This warm and comforting side dish of baked whole cauliflower with breadcrumb topping is perfect for a Sunday family meal or a holiday feast. It’s healthy, delicious, super simple to make and looks beautiful on a serving plate.
Baked whole cauliflower with breadcrumb topping is one of the simplest side dishes you can make. Because you’re baking the whole head of cauliflower there is minimal prep involved and no chopping!!
In the Polish kitchen most vegetables are boiled, usually a little too long, and that includes cauliflower. This recipe takes the best parts from the traditional Polish cauliflower side and leaves all the bad behind.
Instead of boiling the cauliflower, we roast it to give it the perfect texture and enhanced flavour. We also season the cauliflower before baking it to add even more flavour to this dish.
The breadcrumb topping is straight from the Polish cook’s repertoire. We add this topping on cauliflower, green beans, and Brussels sprouts giving veggies that much-needed flavour booster. I see it as the American equivalent of cheese sauce, which also gets added to most veggies.
Since we agree that both cultures prefer veggies with a little something extra, I assure you that those who don’t like cauliflower will love this delicious baked whole cauliflower with breadcrumb topping.
Preparing Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Breadcrumb Topping
Ingredients
Cauliflower: Cauliflower is a cruciferous vegetable in the same family as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, kale among others. The head is white and the only part of
the plant that is typically consumed. Cauliflower is high in vitamin C and also contains decent amounts of fiber and vitamin B6.
Olive oil: I use olive oil for this recipe because of its mild flavour. Olive oil is the fat extracted from olives. The least processed is extra virgin olive oil, which I use in this recipe.
Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs are simply ground-up dried bread. I actually make my own. I save the ends of bread loaves and let them dry out. Then I throw them in the blender and voila, breadcrumbs.
Butter: Butter is churned milk or cream and is high in fat. It is solidified when refrigerated, holds a semi-soft, spreadable consistency at room temperature, or can be liquefied when heated.
How to Make Baked Cauliflower and Breadcrumb Topping
As usual, we have here a very simple recipe. Garb the cauliflower, oil, salt and pepper to start.
Preheat the oven to 400°F before you start.
Step 1: Prep the Cauliflower
To prep the cauliflower, start by trimming off all the leaves. Turn the head of cauliflower upside down, or core side up. Find all of the leaves and trim them away from the core. You want to keep the cauliflower intact so don’t trim the core.
You may want to cut down the core to even it out with the florets so that your cauliflower doesn’t fall over, but beyond that leave it alone.
Once you have trimmed the leaves off, wash the cauliflower under cool water. Make sure to run the water over the top of the head and in between the florets on the core side.
Step 2: Season the cauliflower
Once the cauliflower is ready, flip it core side up again and pour a little olive oil in between the florets. Then sprinkle it with salt and pepper.
Next, flip the head of cauliflower core side down, and repeat the seasoning process. Brush the cauliflower with oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
Step 3: Bake the Cauliflower
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the seasoned cauliflower in the center of the cookie sheet and place it in the center rack in the oven. Bake it for 45-60 minutes depending on your texture preference. After 45 minutes the cauliflower florets will be softened and the stems will maintain their crunch. The closer you get to 60 minutes the softer the whole cauliflower will be.
Step 4: Make the Breadcrumb Topping
In the last 10 minutes of baking the cauliflower, add the butter to a medium pan and melt it on medium-high heat.
Once it begins to bubble, add the breadcrumbs and toss to coat in the butter. Fry the bread crumbs for about 5 minutes tossing occasionally to prevent burnings. Once the breadcrumbs are toasted remove the pan from the heat.
Substitutions
Breadcrumbs: If you are looking to make this recipe vegan try using Panki breadcrumbs. Just make sure to read the label to validate that they’re vegan.
Butter: If you prefer not to use butter you can easily replace it with a vegetable oil.
Serving Whole Baked Cauliflower with Breadcrumb Topping
Serve the cauliflower topped with the toasted breadcrumbs and sprinkled with freshly chopped parsley.
Cut the cauliflower into quarters and serve each quarter on the side of your favourite mains. Serve baked cauliflower with breadcrumb topping on the side of:
How to Store and Reheat Baked Cauliflower
This cauliflower stores very well in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
The best way to reheat the whole baked cauliflower with breadcrumb topping is to roast it. Keep the topping on the cauliflower to the best of your ability and place the cauliflower on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Bake at 400°F for about 10 minutes.
If you’re in a rush you can easily reheat the cauliflower in the microwave as well. However, reheating in the microwave will steam the cauliflower while reheating so the texture will change as a result.
Is Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Breadcrumb Topping Vegetarian or Vegan?
This recipe is vegetarian however surprisingly it is not vegan. In order to make this recipe vegan you need to substitute the butter for oil and make sure that you are using vegan bread crumbs. Most breadcrumbs are a by-product of standard breads which are often made with dairy and/or eggs. Use authentic Japanese panko breadcrumbs instead to make this recipe vegan.
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Baked Whole Cauliflower with Breadcrumb Topping Recipe
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Small pan
- Parchment paper (optional)
Ingredients
- 1 whole cauliflower
- ½ tsp Coarsely ground salt
- ¼ tsp coarsely ground pepper
- Olive oil
Topping:
- ¼ Breadcrumbs
- 2 tbsp butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400℉
- Trim the leaves off the cauliflower and wash the whole head. Keep the stem intact, trim it if you need to to allow the cauliflower to sit evenly.1 whole cauliflower
- Turn the cauliflower upside down, or core side up, and brush it with some olive oil then sprinkle with salt and pepper.¼ tsp coarsely ground pepper, Olive oil, ½ tsp Coarsely ground salt
- Turn it around and repeat the process. Brush the whole head with olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper.½ tsp Coarsely ground salt, Olive oil, ¼ tsp coarsely ground pepper
- Place it on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 45-60 minutes. At 45 minutes you will still get some crunch and by 60 minutes the whole head should be soft inside and out so cook to your preference.
- In the last 10 minutes of baking, add the butter to a small pan and melt on medium heat. Once it starts to sizzle add the breadcrumbs and toss until well combined. Toast the breadcrumbs for 5 minutes or until golden brown tossing occasionally to prevent burning.2 tbsp butter, ¼ Breadcrumbs
