Smoked Cheddar Roasted Cauliflower
If you’re looking for a simple cheesy roasted cauliflower dish that packs in the flavour and is light on prep, you can stop scrolling, this smoked cheddar roasted cauliflower is the perfect cauliflower side dish, perfect for weeknights and entertaining. Make it, love it, make it again.
Smoked Cheddar Roasted Cauliflower
Smoked Cheddar Roasted Cauliflower
Smoked Cheddar Roasted Cauliflower
We make this roasted cauliflower side dish at least every three weeks in our household, year round. It’s the perfect side for seared steak, roast chicken, roast lamb, you name it. What’s great about it, is how incredibly low-fuss it is, great for weeknights - but also totally worthy of any dinner party, Thanksgiving or Christmas table.
Roasted cauliflower comes together so easily, just prep the cauli, mix the ingredients together, coat the cauli, bake then add cheese and bake again. All done in about 20-25 minutes.
If you are looking for a creamy cauliflower bake recipe (with a bechamel) Sadly this recipe isn’t that, this baked cauliflower is lighter, flavour packed with garlic and smoked paprika, still cheesy, but not creamy (Best head back to Pinterest if that’s what you’re looking for).
Cooking tips for roasting cauliflower
- Prepping your cauliflower is easy, watch the video to see how it’s done. Just cut out the core and trim off the florets, then cutting them down into smaller pieces.
- Stack the cauli head side up in the tray for good surface area coverage of the cauliflower.
- You might need more olive oil depending on the size. If it looks like your getting low, just add a little more into the ingredient bowl.
- You don’t have to use smoked cheddar, we will make it with just mozzarella on weeknights, but if you’re looking for a showstopper, go for the smoked cheddar, it’s top tier flavour.
What to serve with cheesy baked cauliflower
This cauliflower side dish goes with so many main dishes. Roast chicken is a great option, roast lamb and my epic pulled pork are also perfect with it.
More simple sides (in case you can’t get enough)
Store leftover roasted cauliflower in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in the oven at 200C, in a tray covered with foil for about 10 minutes or until hot all the way through.
Ingredients and substitutions
How to make it - step by step!
Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut the cauliflower into bite sized florets. Place them head facing up in a baking dish.
Grate the garlic using a microplane (or finely dice/mince) into a small bowl.
Add smoked paprika, olive oil, salt and pepper, stir to combine.
Brush the mixture over the cauliflower. Then bake for 15 minutes.
Remove the oven and add the cheese covering all of the florets.
Bake for a further 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut the cauliflower into bite sized florets. Place them head facing up in a baking dish.
Grate the garlic using a microplane (or finely dice/mince) into a small bowl.
Add smoked paprika, olive oil, salt and pepper, stir to combine.
Brush the mixture over the cauliflower. Then bake for 15 minutes.
Remove the oven and add the cheese covering all of the florets.
Bake for a further 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Watch the how to video
Watch the how to video
Smoked Cheddar Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 head of cauliflower
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ cup olive oil (depending on the size of your cauliflower)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese
- 1 cup smoked cheddar cheese
- Preheat the oven to 200C. Cut the cauliflower into bite sized florets. Place them head facing up in a baking dish.
- Grate the garlic using a microplane (or finely dice/mince) into a small bowl.
- Add smoked paprika, olive oil, salt and pepper, stir to combine.
- Brush the mixture over the cauliflower. Then bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove the oven and add the cheese covering all of the florets.
- Bake for a further 10-15 minutes, until the cheese is melted and golden brown.