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- How To Roast A Whole Cauliflower Head
- How Long To Roast Cauliflower
- How To Serve Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan
- Can You Make This Whole Roasted Cauliflower Recipe Ahead?
- How To Freeze Whole Baked Cauliflower
- What To Serve With Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
- Tools To Make Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower Recipe - Parmesan & Garlic
Ready to learn how to roast a whole cauliflower head?! This whole roasted cauliflower recipe is a show-stopper, whether you’re a meat eater and having it as a side dish, or it’s the main course of a vegetarian meal. My whole roasted cauliflower with parmesan is flavorful, cooked perfectly, and tastes delicious! Whole baked cauliflower is drizzled with a garlic parmesan sauce, perfectly cooked, and sliced into circles or wedges for serving.
It sounds fancy, but I promise it’s easy! Garlic parmesan roasted cauliflower takes just 10 minutes of active time and the rest of the cooking time is done in the oven – no work needed. It’s really the best roasted cauliflower head and I can’t wait for you to try it out!
How To Roast A Whole Cauliflower Head
This oven roasted whole cauliflower recipe takes just 10 minutes to prep, and the rest is hands-off!
Here are the 6 easy steps for how to roast a whole cauliflower head:
- Prep the cauliflower. Rinse and pat dry. Remove the outer leaves and cut off the bottom so that it’s flat.
TIP: Cut off the woody center of the bottom stalk, but be careful to not cut too much off, as cooking whole cauliflower requires the head to stay in tact. It should look like this on the bottom:
- Make the garlic Parmesan sauce. Stir together olive oil, garlic, Parmesan, basil, parsley, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Season the cauliflower. Start with the cauliflower head upside down (core side up) in a dutch oven – this one is the perfect size dutch oven for whole roasted cauliflower. Drizzle 1/2 the sauce over the top of it and let it drip down the core.
- Season the top. Flip cauliflower over and drizzle with remaining sauce. Use a basting brush to spread it all over.
- Bake cauliflower in the oven whole. Cover the dutch oven with lid and bake until the cauliflower is tender and pierces easily with a knife.
- Broil whole roasted cauliflower with parmesan. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and broil until the cheese is browned. If you like, sprinkle with fresh parsley for garnish, and/or even additional parmesan.
How Long To Roast Cauliflower
For a whole roasted cauliflower recipe, roast it 35 to 45 minutes covered, followed by a few minutes under the broiler.
If you want to know how to make roasted cauliflower in the form of florets instead of roasting a whole cauliflower head, try a roasted cauliflower florets recipe instead. This will require much less time in the oven, but a bit more prep time.
How To Serve Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan
The hardest part of this garlic parmesan roasted cauliflower? Serving it! But don’t worry, I’m here to help. 😉
Here is how to serve whole roasted cauliflower:
- Carefully lift the full roasted cauliflower out of the dutch oven and onto a cutting board. I usually use two large forks and lift from underneath.
- Using a fork to hold the whole baked cauliflower with one hand, carefully cut the cauliflower. You can slice the cauliflower into “steaks” (large circles) or cut it into thin wedges, kind of like a pie. I prefer wedges, but it’s up to you!
Can You Make This Whole Roasted Cauliflower Recipe Ahead?
This recipe for oven roasted whole cauliflower is best fresh, but you can prep parts of it.
Wash and prep the head of cauliflower and mix up the garlic parmesan sauce. When you’re ready to cook the whole roast cauliflower, simply drizzle and brush with sauce, then bake.
Alternatively, you can also bake the whole roasted cauliflower with parmesan and reheat when you’re ready to eat it.
How To Freeze Whole Baked Cauliflower
This whole roasted cauliflower recipe can be frozen after baking. Simply cut it into slices or pieces, let it cool completely, and store in an airtight container.
Reheat until hot in the oven or microwave. (You might want to add some fresh parmesan and parsley on top!)
What To Serve With Garlic Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower
Whole baked cauliflower recipes can be the star or main entree of a vegetarian meal, but cooking whole cauliflower also makes the perfect side dish to your favorite protein. Try out some of these main entrees:
- Sirloin Steak In The Oven – The best way to cook steak, this sirloin steak has a delicious balsamic steak marinade and is delicious with easy roasted cauliflower head.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore – You’ll love this flavorful chicken recipe, made easy in the slow cooker.
- Keto Low Carb Pot Roast – Traditionally served with potatoes, whole baked cauliflower is the perfect low carb side.
- Crock Pot Tuscan Garlic Chicken – All this tasty chicken recipe needs is a baked cauliflower head on the side.
Tools To Make Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Tap the links below to see the items used to make this recipe.
- Paring Knife – Wondering how to roast a whole cauliflower head? Start with the prep – a paring knife makes it easier to cut the woody stalk while keeping the head intact.
- 6 Quart Enameled Dutch Oven – Cook the roasted garlic parmesan cauliflower recipe in a dutch oven for the ultimate tender-crisp texture. This one is the perfect size to hold a head of cauliflower.
- Porcelain Serving Platter – Put your cauliflower whole roasted recipe on display on a white porcelain serving platter.
