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 recent tomatoes and two forms 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 hen Parmesan, and it’s an effective way to include extra veggies into your meals!
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Typically, I keep away from any “meals” that comprise elements I can’t pronounce, so artifical meat substitutes are often not on my grocery checklist. Cauliflower is superior as a result of it’s an ideal hardy substitute for animal merchandise with out the entire thriller elements and chemical compounds. It additionally has a texture that may stand 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 hen Parmesan. As an alternative of utilizing breaded and fried hen 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 quite than fried, making it a more healthy (and simpler!) various to the standard dish. However don’t let the dearth 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 have to make this roasted cauliflower Parmesan recipe:
- Cauliflower: Select a big head of cauliflower with no brown spots or discoloration. Ideally, it ought to be giant sufficient so that you can lower it into 4 1-1.5 inch slices. Don’t fear if some florets fall off whenever you lower it; you’ll be able to group them across the sides of the cauliflower steaks and canopy them with cheese to maintain them in place!
- Tomatoes: My recipe is totally different from quite a lot of different cauliflower Parmesan recipes as a result of I exploit sliced tomatoes, not marinara sauce. They supply additional moisture and taste however are additionally a practical alternative. The slices cease the cheese from melting by the gaps between the cauliflower florets, holding it on prime of the cauliflower quite than pooling on the baking sheet.
- Mozzarella Cheese & Provolone Cheese: These add a scrumptious gooeyness to the dish and assist to carry all the things 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 would like, you can too add crimson pepper flakes for a bit of warmth.
For those who’re chopping your cauliflower steaks to be round 1 inch-1.5 inches thick, they’ll prepare dinner simply superb. One among my largest pet peeves is overcooking greens till they flip to mush, however if you need your cauliflower to be very comfortable, you’ll be able to 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 Ideas
I all the time serve my cauliflower Parmesan steaks with noodles and do-it-yourself marina sauce. It’s such a straightforward, budget-friendly, and scrumptious veggie-packed meal! Add a slice of garlic bread or focaccia, and also you’ve received 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.
Retailer
I want to serve this recipe for cauliflower Parmesan recent, however leftovers would nonetheless be scrumptious added to a salad the subsequent day! You may hold 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 by. Cowl them with foil if the cheese begins to brown an excessive amount of! Understand that the cauliflower and tomatoes can be a lot softer after storage and reheating.
Cauliflower Parmesan Recipe
This Cauliflower Parmesan recipe makes use of recent tomatoes, mozzarella, and provolone to create a flavorful primary 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 giant head cauliflower, lower into 4 thick slices (vertically) ($2.86)
- 2 tomatoes,* lower 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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Lower the top of cauliflower from the highest of the top the place the florets are situated to the underside of the stem into 4 thick “steaks”. Your steaks that do not comprise the precise stem would possibly disintegrate, however that is okay! They are often grouped collectively, and the upcoming steps will assist hold 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 prime 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 hold the cheeses from melting off the cauliflower, by the holes and cooking onto the baking sheet.
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On prime of the tomato slices, sprinkle the shredded mozzarella cheese evenly amongst 4 servings.
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Then, prime 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 want a bit of chunk to my cauliflower (all greens, in actual fact.) This recipe will produce a cooked cauliflower that also requires a fork and a knife to get pleasure from—it’ll not be mushy! For those who discover your cheese is browning an excessive amount of on your private desire, you’ll be able to calmly lay a sheet of tinfoil with cooking spray on prime of the cauliflower steaks to maintain it from browning greater than you’d like. Personally, I wish to get some browning on prime! Some people even broil their cauliflower Parm for the final 3 minutes to make sure that their desired coloration is achieved.
Serving: 1servingEnergy: 379kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 21gFats: 28gSodium: 1100mgFiber: 6g
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the right way to make Cauliflower Parmesan – step-by-step pictures
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.
Lower 1 giant head of cauliflower from the highest of the top the place the florets are situated to the underside of the stem into 4 thick “steaks”. Your steaks that don’t comprise the precise stem would possibly disintegrate, however that’s okay! They are often grouped collectively, and the upcoming steps will assist hold them collectively.
Brush 2 Tbsp of herb oil combination on all sides of cauliflower steaks. Switch to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
On prime of every cauliflower steak, add 2-3 slices of tomatoes (lower from 2 tomatoes). This is a vital step, because the tomatoes will add nice taste and moisture and they’ll hold the cheeses from melting off the cauliflower, by the holes and cooking onto the baking sheet.
On prime of the tomato slices, sprinkle 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese evenly amongst 4 servings.
Then, prime 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.**
