On its own, roasted cauliflower is something special, but when you make it “loaded” style with ranch dressing, crispy bacon, sharp cheddar cheese, and fresh green onions? WOW! You have a perfect side dish for everyone in the family.
1. Loaded Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon, chopped
- 2 heads of cauliflower, leaves removed, broken/cut into small florets
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
- 1/3 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 4 green onions, sliced thinly
- 1/3 cup ranch dressing
- Additional salt, to taste
Instructions
In a medium skillet, cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool, and set aside. Reserve 1/4 cup of bacon grease.
Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower, bacon grease, garlic powder, and black pepper. Toss to combine.
Spread cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet, and then bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, flipping once halfway through. The cauliflower should be tender and golden brown when ready.
Sprinkle the cheddar cheese on top of the cauliflower, and bake an additional 2-3 minutes to melt the cheese.
Remove from oven, and top the cauliflower with the crumbled bacon and green onions, and drizzle on the ranch dressing. Serve immediately.
Some Tips For You
Smaller florets roast faster and tend to get more caramelized edges. Feel free to cut your florets into halves or even quarters to get better results.
Many supermarkets carry pre-cut cauliflower florets in the prepped veggie section. They’re more expensive, but they’ll save you a few minutes of cutting time later on.
If your bacon isn’t fatty enough to produce enough grease, supplement with a high-smoke point oil, like avocado oil or grapeseed oil.
Don’t crowd the baking pan or the oven, or you’ll get steamed cauliflower instead of roasted. I’ve been known to just slightly prop open my oven door to release steam while roasting veggies.
You can use whatever homemade or store-bought ranch dressing is your favorite. The Greek yogurt ranch dressing is a favorite ranch dressing of mine.
2. What Other Toppings Can You Put on Loaded Roasted Cauliflower?
While this classic bacon and ranch combo is delicious, don’t let them be the only toppings you try! Here are some of my favorite ideas:
Buffalo Blue Cheese Roasted Cauliflower: Drizzle your roasted cauliflower with your favorite wing sauce, ranch dressing, crumbled blue cheese, and diced fresh celery.
Pizza Roasted Cauliflower: Melt mozzarella and Parmesan on your cauliflower, and then season it with dried oregano, basil, and parsley. Top with your favorite marinara sauce.
Thai-Ginger Roasted Cauliflower: Drizzle with my Pad Thai sauce, and then top with chopped fresh cilantro, chopped peanuts, and a hefty squeeze of lime juice.
