My Mom’s Crispy, Cheesy Cauliflower Is the Absolute Best

I consider it a source of pride that I wasn’t a picky eater as a kid. I tried all kinds of foods other kids would think are “weird,” like bone marrow and kohlrabi. My favorite food as a 6-year-old was lobster. There were only two foods I wouldn’t touch—olives and avocados—which I now love. All other vegetables were A-okay.

My openness to food and budding love of cooking, however, meant that I had a more discerning palate than many other pre-teens. Plain steamed veggies were sooo boring. Everything needed more salt, more oomph. So, when my mom decided to swap out mushy boiled cauliflower for this recipe, I thanked her immensely.

Mom’s Recipe, Revealed

We ate this roasted cauliflower with crispy cheddar and breadcrumbs at least twice a month in our house, and I never got sick of it. I’m confident that it will turn any picky eater—or food snob 11-year-old like me—into a veggie lover.

My mom would roast cauliflower florets until they were starting to caramelize around the edges. Then, she topped them with grated cheddar cheese, crunchy panko breadcrumbs, and a little garlic powder, and baked it again until the cheese turned into a golden, crispy lace on the bottom of the pan. So delicious, and it only needs four key ingredients. 

Easy Tweaks

This recipe works perfectly with broccoli instead of cauliflower—just swap in an equal amount. And the same method would be great with zucchini, potatoes, carrots, or other hardy vegetables; just roast them until they’re tender and starting to turn golden brown, then top with the cheese, breadcrumbs, and garlic powder to finish.

More Recipes for Picky Eaters

• Sweet and Creamy 4-Ingredient Beets
• 3-Ingredient Honey Mustard Chicken
• 5-Ingredient Broccoli Pasta
• Lemony Spinach Rice