The Sicilian Baked Cauliflower with Cheese recipe is a family favorite. First made by my Uncle Carmen. It is now a staple side dish at all family functions.
This side dish is so unbelievably delicious! The breadcrumb topping gets a little crunchy while the cauliflower underneath is perfectly tender and flavorful!
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Sicilian Baked Cauliflower with Cheese is fully of flavor and cheesy goodness. If you are not a fan of cauliflower, this roasted cauliflower recipe is so good it might just change your mind.
Also, this cheesy cauliflower dish is easy to change up to make your own special version that your fan will love. If you are on a keto or low carb recipe it is easy to tweak. Cauliflower is super healthy too, check out these nutritional stats.
If you’re looking for more cauliflower side dishes recipes, try these Parmesan Cauliflower Rice, Roasted Sweet and Spicy Cauliflower and Air Fried Cauliflower.
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Why We Love This Crispy Oven Baked Cauliflower Recipe
This cauliflower recipe is a great way to get your kids to eat their vegetables. It has a crispy top and all the cheese flavor that will make them fans of this dish.
- Easy Ingredients: Six simple ingredients.
- Family Friendly: Great for parties and holiday events.
- Adaptable: Can make it low-carb or dairy-free, etc…
Ingredient Notes for the Cheesy Cauliflower Bake
- Head of Cauliflower: Cut the whole cauliflower into bite-size cauliflower florets.
- Parmesan Cheese: Grate fresh for the best taste.
- Seasoned Bread Crumbs: Italian seasoned bread crumbs are best.
- Seasoning: Salt and pepper or try this Favorite Italian Seasoning Substitute which includes garlic powder and other great seasoning.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
Variations and Substitutions for this Veggie Side Dish
- Frozen: Frozen Cauliflower can be great.
- Vegetables: Add some broccoli to the dish.
- Topping: Panko is great for the delicious easy cheesy side.
How to Make this Baked Cauliflower with Cheese Side Dish
This is a super easy-to-make healthy and delicious weeknight side dish for this cauliflower recipe.
These are the basic steps to make cheesy cauliflower bake. Refer to the full, printable recipe card below for detailed instructions.
Step 1: Cut
First, cut the cauliflower into florets. Nice bite-size pieces. Place in a large bowl and add olive oil. Toss the cauliflower until coated evenly.
Step 2: In a Casserole Dish
Next, pour water into an oven-proof casserole dish. Then add cauliflower florets in a single layer. Mix together breadcrumbs and add cheese. Top cauliflower with breadcrumb mixture.
Step 3: Bake
Then cover the casserole. Bake the dish in the oven at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until the cauliflower is fork-tender. Remove the cover from the baking dish for the last 5-10 minutes of baking to get the crispy edges.
Step 4: Finish the Cheesy Cauliflower Casserole
Finally, Top with additional cheese.
Recipe FAQs Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Cheese
Expert Tips for Making This Crispy Cauliflower Cheese Recipe
- Add: Fresh garlic for even more flavor.
- Add Heat: A little Cayenne Pepper will add a kick to the dish.
- Short cut tip: Buy a bag of pre-cut fresh cauliflower. Instead of a cauliflower head.
- Variation tip: Cauliflower and Broccoli mixed together.
What to Serve with Crispy Baked Cauliflower with Cheese
Sicilian Baked Cauliflower with Cheese
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Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower, 1 medium head
- ¾ cup olive oil
- ¾ cup seasoned breadcrumbs
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ¾ cup water
- 2 teaspoons All Purpose Seasoning
Instructions
- Cut cauliflower into bite size florets.
- Place in large bowl and add olive oil. Toss until coated evenly.
- Pour water into an oven-proof casserole dish. Add cauliflower.
- Mix together breadcrumbs and cheese. Top cauliflower with breadcrumb mixture.
- Cover casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until cauliflower is fork tender.
- Remove cover for last 5-10 minutes of baking.
- Top with additional cheese before serving.
Christina’s Notes
- Add : Fresh garlic for even more flavor.
- Add Heat: A little Cayenne Pepper will add a kick to the dish.
- Short cut tip: Buy a bag of pre cut fresh cauliflower. Instead of a cauliflower head.
- Variation tip: Cauliflower and Broccoli mixed together.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, scroll up on the page.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
We love honest feedback, but to keep reviews helpful for everyone, we reserve the right to remove star ratings if it is clear the recipe has not been made, if the comment does not provide meaningful input, or if significant substitutions or alterations were made. Please note that ratings should reflect the original recipe as written to avoid confusing other readers.
This recipe is my personal adaption of an ethnic-inspired recipe. It is not intended to be an authentic recipe. I’ve recreated this recipe because I enjoy the flavors and I want to encourage my readers to expand their tastes and try new flavor combinations. The recipe, ingredients, and processes may have been adapted to make the recipe accessible to the average American. I have provided links to authentic versions of the recipe in the post above. I encourage you to visit these pages and learn more about the traditional version(s) of this recipe.
I posted but forgot to mention I did not add the water as I precooked the cauliflower first.
I precooked the cauliflower till almost done then mixed it with butter instead and added the rest of the ingredients sprinkled more reg grated cheese on top. It was fast and tasted wonderful.
PS: I don’t care at all for olive oil.
Would panko work for this??
I don’t see why Panko wouldn’t work. I think that’s an excellent idea! Just make sure you season it well — salt, pepper, garlic powder and maybe a little Italian seasoning. If you try it with Panko, I’d love to know how it turned out.
Thanks for reading!
I need to try this! I love that you have veggies with some spices and cheese to make them a little tastier!
I love finding new recipes for cauliflower, thanks this will be made.
This is why I love the world of food blogging – to come across recipes like this! I am always looking for great sides – and your Uncle Carmen, I think, will become a mainstay. Don’t you love the way people can live on in their recipes and food?
We are big cauliflower eaters in our house – This simple preparation looks very good – I bet the topping gets kinda crunchy?
Have you tried adding a little minced garlic? Awesome. I’m going to try this with the bread crumbs. Thanks!
Shirley, we think alike! I usually add garlic to just about everything I make! I love it! That’s a great suggestion!
Thanks for stopping!