Prep time
10 mins
Total time
40 mins
Serves
4 people
Level
Easy
This roasted French cauliflower is a cheesy, smoky, caramelized, low-carb, GF goodness with only 5 minute of prep!
This baked cauliflower and cheese delight is gently caramelised with a beautiful blend of smoked paprika, garlic, honey and parmesan cheese as it roasts in the oven. This is literally a dish in itself!
To begin with this French recipe in France…
Here is another French gourmet side dish that is a real people pleaser! My Frenchie husband literally fell in love with me all over again after preparing this! So funny! Since then, he asks often for “that baked cauliflower you do.” Little does he know, that delicious doesn’t always mean lots of prep, but that’s our secret.
Why you’ll love this honey garlic cauliflower (The French Oh là là Factor)
• 5-minute prep for a gourmet side dish
• Flavor-packed, a savory-sweet delight
• Low carb and keto!
• Gluten-free
• Easy way to get in your veggies
• Filling and satisfying
Frenchy Ingredients Spotlight for this honey garlic cauliflower recipe
• Cauliflower: The star of the dish, becoming tender, caramelized, and slightly nutty as it roasts.
• Garlic: Adds a warm, savory aroma and a delicious depth of flavor.
• Smoked paprika: Brings a subtle smoky sweetness and a beautiful golden-red color.
• Olive oil: Helps the cauliflower roast beautifully while carrying all the flavors of the marinade.
• Honey: Adds a touch of natural sweetness that balances the smoky and savory flavors while creating caramelized edges.
• Parmesan cheese: Melts into a rich, salty, cheesy crust that gives the cauliflower its irresistible French flair.
• Salt and pepper: Enhances and brings all the flavors together for the perfect finishing touch.
What do French people call cauliflower?
Here’s an easy one for you, “shoo flur.” In French, cauliflower is called chou-fleur, which literally means “cabbage flower.” To say chou (shoo), imagine you’re gently shooing a pesky little fly away,”Shoo!” Then simply add the flower end, fleur (flur) and voilà! You’ve just pronounced cauliflower the French way!
What is the French endearment of cauliflower?
Let’s get Frenchie cute. The French often use chou (“cabbage”) as a sweet term of endearment, much like saying “sweetheart” or “darling” in English. Since cauliflower is called chou-fleur (“flower cabbage”), its name carries the same warm, affectionate chou that appears in many loving French expressions. I bet you never though cabbage could be cute?!
Little French Kitchen Tips for the perfect French cauliflower
To get nice steak-like cauliflower pieces to be able to lather on that cheesey sauce here are some good tips.
• Choose a large, firm cauliflower head.
• Keep the stem intact as it holds the cauliflower slices together.
• Slice from the center outward.
• Use a sharp knife as it makes clean cuts.
• Save those loose florets that fall, we still need those!
Alternatives in this baked cauliflower recipe:
• Cheese: Replace the parmesan cheese with cheddar or French-it-up with shredded French Compté to replace the parmesan cauliflower.
• Honey: This honey cauliflower recipe can be changed by substituting honey with maple syrup, agave syrup, or even brown sugar.
• Paprika: Switch this out for chili power which adds a slightly spicy kick to the roasted honey cauliflower.
This Roasted French cauliflower pairs well with these Easy French Recipes:
French Roasted Cauliflower
This baked cauliflower and cheese delight is gently caramelised with a beautiful blend of smoked paprika, garlic, honey and parmesan cheese as it roasts in the oven. This is literally a dish in itself!
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 4 people 1x
Ingredients
1 large fresh head of cauliflower
2-3 cloves of chopped garlic
2 teaspoons of smoked paprika
5 tablespoons of olive oil
3 tablespoons of honey
3/4 cup (85 g) parmesan cheese or shredded compté
salt and papper to taste
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (150 °C).
2. Remove the outer leaves from the cauliflower and chop the cauliflower into about ½ inch slices like bread. Don’t worry if there are smaller pieces as they work perfectly well with this dish!
3. Place the cauliflower pieces on a baking tray.
4. Put all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, and mix together well with a fork.
5. Evenly distribute the marinade over top the cauliflower covering as much cauliflower as possible.
6. Bake on the middle/low rack in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
7. Remove from the oven and eat while hot!
8. This side accompanies your favorite meal of any type!
9. French roasted cauliflower refrigerates well for 4-5 days and can be reheated in the microwave or sprinkled with a little water and warmed on low heat in the oven.
Bon Appétit!
Notes
• Cheese: Replace the parmesan cheese with cheddar or French-it-up with shredded French Compté to replace the parmesan cauliflower.
• Honey: This honey cauliflower recipe can be changed by substituting honey with maple syrup, agave syrup, or even brown sugar.
• Paprika: Switch this out for chili power which adds a slightly spicy kick to the roasted honey cauliflower.
To get nice steak-like cauliflower pieces to be able to lather on that cheesey sauce here are some good tips.
• Choose a large, firm cauliflower head.
• Keep the stem intact as it holds the cauliflower slices together.
• Slice from the center outward.
• Use a sharp knife as it makes clean cuts.
• Save those loose florets that fall, we still need those!
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Category: Side Dish
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
- Diet: Gluten-Free, Keto, Low-Carb, Vegetarian
