Cauliflower Parmesan
The following recipe, video and photography were provided by our partner, Alissa DiSanto of Sauced By Sunday.
Delicious served alongside your favorite protein, or presented as a vegetarian entrée with pasta and a green salad, this Cauliflower Parmesan has all the flavor of the original Italian dish, minus the meat.
Have you participated in the cauliflower craze? In recent years, it seems as though cauliflower has worked its way into a variety of fan-favorite dishes as a healthier alternative. From rice and mashed potatoes, to pastas like gnocchi, the possibilities for this earthy veggie are endlessly tasty!
For those who are vegetarian, or looking to reduce their meat intake, cauliflower steaks are a great alternative, and that’s exactly what is featured in this dish.
I love all Italian food, especially chicken parmesan, but in an attempt to incorporate more veggies into my dinner repertoire, I swapped the traditional chicken breast or a hearty cauliflower steak. The result was a belly-warming dish with out-of-this-world flavor and texture.
Cauliflower Parmesan
Servings: 2-4
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower
- ½ cup olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 large onion, diced
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp. dried basil
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 28 oz. can Heinen’s crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup Heinen’s Italian bread crumbs
- ½ cup Heinen’s fresh grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup shredded BelGioioso mozzarella cheese
- 1 bunch of basil, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or tin foil.
- Slice the cauliflower into steaks. If you struggle with this, or several florets come loose, simply cut the cauliflower into florets. Arrange in a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle with 4 Tbsp. of olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Roast for 30 minutes until the cauliflower steaks are golden brown. Cauliflower florets will roast much faster, about 18-20 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Turn the oven to broil.
- Prepare the bread crumbs by heating 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the bread crumbs and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Immediately transfer the bread crumbs to a bowl and set aside.
- Using the same skillet, prepare the tomato sauce. Heat 2 Tbsp. of olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and minced garlic to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, or until the onions are translucent. Add the can of crushed tomatoes, red pepper flakes (optional), dried basil, sugar and a pinch of salt. Allow the sauce to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Cover the bottom of the baking dish with a layer of the tomato sauce. Top with the roasted cauliflower. Cover the cauliflower with the breadcrumbs, followed by the grated parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.
- Place the dish under the broiler, watching very closely to ensure that the cheese becomes brown and bubbly, but does not burn.
- Remove the dish from oven and garnish with fresh basil.
