Cauliflower Parmigiana
Our veggie take on a chicken parm uses cauliflower steaks instead of meat to help keep the calories low without compromising on the Italian taste.
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NutritionPer Serving
- Calories275
- Carbs31g
- Protein17g
- Fat7.2g
- Saturates4.1g
- Sugars21g
For the full list of ingredients and comprehensive instructions, please see the recipe card at the end of this post. Before you scroll, there’s important stuff to know in the blurb!
Our vegetarian take on the classic chicken parm uses roasted cauliflower steaks instead of meat to help keep the calories lower without compromising on the Italian flavours.
Topped with a marinara sauce and golden, melted cheese, this Cauliflower Parmigiana is a great option for when you’re craving hearty Italian food, but want something a little lighter.
If you have smaller pieces of cauliflower left over when you cut your steaks, then you can blitz them up and then pop into the freezer in a freezer proof bag. This means that you’re got some quick and easy cauliflower rice on hand at all times, or you could even use it to sneak some extra veg into a sauce.
We love this Cauliflower Parmigiana served with a crisp, mixed salad but you can really serve it with any accompaniment that you want. It also makes a fantastic light lunch, side dish or snack and, as it can be frozen, you can even make it ahead of time and defrost whenever you’re ready.
What diets is this Cauliflower Parmigiana suitable for?
This Cauliflower Parmigiana is suitable for gluten free diets.
It can also be made suitable for vegetarian, vegan and dairy free diets as long as you swap the following ingredients out for vegan or dairy free alternatives:
- Parmesan cheese
- Cheddar cheese
Most red wine vinegars are suitable for a vegan diet, but please do make sure that you double check before cooking for a vegan diet.
Please make sure to double or triple check all of your ingredients if you’re cooking for people with allergies.
Do you need any special ingredients to make this Cauliflower Parmigiana?
This recipe doesn’t require any special ingredients or equipment to make, it’s really simple and straightforward.
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You’ll need a baking tray to roast your cauliflower steaks on like this one.
It’s also really important to have a good quality frying pan on hand to make the marinara topping for this recipe.
How many calories are in this Cauliflower Parmigiana?
There are 275 calories per portion in this Cauliflower Parmigiana which means it falls into our Everyday Light category.
This Cauliflower Parmigiana is perfect if you’re following a calorie controlled diet and fits well with any one of the major diet plans such as Weight Watchers.
As a guide, an average man needs around 2,500kcal (10,500kJ) a day to maintain a healthy body weight. For an average woman, that figure is around 2,000kcal (8,400kJ) a day. Obviously, if your goal is to lose weight then you might want to adjust these slightly! You can read more about these recommendations on the NHS website.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 200°C.
Step 2
Spray a baking tray with low calorie cooking spray and place the cauliflower steaks onto the tray.
Step 3
Spray them with more cooking spray, season well with salt and black pepper and roast in the oven for about 30-40 minutes turning once during cooking.
Step 4
While the cauliflower is cooking, spray a frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and fry the onions and garlic until soft.
Step 5
Add the tomato puree, tinned tomatoes, 1/2 of the basil, Italian seasoning and the red wine vinegar.
Step 6
Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 7
Remove from the heat until the cauliflower is cooked.
Step 8
When the cauliflower is cooked, top with the tomato mix, then add the grated parmesan and Cheddar cheese.
Step 9
Put back into the oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese is golden brown. Serve sprinkled with the remainder of the fresh basil.
What could I serve with this Cauliflower Parmigiana?
This Cauliflower Parmigiana would be really tasty when served with a fresh, mixed salad or any of the following accompaniments:
How do you know when this Cauliflower Parmigiana is cooked?
Your cauliflower steaks will need to be cooked until they’re tender and just cooked through which should take around 30 – 40 minutes.
Once you’ve topped your steaks with the tomato sauce and cheese, cook for a further 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and golden brown.
Standard advice here in the UK is to cook food until it has reached 70°C and stayed at that temperature for 2 minutes. This is to keep your family safe.
How long can I keep this Cauliflower Parmigiana in the fridge?
Once you’ve put it out, ideally you should eat it within 4 hours.
If you allow any leftovers to cool, make sure to refrigerate in a container with a lid and chill. You can keep leftovers of this Cauliflower Parmigiana in the fridge for approximately 3 days or so.
Can I freeze this Cauliflower Parmigiana?
Yes you can! This recipe can be frozen, but please remember to do the following;
- Freeze it as soon as it is cold enough.
- Use a container or bag that is suitable for freezing.
Don’t forget to add a label with what it is, and on what date you put it in the freezer!
How do I reheat this Cauliflower Parmigiana?
From chilled: Heat covered in the microwave for around 3 – 5 minutes or until piping hot.
From frozen: Defrost thoroughly then as above.
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Cauliflower Parmigiana
Our veggie take on a chicken parm uses cauliflower steaks instead of meat to help keep the calories low without compromising on the Italian taste.
-
Prep Time
10 MINS
-
Cook Time
40 MINS
- KCals 275
- Carbs 31G
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 200°C.
- Spray a baking tray with low calorie cooking spray and place the cauliflower steaks onto the tray.
- Spray them with more cooking spray, season well with salt and black pepper and roast in the oven for about 30-40 minutes turning once during cooking.
- While the cauliflower is cooking, spray a frying pan with low calorie cooking spray and fry the onions and garlic until soft.
- Add the tomato puree, tinned tomatoes, 1/2 of the basil, Italian seasoning and the red wine vinegar.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Remove from the heat until the cauliflower is cooked.
- When the cauliflower is cooked, top with the tomato mix, then add the grated parmesan and Cheddar cheese.
- Put back into the oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese is golden brown. Serve sprinkled with the remainder of the fresh basil.
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Recipe notes
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8 comments
See what others have to say
TashaFriday 5th January 2024
Can this be made in an air fryer?
HollyMonday 5th February 2024
Hey Tasha, we haven’t tested this recipe in an air-fryer but we have a conversion guide HERE that you may find helpful!
GailTuesday 16th February 2021
Hi,
Would you be able to make this with celeriac instead?
HollyTuesday 16th February 2021
Hey Gail, we haven’t tried this recipe with celeriac but I’m sure it should work just as well, let us know how you get on!
Barbara LeeTuesday 26th January 2021
I had mine with salad and crusty bread, absolutely gorgeous
HollyWednesday 27th January 2021
Hey Barbara, so glad you enjoyed this!
IndiaSaturday 26th December 2020
Enjoyed this with some boiled Veggies and Roasted Potato! The herbs and Tomato sauce go so well together with the cauliflower… Delicious! Will be definitely making this again. Thankyou!
HollySaturday 26th December 2020
Hey India, so glad to hear you enjoyed the Cauliflower Parmigiana!
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