How To Roast A Whole Cauliflower Head
Reader Favorite Recipes
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Whole Roasted Cauliflower Recipe - Parmesan & Garlic
Learn how to roast a whole cauliflower head, with just 10 minutes prep and 5g net carbs! This whole roasted cauliflower recipe with parmesan and garlic looks good on any table. Whole baked cauliflower can be a vegetarian main dish or a healthy low carb side dish.
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Ingredients
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
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Rinse the cauliflower head and pat dry. Remove the outer leaves. Carefully cut off the bottom so that it's flat and most of the woody stem is removed, being careful not to cut off so much that it falls apart. Be sure the head stays intact.
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In a small bowl, make the garlic Parmesan sauce. Stir together the olive oil, minced garlic, 2 tablespoons (28.3 grams) grated Parmesan (half of the total amount), basil, parsley, thyme, sea salt, and black pepper.
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Place the trimmed cauliflower head upside down (core side up) onto a 6-quart (5.6 liters) dutch oven. Drizzle 1/2 of the sauce over the cauliflower, tilting it to let it drip down the core and all around. Flip over and drizzle the remaining sauce over the top. Use a pastry brush to brush on any that had dripped down to the pan or didn't spread well.
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Cover the dutch oven with a lid and bake for 35-45 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and pierces easily with a skewer, knife or fork.
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Remove the lid. Sprinkle the top of the cauliflower with the remaining 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese. Place the cauliflower under the broiler and broil for about 5 minutes, until the cheese is browned.
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Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/4 head of cauliflower
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
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62 Comments
Nancy
I made this recipe as directed last night. I needed a bit more sauce, perhaps my cauliflower was super big. I made it in a ceramic, not cast iron dish on which the lid wasn’t very tight so I needed more cook time. Really good flavor, I’ll definitely make this again and again.
Joan Young
I would like to make the roasted whole cauliflower for Easter Sunday, however with everything else that I am making oven room will be tight. So my question is how can I prepare this the day before? Thank you for your help.
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Joan, You can make and reheat it when you’re ready to eat. You can find more instructions on this in the post.
Marianne Burton
I loved the sauce ingredients. My husband loves cauliflower cooked whole. As I didn’t have time to roast it, I boiled it and brushed half the sauce on while it cooked and the rest after I removed the cauliflower from the pot. It was delicious but would have been twice as tasty roasted. Next time! 🙂
Carol Collins
This recipe has a quick prep time and easy assembly of ingredients! It came out as expected and was delicious. I will make this again!
Suzanne
I made this for Sunday dinner and it was excellent. The whole cauliflower was eaten!
Tam
Unless you have a cauliflower the size of your fist, it is not going to be cooked in the time allotted. We sliced off the ends and put it in for another 20 minutes. Still not soft in the center.
Heather
I made this for the first time last night for dinner. This recipe is a definite keeper! Hubby & I enjoyed it as it was a nice change from the usual. I’ll be making it more often for sure. Thank you!
Suzen Brasile
Wonderful flavor, so easy to prepare & it warmed up the cold kitchen.
Lisa
So yummy! Skipped the Parmesan to make it vegan. We loved it!!!
Amy
The whole family loved it.
Molly
Could you do this in an air fryer?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Molly, Yes, this could be made in the air fryer, but I haven’t tried it to confirm cook time.
George
I love this recipe. I’ve been making this on and off for at least a year. It’s a great recipe to make for your friends who think they don’t like cauliflower. The only thing I do when making mine is adding additional sauce.
Debora
I am so glad that I found your site. I made the Roasted Cauliflower for some friends that just turned vegan and man was this dish ever a hit!! They went back for seconds very quickly. I followed exactly but did not broil at the end with parmesan cheese as I, the cook, am a fan of tasting the food with spices and oil. This will definitely be on our menu rotation. Can’t wait to check out and make other recipes.
Dawn
. The cauliflower was cooked perfectly and seasoned perfectly, super easy to make. I highly recommend this recipe.
Tessa Harvey
This sounds sooo good I am making it tonight thank you without the website I would never have known about this so thank you.
Leah Reynolds
What an impressive and delicious dish! I made this at my son’t house where they have a Dutch oven, and it blew everyone’s socks off. My 5-year-old grandson particularly liked the part without the extra cheese on top. You read that right. Without. Much healthier than my old recipe with lots of mayo and cheddar and my family actually preferred it! Thanks!
Tammy
Can I use a cast iron Dutch oven?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Tammy, As long as it has a lid, then yes.
Judith Krieger
So delious. Will definitely make again.
Shelli Groulx
This was absolutely delicious!!! I had run out of sea salt so skipped it, and we didn’t even miss it. Fantastic…will definitely be making this again and again!!
Laurel Hatch
Hello, I’m going to try this whole baked Cauliflower with the Parmesan coating. It appeals to me very much. Way back in the 70’s, my mom dated a French Chef. I was 13. He made a whole Cauliflower in the oven with mustard covering half of it. What I remember is eating a lot of it and that tasted wonderful. Just yellow mustard. How primitive we must have seemed to him. We didn’t even have Dijon mustard. But in 1974 we didn’t have the exposure to variety. We were barely introduced to push button land line phones. So baking whole heads of Cauliflower is not new, but certainly traditional if you are vegetarian.
