For a healthy and flavorful side dish, using just 3 ingredients- this bacon and cheddar roasted cauliflower is perfect any night of the week!
Cauliflower may seem like a boring vegetable, but it is very versatile! You can boil it, bake it, roast it, mash it, or even air-fry it! You can even add it to other dishes for an extra serving of veggies. Cauliflower has a mild flavor, so it can truly be transformed by so many flavors.
At first, I really wanted to make a cauliflower bake. Throw some florets in a baking dish, add some toppings, and bake…but, roasted cauliflower is so much better! Plus, it’s not soggy or mushy AND if you try to roast cauliflower in a baking dish…it will take almost twice as long to cook! Ain’t nobody got time for that!
This recipe is super simple! You could literally get away with using only 3 ingredients, but there is still so much flavor! Though- adding a little cilantro, scallions, and/or salsa will really kick it up a notch! Healthy and delicious doesn’t need to be complicated!
Quick Tip: For an even faster dish, brown the bacon while the cauliflower is roasting. There won’t be quite as much bacon-y flavor, but the final dish will still be delish!
Ingredients in Bacon & Cheddar Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower Florets
Bacon
Cheddar Cheese
Optional: cilantro, scallions, salsa
CAULIFLOWER NUTRITION
In 1 medium head of cauliflower…
- 146 calories
- 1.6g fat
- 29g carbs
- 12g fiber
- 11g sugar
- 1g protein
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B6
ROASTING CAULIFLOWER TIPS
- Set the oven to 425 degrees.
- Don’t overcrowd the sheet pan. Give the florets space to breathe.
- If the oven is set too low or the sheet pan is too crowded, the cauliflower will steam instead of roast! Steamed cauliflower becomes soggy and mushy.
- Don’t add too much oil- that can also lead to a mushy mess.
- Start with a head of fresh cauliflower, not frozen.
30 minutes
Cheddar & Bacon Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 2 heads of cauliflower, chopped into florets
- 2 - 3 Tbsp. bacon grease or olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- 6 slices of bacon
- 1 c. cheddar cheese shredded
- Optional: cilantro, scallions, salsa
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- In a large bowl add the cauliflower and bacon grease. Toss to evenly coat. Then, spread into a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Next, roast for 23-25 minutes, until cauliflower is fork tender and beginning to brown. Remove from the oven. Add the shredded cheese and crumbled bacon. Return to the oven for 2-3 minutes, until cheese melts. Garnish with cilantro, scallions, and/or salsa.