roasted cauliflower on a white plate with lemons
April 15, 2020 (Updated December 15, 2022)

How to Cook Frozen Cauliflower (+ Recipe Ideas!)

by Anne Mauney, MPH, RD

2 comments
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Did you know it’s super easy to cook frozen cauliflower (and tasty, too) by roasting it? Frozen veggies last a lot longer than fresh produce, and they’re just as nutritious. And roasting them gets them much crispier and more delicious than steaming or microwaving them!  (See also: How to Love Veggies) Cauliflower especially is a super easy side dish with neutral flavor. It goes well with anything: salmon, chicken, tofu, other veggies, quinoa, you name it! You can even throw it in a taco (like my vegetarian jackfruit carnitas tacos!). how to roast frozen cauliflower

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How to Roast Frozen Cauliflower

Roasting cauliflower from frozen doesn’t take much prep time. (And no, you don’t even have to thaw it – awesome, right?!) Here are the main steps:
  1. Pull veggies from the freezer
  2. Toss with oil + seasoning (I also recommend adding a pinch of red pepper flakes & dried thyme)
  3. Roast them in the oven until slightly crispy
As for seasoning, you can use seasoning salt, Italian seasoning, or really any other spice! Because cauliflower has a pretty neutral flavor, it takes on the flavor of its seasonings and/or whatever it’s cooked with. That’s what makes it so versatile! (Looking for another awesome cooking hack? Check out my favorite method for how to peel and seed a pomegranate!) frozen cauliflower on baking sheet

Recipe Ideas for Cauliflower

Here are some of my favorite recipes to eat with roasted cauliflower: If you have a ricer, you can even make some cauliflower rice and enjoy it in stuffed peppers. Yum! For more veggie recipes, check out these posts for instructions + inspiration: roasted cauliflower on a white plate with lemons And now, here’s the recipe/instructions for how to cook frozen cauliflower. Enjoy!

How to Roast Frozen Cauliflower

roasted cauliflower on a white plate with lemons
May 28, 2020 by Anne

Here's how to roast frozen cauliflower so it's crispy and delicious!

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Yield
4-6 servings
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Ingredients:

  • Frozen cauliflower (do not thaw!)
  • Olive oil, as needed
  • Desired seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic powder)
  • Pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
  • Pinch of dried thyme (optional)
  • Fresh lemon juice (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
  2. Spread frozen cauliflower in a single layer on a parchment-lined sheet pan. Do not thaw first!
  3. Drizzle veggies lightly with oil, then sprinkle with desired seasonings. Toss to coat.
  4. Roast veggies for 25 minutes, until fully heated and browned around the edges.
  5. Optional: squeeze lemon juice over veggies for extra freshness!

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  What’s your favorite dish to make with cauliflower? Let me know in the comments!
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- anne

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2 comments
  • Tina
    I make this same recipe only with raw cauliflower. I do cheat a little because sometimes the cauliflower takes a little longer to cook, so after breaking down the head into smaller pieces, I put the whole bowl in the microwave for about 5 minutes to pre-cook it a little. I mix my olive oil, thyme and salt pour over and toss, sometimes I will add a little extra olive oil as the cauliflower will soak it up sometimes. I do not change the oven temp or cook time.
    Reply
    • Anne
      This is good to know! Thanks!
      Reply
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