Kelly Weaver Rusk
Delicious!! Tip: Drop more Parmesan in to char in the bottom of the Dutch oven. Yum!
Kerry
Do you think I could use nutritional yeast instead of parm for non dairy version?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Kerry, Sure! That will work great.
Susan
This is a super easy and tasty recipe. I put it into my monthly menu. The only tweak I made was using Herbs de Provence in place of the Basil and Thyme.
DAVIDSON GERMAINE
What if I don’t have a dutch oven? And cooking time therefore. Thanks in advance.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Davidson, Feel free to use a baking dish and aluminum foil to cover the top of the cauliflower. The cook time will increase, I would start checking after 45 minutes, but it may need an additional 10-15 minutes in the oven to fully cook through.
Pauline
I don’t have a dutch oven either but have recently bought an airfryer. Would that work for this please?
Wholesome Yum D
Hi Pauline, Yes, an air fryer would also work.
Beth
Five star recipe. Simple, easy and delicious. Been looking for a go to cauliflower recipe and this fits the bill. Will definitely make again soon. Thanks.
Beth
DAwn
I found my new cauliflower recipe!! I don’t have a Dutch oven, so I cut mine into flowerets and tossed them with the garlic parmesan sauce before putting them on a sheet pan and roasting. WOW!! So yummy!!
Jamie
This recipe was delicious and easy to make. I don’t always like cauliflower and I really enjoyed this.
Elaine
Absolutely delicious, I coulda ate the whole head myself. Very easy to make and my family really enjoyed it. Thanks for the recipe.
Cara
This dish is super easy and delicious! I’m making it for the 3rd time! I do double the garlic Parmesan sauce because I like a lot of sauce esp if the cauliflower is large. It’s been a hit every time!
Mary
Love this recipe. Super easy and so tasty. Thank you!
Lisa Watkins
Great recipe! This will be my “go to” roasted cauliflower recipe. It was easy to make this vegan. My 18 month old granddaughter loved it as well as the rest of my family.
Lori
Hello! Thanks for the recipe. I’m just preparing it now, but don’t see a temperature for the oven. Did I miss it? Thanks again!
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Lori, Please bake at 400 degrees F.
Toni Olenick
Delicious! Perfect! Even my pickiest child LOVED this, and so did my hubby and I!
Baker Judy
Hi Maya,
Roasting a head of cauliflower has been on my to do list for awhile. I saw your easy recipe, and decided to do it for dinner tonight. It’s tonight’s “rate a recipe.” I don’t have a Dutch oven, so put it in a deep casserole Pyrex. Unfortunately, Pyrex can’t go under the broiler. I uncovered it for 10 minutes, but the cheese really didn’t melt. Should I put this on a cookie sheet, wrapped in foil, next time? Thank you.
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Judy, Use whatever you have that is safe to go under the broiler. A cookie sheet would probably work fine.
Ashley
Where is the qualities of ingredients?
I don’t see how much just what to put in. Am I missing it?
Wholesome Yum M
Hi Ashley, If you can’t see the recipe card, then your browser may be in ‘Reader Mode.’ Be sure to turn it off so you can view the full recipe.
Cynthia
What’s your cooking suggestion if you don’t have a dutch oven? like using a cookie sheet.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
Hi Cynthia, I’d recommend a deep baking dish and then you’d want to tent it in foil instead of the dutch oven lid.
Kat
This was SO amazing! Everyone loved it, including my one year old!
I’ll be making this again a lot. Thank you for the recipe 🙂
Tayo
I so love this idea. I currently have a head of cauliflower in my fridge and I didn’t feel like making cauliflower rice again. I’ll definitely try this!
Whitney
I love the herbs you used in the marinade! The flavors are so great, I usually have cauliflower as a side but this really could be a main course!
Wilhelmina
Oh. My. Goodness. This cauliflower is fabulous! Even my cauliflower-adverse hubby was impressed!
Ashley
We love this roasted cauliflower recipe! Will definitely be making it again.
Pam Greer
I had never tried roasting a whole cauliflower until I saw your recipe! The sauce sounded amazing and it was! We are meat eaters, but this has become our favorite no meat dinner!
Alexandra
I love cauliflower, so I knew I was going to love this recipe, but it was even better than expected! Such a delicious flavour.
Sara Welch
This is the best way to enjoy cauliflower! So easy and flavorful too!
Veena Azmanov
This is so very unique , perfect and an awesome recipe. Best when my vegetarian friends are around.
Whitney
I have never been fan of cauliflower and all the trends of substituting it for rice or pizza but roasting it whole is definitely something I would like to try. I like the use of seasonings and it looks delicious.
Colleen
I haven’t roasted a whole cauliflower head, so I need to try this! It looks so good. Thanks for sharing.
Aline
OMG!! I love this recipe so much!! Made it for dinner tonight and love it!!
Katie
This is totally different than when I normally do cauliflower! But we all loved it.
Katie
Roasting cauliflower is the only way I’ll eat it. This did not disappoint!
Christina
This recipe is incredible! It’s become my new go-to side dish!