I’ve been really trying to get in the habit of cooking extra specifically for the leftover potential. It makes 1-2 dinners that much easier throughout the week. So when cauliflower was on sale I picked up 2 heads and roasted them both a few days ago. Last night I used the leftovers to make a fun, cheesy side dish that, surprisingly, everyone loved!
The idea is simple: take cooked cauliflower, smash it flat, add some cheese, and re-roast.
The result is a tasty, cheesy, poppable vegetable side dish! And a nice twist from plain, old cauliflower.
Here’s what we did...
Ingredients
- Leftover head of cooked (roasted) cauliflower (my batch was about 350g)
- 2 oz Monterey jack cheese, grated
- Dried parsley for sprinkling
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Place a cauliflower floret on a cutting board.
Using a mallet, give it one good whack to flatten it slightly.
Note: This is a great task for the kids, but be prepared for a mess as small cauliflower pieces fly everywhere.
The mess is totally worth it though. 🙂
Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray, lay out the cauliflower, top with a bit of cheese and a sprinkle of parsley.
Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese just starts to brown.
When they came out the 7-year-old wasn’t impressed, as you can see by the tongue...
But after one bite, he changed his tune.
Little Bean took a bite and didn’t seem to mind it...
But overall, he wasn’t into dinner. Here’s his reaction when I told him he had to eat some chicken or he wouldn’t get any snacks later.
Thankfully, Big Brother was there to cheer him up.
Sorry, I had to share them all. They are just too stinkin’ cute! Trying to raise kids to be good eaters may be hard, stressful and sometimes seem impossible but, in my opinion, it’s a fight worth fighting.
📖 Recipe
Using Leftovers: Cheesy Smashed Cauliflower
Ingredients
- Leftover head of cooked roasted cauliflower (my batch was about 350g)
- 2 oz Monterey jack cheese grated
- Dried parsley for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
- Place a cauliflower floret on a cutting board.Leftover head of cooked
- Using a mallet, give it one good whack to flatten it slightly.
- Spray a cookie sheet with non-stick cooking spray, lay out the cauliflower, top with a bit of cheese and a sprinkle of parsley.Dried parsley for sprinkling
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the cheese just starts to brown.2 oz Monterey jack cheese
Notes
- This is a great task for the kids, but be prepared for a mess as small cauliflower pieces fly everywhere.
Cathy
Awe. Your boys are so cute. The recipe looks great!
Morey
I've got leftover cauliflower sitting in my frig right now. I think this will make a great side tonight!
Anita
What a great idea. I love cauliflower and will definitely try this recipe. It must be very tasty.
Jane C
This sounds amazing. Cauliflower is one of my favorite veggies and I'm always trying out new recipes with it. Gina from Skinnytaste has been the source of a lot of my fav cauliflower creations. I'll be adding this one to the list, it would be a hit at my house! Roasted cauliflower + cheese, what's not to love?
Jessica
Brilliant. I love cauliflower! Gotta try this. This is going to be epic. 😀
roni
Jan - I haven't yet but it's on my list of things to try. 🙂
roni
Margaret - What a great idea! Thanks!!
Jan Norton
Love your little helpers. Have you ever made "pizza" crust using cauliflower? I have seen recipes - they look really good. Not tried but will be soon.
margaret
try plastic wrap to keep flying cauliflower under control
Krista
Genius idea! Can hardly wait to make this.
Your boys remind me of when mine were little. So cute and funny and such a handful at times, especially when they'd tag team up.
jaki
roni these kids of yours are gorgeous. recipe looks ingenious. personally i'd leave off the cheese. thanks for the idea though!