Let the beautiful and flavorful whole head of cauliflower be the star of any meal. Flavored with Parmesan cheese and garlic and dressed with roasted tomatoes and basil, this simple, one pot dish will make its way into your everyday meals!
Learning Objectives
Learn how to cook a whole head of cauliflower.
Equipment Needed
Large pot fitted with a lid or equivalent
Chef’s knife
Cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower, about 2 pounds
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced (about tsp)
- ⅓ cup of grated parmesan cheese, divided
- ⅓ cup of olive oil
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp dried thyme leaves
- 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
- 8 basil leaves, thinly sliced for garnish
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F degrees.
- Rinse the cauliflower head and pat dry. Remove the outer leaves. Carefully cut off the bottom so that it is relatively flat. Be careful not to cut off so much that it falls apart. Be sure the head stays intact.
- Make the garlic Parmesan mixture. Stir together the olive oil, garlic, 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan (half of the total amount), thyme, sea salt, and black pepper.
- Place the trimmed cauliflower head upside down (core side up) onto a 6-quart pot fitted with a lid. You can also substitute a baking dish and loosely tent but seal the sides with a piece of aluminum foil.
- Drizzle half of the sauce over the cauliflower, tilting it to let it drip down the core. Lift it up slightly with a fork. Flip over and drizzle the remaining sauce over the top. Use a pastry brush (or spoon) to brush on any that had dripped down to the pan or didn't spread well. Add the cherry tomatoes and let them roll under the cauliflower.
- Cover the pot with a lid or foil and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender and pierces easily with a knife.
- Remove the lid. Change your oven function to broil. Sprinkle the top of the cauliflower with the remaining 3 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese. Place the cauliflower under the broiler and broil for about until the cheese is browned, about 5 minutes.
- To serve, cut the cauliflower in wedges. Spoon over some of the roasted tomatoes and top with basil.
