Oven Roasted Frozen Cauliflower – THE Best Way to Cook Cauliflower
We love oven roasted frozen cauliflower, in fact, I think it is THE best way to cook frozen cauliflower. It’s a quick and easy side dish with minimal prep, ingredients and dishes.
Of course, frozen cauliflower is great to use in dishes like soups, casseroles, cauliflower rice, Cauliflower & Chickpea Curry, Potato & Cauliflower Curry or Peas and Cauliflower, but if you’re looking for a simple, side dish made with just frozen cauliflower, this oven roasted frozen cauliflower is the way to go.
Keys to Oven Roasted Frozen Cauliflower
- Do not thaw the cauliflower.
- Use high heat. Set the oven to 425°F and pre-heat the roasting pan too.
- Coat pan and frozen cauliflower with oil.
- Season well towards the very end so seasoning doesn’t burn.
Recipe for Oven Roasted Frozen Cauliflower
Oven Roasted Frozen Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 500g bag frozen cauliflower
- 2 Tbsp canola oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Coat large rimmed baking sheet with 1 Tbsp oil and place in oven to pre-heat as well.
- Separate any frozen cauliflower stuck together and cut extra large pieces in half. Do not thaw. Spread on hot baking sheet in single layer with a little space between each piece and drizzle with remaining oil.
- Place in oven and roast for 8 minutes, remove from oven, flip cauliflower and roast for another 7 minutes.
- In small bowl, combine garlic powder, paprika, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese. Remove cauliflower from oven and stir seasoning into cauliflower. Roast for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Serve immediately while nice and hot.
Notes
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
How to Avoid Soggy Frozen Cauliflower
Any frozen vegetable, including cauliflower has an increased risk of becoming soggy. Small ice crystals that form during freezing, will rupture cell membranes and cause veggies to go limp. If you cook veggies for a long time with extra liquid, there’s a high chance they’ll get squishy or soggy. That’s why when cooking frozen vegetables the golden rules are:
- do not thaw (unless stated in a recipe)
- do not cook with excess liquid (don’t boil!)
- cook quickly using high heat
Make it happen by oven roasting at high temps, pre-heating the pan and using a bit of fat/oil.
How to Make Flavourful Frozen Cauliflower
The browning or caramelization from the high heat already adds a bit of flavor, but you also want to season your cauliflower well. Add your seasoning at the very end of cooking so it doesn’t burn. Burnt spices can taste bitter and any green herbs (fresh or dried) may char too much.
I love the simplicity of the salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika and Parmesan I used in this recipe, but change it up and try:
- cumin, turmeric and chili powder
- Tajin (chili powder, lime & salt)
- Nutritional yeast
- Fresh black pepper with lemon juice
- Italian Herb Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Taco Seasoning
- Chili Cheese Seasoning
- Fresh herbs like parsley, dill or sage
Do you roast frozen veggies like cauliflower? What are your favourite seasoning combinations? I’d love to try other options, please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @getgettys and Facebook @GettyStewart.HomeEconomist.