When you want a lighter, lower-carb side dish, reach for this Baked Loaded Cauliflower. It has all the decadent flavor of a baked potato without the heaviness.
Ingredients
I love when a short and simple ingredient list yields a flavorful and desirable dish. My family request this recipe instead of mashed or baked potatoes sometimes.
And unless you are a crazy person like me who shreds his own cheese and makes homemade ranch dressing, you can actually find all this stuff ready to go and just toss it in the oven.
Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.
Method
OK. This recipe is REALLY easy to make, and only takes a few minutes of active work time, like 5 minutes. Start by tossing the florets in a bowl with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Then lay them out on a foil-lined sheet pan (for easy clean-up) and roast until they begin to brown.
When they have browned a bit, add the bacon bits to the pan, and the cheddar cheese. Then place the pan under the broiler until the cheese melts and crisps.
When the cheese is crispy, remove the pan from the oven and drizzle with ranch, and top with the green onions. And it is ready to eat!
This is a great side for when you are grilling in the summer. It goes great next to a perfectly cooked steak.
Notes & Tips
The key to really getting this recipe to be great is roasting at a high temperature. If the cauliflower isn't browning after 20 minutes turn the broiler on too high and get it a little brown before adding the bacon and cheese.
If you want to make this really easy, buy already cut-up cauliflower, and premade bacon bits. I even see cut green onions in the prepared foods section too.
To make the best ranch ever, make it freshly homemade to the recipe on the back of the hidden valley seasoning bottle. It is ½ cup mayo (use a good one like dukes or hellman's) and ½ cup milk. Then whisk in 2 ½ tablespoons of the ranch seasoning. It makes THE BEST ranch EVER!!!
Substitutions
This recipe can also be made with broccoli. Or a mix of broccoli and cauliflower. I often do with both and it is just as amazing!
If you would like to keep this vegetarian, you can omit the bacon. But don't skimp on it if you don't.
I usually keep Tillamook's sharp cheddar around, I buy the big block and shred it myself. But white cheddar or even gruyere would be a good cheese substitute here too.
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📖 Recipe
Loaded Baked Cauliflower
When you want a lighter, side dish, reach for this Baked Loaded Cauliflower. All the decadent flavor of a baked potato without the guilt.
Ingredients
- 4 cups Cauliflower Florets
- ¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1-2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½-1 teaspoon Fresh Cracked Black Pepper
- 2 cups Cheddar Cheese, shredded
- ½ cup Bacon Bits
- 4-6 Green Onions, sliced
- Ranch Dressing, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450˚F.
- In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower in the olive oil, salt, and pepper, until well coated.
- Place the seasoned cauliflower on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, until it begins to brown slightly.
- Turn the oven to broil, high.
- Remove the roasted cauliflower from the oven and top with the cheddar cheese and bacon bits.
- Place the pan under the hot broiler until the cheese begins to melt and crisp, 5-7 minutes.
- Remove the crispy cauliflower from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
- Top with a smattering of green onions and a drizzle of ranch dressing.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Notes & Tips
The key to really getting this recipe to be great is roasting at a high temperature. If the cauliflower isn't browning after 20 minutes turn the broiler on too high and get it a little brown before adding the bacon and cheese.
If you want to make this really easy, buy already cut-up cauliflower, and premade bacon bits. I even see cut green onions in the prepared foods section too.
To make the best ranch ever, make it freshly homemade to the recipe on the back of the hidden valley seasoning bottle. It is ½ cup mayo (use a good one like dukes or hellman's) and ½ cup milk. Then whisk in 2 ½ tablespoons of the ranch seasoning. It makes THE BEST ranch EVER!!!
Substitutions
This recipe can also be made with broccoli. Or a mix of broccoli and cauliflower. I often do with both and it is just as amazing!
If you would like to keep this vegetarian, you can omit the bacon. But don't skimp on it if you don't.
I usually keep Tillamook's sharp cheddar around, I buy the big block and shred it myself. But white cheddar or even gruyere would be a good cheese substitute here too.
Recommended Products
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Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet (3 Pack) -
SMARTAKE 200 Pcs Parchment Paper Baking Sheets, 12x16 Inches Non-Stick Precut Baking Parchment, Perfect for Baking Grilling Air Fryer Steaming Bread Cup Cake Cookie and More (Unbleached)
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Shun Cutlery Classic Paring Knife, small, black silver
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John Boos MPL1812125G Chop-N-Slice Select Maple Edge Grain Cutting Board, 18 Inches x 12 Inches x 1.25 Inches
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 322Total Fat: 27gSaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 39mgSodium: 891mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 14g
This is an estimated caloric value, actual numbers may differ based on the ingredients used.
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