Cauliflower happens to be one of my favorite vegetables, especially when roasted. It takes on a whole nutty and caramelized flavor that truly makes it irresistible. And while I genuinely love cauliflower, I am usually not a fan of a cauliflower crust pizza, and prefer my pizza to be the real thing if I am going to enjoy it! I do love coming up with ways to satisfy my pizza cravings throughout the week though when I am trying to eat lighter which is why I created this delicious cauliflower sheet pan meal. This recipe for roasted cauliflower “pizza” bake is one that you are going to be making over and over again.
The real problem with this recipe is that I can eat the whole pan myself. I mean after all I have been known to eat a whole pan of roasted cauliflower myself, so why should this be any different. The good news is, you actually can eat the whole pan and it wouldn’t be bad for you! Honestly, I say if you are cooking this recipe for your family, you might want to double it because IF there are any leftovers, they are delicious the next day as well.
I like to serve this roasted cauliflower pizza bake with a caesar salad or side salad but you could also serve it with another veggie of choice or even over pasta if you are not in the business of trying to cut carbs. I’m here for that too. Any way you serve it, you are sure to become obsessed with this recipe just like me.
I simply roast up a whole head of cauliflower, and then top it off with my homemade pizza sauce, a few pepperonis, and some cheese and place back into the oven to melt that cheese and let all the flavors get happy together. You could honestly add in some other veggies to the mix here or keep it vegetarian and skip the pepperoni. I think adding some sliced Italian sausage would be awesome in the mix too in place of the pepperonis…I mean you get the idea, the options are endless!
You can also use a store bought sauce here, but my easy pizza sauce is extra delicious and can be made with ingredients you probably have lying around in your pantry! I’ll leave that decision up to you. This recipe is so perfect for any night of the week and I just bet even your picky eaters might be willing to give this cauliflower a try!
Ingredients:
1 Head of Cauliflower, cut into florets
1 Tsp. Salt
1/2 Tsp. Pepper
1/2 Tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Homemade Pizza Sauce
12 Large Pepperonis
1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Red Chili Flake (optional)
1 Tbsp. Finely Chopped Parsley or Basil (optional)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Place cauliflower on baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning until well coated. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden.
Take cauliflower from the oven and drizzle a few spoonfuls of pizza sauce over the top of the cauliflower and toss. Use more sauce if desired.
Nestle pepperonis into the sauce and cauliflower and then top off with mozzarella cheese.
Bake for another 10 minutes and then switch the oven to broil the last 2 minutes of baking to make that cheese extra bubbly and golden.
Sprinkle with fresh parsley, and red chili flake and serve.
How good does this look? I am telling you that it just doesn’t get any easier to make and it so delicious too. I can’t wait for you to give this Roasted Cauliflower “Pizza” Bake a try for yourself.
