Recipes > Cauliflower Alla Parmigiana
- Serves: 4 to 6
- Active Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 1 hr
- Views: 31,547
- Success Rating: 100% (?)
Steps
Step 1: Prepping and Blanching the Cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower (approx. 1 1/2 lb)
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar per liter/quart of water
Method
Bring a pot of cold water to a boil and then season with salt and vinegar (the vinegar helps keep the cauliflower nice and white, but it is not mandatory).
In the meantime, remove the leaves from the cauliflower and then break into large florets.
Prepare an ice bath. Once the water is boiling, blanch the cauliflower. The florets should be quite crunchy, so this should only take about 3 or 4 minutes. Once done, drain the cauliflower very well.
If preparing this dish to serve immediately, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Step 2: Draining the Cauliflower
Method
Place the cauliflower onto a clean kitchen towel to drain any excess water.
Step 3: Cutting the Cauliflower
Method
Once the cauliflower is dry, cut the florets lengthwise into about 1/4" -inch thick slices.
Step 4: Seasoning and Preparing the Pan
- kosher salt (to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 1 to 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Method
Butter an 8″ × 10″ -inch baking dish. Spread the cauliflower out relatively flat and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 5: Arranging the Cauliflower
- 2 to 3 tbsp unsalted butter
Method
Place the cauliflower slices into the pan, overlapping them slightly.
Place small nobs of butter over the top of the cauliflower.
Step 6: Grating the Parmesan Cheese
- 1/3 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano
Method
Grate the cheese over top of everything. Up to this point, everything can be done several hours in advance. Simply place into the refrigerator until ready to bake.
Step 7: Baking the Dish
Method
If you haven’t already, preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Bake the cauliflower uncovered for approximately 30 minutes or until lightly golden. Serve hot.
12 Comments
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The cauliflower that I grew up on was boiled for a very long time and served with some nutmeg and butter, so I was pleasantly surprised about the firmer texture of this dish, and the crispy parmesan crust was delicious. Next time I am planning to incorporate a little more cheese throughout, not just on top. Also I had forgotten the s&p so that went right on top, and obviously next time that needs to go on before the cheese. This is a very good side dish, even my kids liked it :) -
I have to second the previous comment about the firm texture and the crisp of the parm crust. My only complaint is that I didn't make more. I also didn't have nutmeg, so I'll pick some up so I can try this dish again with it. Can't wait. -
When I mentioned nutmeg, I was thinking it was in the recipe but I was confusing it with the creamed spinach which is equally delicious.
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This was very easy to prepare. Next time I will put under the broiler to crisp up the cheese a bit more. We really enjoyed it and will definitely make again. -
This was easy to prepare, and while others liked it, I thought it was just OK. I made cauliflower soup with the leftovers, adding nutmeg to stock, and topped the pureed soup with melted Fontina cheese. The roasting added a depth of flavor. Perfect. -
I just want to make a little because I live alone. Must I boil or can I just bake? thank you . -
Hi Blanca. Blanching or even quickly steaming the cauliflower gives it more tenderness but I bet you could add a 1/4 cup of veggie stock to the baking dish and cover for the first half of the cook time to skip that step. Lauren -
I loved this. I rarely use cauliflower (unless I'm grilling it or making a crudite), but this was eye-opening delicious and will absolutely go into my regular rotation of side dishes! It even reminded a bit of a baked mac n' cheese. I let the dish stay in the oven for an extra 5 minutes (just to get the cheese/butter to brown up a bit) and it was perfect! -
As written, the recipe is pretty bland. The second time I made it, I blanched the cauliflower in chicken stock and seasoned with white pepper, Italian seasoning, and a bit of garlic. Now it’s one of my favorites.
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can i use the cauliflower cheese sauce on the website and if so how much should i use?thank u -
Rouxbe Staff
Hi Raiz: sounds like a great idea. You do not want to make am au gratin dish--I would use about a cup (240 cc), to cover the top, and then bake. I would add the sauce first, then the cheese. Let us know how your dish turns out. Thanks. Char -
thank u char im not going to use any cheese for the recipe as im gonna cook this on days i want to go vegan.thank you everyone for the helpful advice.cheers!
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