Baked Cauliflower Recipe Italiano Style

Michele Romano Recipes is pleased to share this incredible baked cauliflower recipe with you! One of my favorite healthy Italian side dishes for sure. I served this cheesy delight with a spicey Italian sausage creation I made up for some guests the other night. Wow, talk about Pizzazz! They loved it!! No leftovers on that occasion.

Old Italian Cookbook

I adopted and adapted my baked cauliflower recipe from an old Italian cookbook that was given to my father. If you are like me, you are always on the lookout for new (or old, but new to me) creative side dishes, rather than just plain old boiled or steamed vegetables, rice and potatoes. Baked cauliflower Italiano is a unique and very healthy side dish to any dinner. Steak, pork chops, chicken you name it. If you are vegetarian, the combination with beans, rice, or pasta will be splendid as well! Children will even devour their veggies when baked cauliflower is put on the table!

Michele Romano Recipes

Baked Cauliflower Recipe

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower
1/3 cup homemade bread crumbs (or purchase seasoned breadcrumbs)
1/3 cup Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tsp fresh garlic powder
1 heaping tsp oregano
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1/3 tsp course ground pepper
2 tbsp fresh chopped Italian Parsley, Optional

Preparation

Wash and break cauliflower into florets.
Cook cauliflower in salted boiling water for 5 minutes and then drain.
Mix together bread crumbs, grated cheese, garlic powder and oregano.
Whisk together olive oil, butter, lemon juice and salt and pepper.
Place cauliflower in large baking dish.
Pour olive oil mixture evenly over cauliflower.
Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly on top of cauliflower.
Sprinkle Italian Parsley over top of cauliflower.
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
Baste with juice from bottom of dish.
Bake for 15 more min or until golden on top.
Serve hot with meal.

Prep time: 30 min.
Cook time: 30 min.
Serves: 6
Live Long and Mangia!

Health Benefits:

Cauliflower is loaded with nutrition. It is an anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, heart healthy flowering vegetable. Studies have shown it helps prevent cancer and helps to clean your digestive system. Make sure you include cauliflower as one of the cruciferous vegetables you eat on a regular basis.

Lemon juice has so many health benefits. From losing weight to controlling blood sugar levels. Lemon juice helps with digestion, skin care, toothaches when messaged on the gums, and it's anti bacterial properties help fight infections in the throat area. Use it!