Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower Bites are just seriously delicious cauliflower florets coated in crunchy panko bread crumbs and roasted to a tender deliciousness! The seasoning on these crispy cauliflowers is perfection, and you can serve them with about any meal that you can think of.
Easy Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower Bites
If you’ve had steamed broccoli or a simple salad as a side dish one too many times this week, I’ve got a solution to your predicament. That solution is called Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower Bites, and you’re going to love them.
Uhm… slight revision: you’re going to LOVE them!
But, you won’t just fall in love with the taste and texture, you’ll also be thrilled with how easy these are to make. All you really need is cauliflower, some bread crumbs, eggs, parmesan cheese, and a handful of seasonings. Dip the cauliflower florets in egg, then dip them in the bread crumb mixture, bake, and voila! Dig IN!
This baked cauliflower recipe comes out crispy on the exterior, and perfectly tender on the interior. Also, the cheesy parmesan flavor is always both a comfort and a delight.
So, if you’re trying to figure out how to get picky eaters to consume vegetables, this is a great way to do that. Or, if you’re just craving something cheesy and crispy to go alongside dinner, these cauliflower bites will solve that problem, too!
What You’ll Need
Let’s talk necessary-roasted-cauliflower-bites ingredients! There aren’t too many of them, and most are probably already on the shelves of your pantry or in your fridge:
- Eggs: To bind the breading to the cauliflower.
- Bread Crumbs: I like to use panko bread crumbs. Pork rind crumbs will also work if you’re looking for a low carb/keto option.
- Parmesan Cheese: I recommend grated parmesan instead of using shredded.
- Seasoning: Use a mixture of dried oregano, dried basil, dried crushed rosemary, salt, and fresh ground black pepper (to taste).
- Cauliflower: Cut into florets.
- Marinara Sauce: For serving.
How to Make Roasted Cauliflower Bites
It won’t take you more than 30 minutes to make these cauliflower bites – and they’re totally low maintenance! Like I said above, just dip, roll, and bake. That’s all you have to do with your fresh florets.
Well… maybe it’s a little more complicated than that because it gets a little messy around your fingers, but you be the judge:
- Preheat Oven to 400˚F: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Whisk the Eggs: Place the eggs in a small mixing bowl and whisk. Set aside.
- Combine the Breading Mixture: In a mixing bowl combine panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, rosemary, salt, and pepper; mix until well incorporated.
- Bread the Cauliflower: Dip cauliflower florets in the eggs, then roll in the crumb mixture until completely coated. Continue the process with the rest of the florets and transfer them to the previously prepared baking sheet.
- Roast the Cauliflower: Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy. Remove from oven and let stand few minutes. Serve with marinara sauce.
Tips for Success
What do you think? Easy, right? I love making this on busy weeknights because I know everybody will enjoy it, and I don’t have to spend all evening in the kitchen! ALSO? It’s a great dish to serve as an appetizer.
Easy as it is, I do have some tips to help you get the best results with your roasted cauliflower bites:
- How to Know When the Cauliflower is Done: Aim for a golden-brown color and make sure that the breading has become crispy. Don’t expect the cauliflower itself to be crispy because roasting it makes it tender, but the exterior parmesan coating should be.
- Make the Florets Roughly the Same Size: Doing this ensures that you won’t end up with some overdone and some underdone when you roast them in the oven.
- Play Around with the Spices: If you want some kick to your cauliflower bites, for example, add in a little cayenne or smoked paprika.
- Prepare Ahead of Time: If you want things to go even quicker at dinner time, chop the cauliflower ahead of time, and mix the bread crumb mixture together. Then all you have to do is crack an egg, bread the florets, and bake!
- Air Fryer: Want to cook these in the Air Fryer? Grab my very popular recipe for Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Bites!
Serving Suggestions
Once you have your crunchy roasted cauliflower, what should you serve with it? Your options are pretty much limitless, but I’ve got some suggestions if you’re stuck:
- Marinara Sauce: Breaded cauliflower dipped in rich, warm marinara sauce is an experience you need to have! This is also a great thing to serve with the cauliflower if you want it to be an appetizer.
- Chicken: Crispy cauliflower goes great with a chicken dinner! Try something like this Garlic Butter Chicken and Rice recipe.
- Steak: These florets will also go super well with steak or pork. Pair them with a dish like this Air Fryer Steak!
- Salmon: Yep, this cauliflower complements seafood, too. Serve it alongside this Creamy Garlic Dijon Salmon, or another of your favorite fish dinners!
How to Store and Reheat Leftovers
- Keep any leftover cauliflower bites in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2 days. They are best when eaten fresh from the oven, but they should hold up alright for a couple of days.
- To reheat, warm the oven to 400˚F and bake the leftovers for about 5 minutes, or until crispy and heated through.
How To Freeze Baked Cauliflower Bites
- Once they are completely cooled, place the cauliflower bites in freezer bags.
- Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- When ready to serve, thaw them in the refrigerator, overnight, and then bake at 400˚F for 5 to 7 minutes, or until crispy and heated through.
ENJOY!
Roasted Parmesan Cauliflower Bites
Ingredients
- 3 eggs
- 1 ½ cups pork rind panko crumbs, or use gluten free panko bread crumbs
- ½ cup grated parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ¼ teaspoon dried crushed rosemary
- salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 head cauliflower, cut into bite size florets
- marinara sauce, for serving, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400˚F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Place the eggs in a small mixing bowl and whisk. Set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl combine panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, oregano, basil, rosemary, salt, and pepper; mix until well incorporated.
- Dip cauliflower florets in the eggs, then roll in the crumb mixture until completely coated. Continue the process with the rest of the florets and transfer them to the previously prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until golden brown and crunchy.
- Remove from oven and let stand few minutes.
- Serve with marinara sauce.
Notes
- NET CARBS: 5 g
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How many in a serving to equal only 5 net carbs?
About 1 cup of cauliflower florets.