauliflower heads may look clean when they are wrapped up when you grab them from the grocery store, but there is always a chance that they have dirt residue under their leafy parts.
As your cauliflower sits a while on your counter or fridge it may most likely start to develop brown spots on them. Even at the stores. It is quite ok to shave them off using a knife or peeler and still be able to use the cauliflower as you normally would.
At high temperatures, with a little oil over the cauliflower, you can simply pop them in the oven for a good 20-30 minutes. Consider coating the cauliflower with some parmesan cheese and breadcrumb for an extra crispy feel. The longer you cook the cauliflower the crispier they get on the outside and tender on the inside.
More cauliflower recipes
- Ground Turkey and Cauliflower Rice
- Air Fryer BBQ Cauliflower Wings
- Chicken Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Cheesy Cauliflower Bake
- Cauliflower “Potato” Salad
- Garlic Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- Garlic Butter Mashed Cauliflower
- Garlic Parmesan Oven-roasted Cauliflower
Recipes you may also like
- Easy Beef Pot Roast
- Healthy Lasagna Soup
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Garlic Parmesan Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Greek Orzo Pasta Salad
- Garlic Roasted Veggies
- Air Fryer Green Beans
Baked Cauliflower Parmesan
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch thick steaks
- Avocado oil cooking spray
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup pizza or marinara sauce
- 6 thin slices mozzarella cheese or about 1 cup shredded
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400F and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper. Slice the 1 head cauliflower lengthwise into steaks.
- Lightly spray the prepared pan with Avocado oil cooking spray and sprinkle 1/4 of the 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- Arrange the cauliflower steaks on the prepared sheet pan, gently pressing them to stick with the seasonings. Also, add the ends of the cauliflower that have been broken apart.
- Spray with the oil and sprinkle with the seasonings (1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, Kosher salt and ground pepper, gently rubbing each piece to evenly coat. Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan cheese and the breadcrumbs.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until fork tender and crusty.
- Top with the 1 cup pizza or marinara sauce and the 6 thin slices mozzarella cheese or about 1 cup shredded
- Return to the oven and continue to bake until the cheese is melted. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Video
Notes
- You may swap mozzarella cheese with provolone or any cheese of your choice
- You may use seasoned bread crumbs or skip them if you like.
- You can use pizza sauce or marinara sauce.
- Serving size: per steak. The average medium-sized cauliflower head should be enough to make 4 steaks.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was so good