Oven Roasted Frozen Cauliflower – THE Best Way to Cook Cauliflower

ByGetty Stewart
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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.

finished roasted cauliflower on pan
This is oven roasted frozen cauliflower with a simple blend of spices and Parmesan. Nothing soggy about this cauliflower!

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

  1. Do not thaw the cauliflower.
  2. Use high heat. Set the oven to 425°F and pre-heat the roasting pan too.
  3. Coat pan and frozen cauliflower with oil.
  4. Season well towards the very end so seasoning doesn’t burn.
finished roasted cauliflower on pan
The seasoning adds great flavour and colour to the cauliflower. Add in the last couple of minutes to prevent burning.

Recipe for Oven Roasted Frozen Cauliflower

finished roasted cauliflower on pan
Print Recipe
5 from 4 votes

Oven Roasted Frozen Cauliflower

Oven roasting brings out the best in frozen cauliflower when cooked in a hot oven on a hot pan without thawing. Add your favourite seasoning and enjoy your roasted, not soggy frozen cauliflower.
Prep : 5 mins
Cook : 15 mins
Total Time: 20 mins
Servings: 4 people
Author: Getty Stewart

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

Replace seasoning with your favourites or try Season Salt, Italian Seasoning, Cajun Seasoning, Lemon Herb Seasoning, Steak Spice, Chili Cheese Seasoning, cumin, curry powder, garlic powder, onion powder, Tajin, nutritional yeast or fresh parsley.
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Nutrition Facts (per serving)

Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Sodium: 334mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Iron: 1mg
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cauliflower, frozen vegetables, roasted vegetables
frozen cauliflower on pan
Frozen pieces on hot pan. Single layer, spaced apart.
roasted cauliflower half way
After 8 minutes. Bottom of cauliflower is starting to brown, time to flip.
roasted cauliflower before seasoning
After 15 minutes, cauliflower edges turning brown. Time to season.
finished roasted cauliflower on pan
When I use Parmesan as part of the seasoning, I like to put the pan back in the oven for a minute. If I have a blend of herbs and spices, I’ll just toss them with the cauliflower and serve right away without returning the pan to the oven.

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:

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.

Getty Stewart is a Professional Home Economist,  speaker, frequent media guest and writer dedicated to putting good food on tables and agendas.  She is the author of several recipe books on enjoying and preserving fruit, Founder of Fruit Share, a mom and veggie gardener. Sign up to get articles by Getty delivered to your inbox. You’ll get recipes, practical tips and great food information like this.

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