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roasted broccoli and cauliflower with cheese

Jump To Recipe December 10, 2020 by Katie // 16 Comments »

I’m going to let you in on a secret right from the get-go: The key to making roasted broccoli and cauliflower with cheese is to line a sheet pan with foil first. That helps catch any melted cheese that drips off the veggies and make clean up much easier. I have that and more tips today for this brand new veggie side dish recipe.

I originally shared this recipe on November 26th, 2018. I have added a video and more information to make it more helpful for you today.

This may be an oversimplification, but when it comes to preparing veggies for a simple side dish, I usually rely on one of three rules that always seem to work:

One: When in doubt, roast them!
Two: Cheese is never a bad idea!
And Three: Garlic makes the world go round.

Today in this roasted broccoli and cauliflower with cheese recipe I have employed not one but two of these tried and true veggie side dish rules (roasting and adding cheese) and the results are amazingly delicious.

Note: If you are hoping for some veggie side dishes with garlic (that follow rule three) you can search through all of the side dishes here. There are tons! Here’s one of my favorites: Garlic Herb Butternut Squash!

In the past I have shared roasted broccoli and roasted cauliflower recipes, but I have never shared one here where they were roasted together on the same sheet pan. So I figured, why not! Then I added on two kinds of cheese and I think from now on the rest will be history!

Combining Broccoli and Cauliflower

Broccoli and Cauliflower are related, they are both members of the brassica family of plants which means they are cruciferous. Other members of this family are cabbage and kale.
These vegetables are high in antioxidants and vitamins, and may help to prevent cancer.
Both vegetables are crisp when raw, and have a balance of sweet and peppery mustard flavor.
Note: When cauliflower or broccoli are over cooked they can taste sulfurous.
Broccoli and cauliflower cook at roughly the same rate which means they go great in recipes together.
I love to add them to a broccoli and cauliflower casserole or cauliflower macaroni and cheese, but this simple preparation of roasting them together is even easier!
Just keep in mind they need to be cut into florets that are roughly the same size.

How to Make Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower with Cheese

Use a hot oven, 450 degrees is good, to roast broccoli and cauliflower. It will allow it to soften just enough without becoming flabby, and will also brown a bit which gives the broccoli a slightly nutty taste.
Line your sheet-pan with foil or if you have one a silicone baking mat. That will catch the melted cheese so the clean up will be much easier.
Toss the broccoli and cauliflower florets with oil, salt and pepper. And I also liked to add in a generous pinch each of ground nutmeg and cayenne pepper. They go well with the cheese! You can also add in some garlic powder too (see above rules.)
Spread the veggies out into a single layer. You don’t want to overcrowd your sheet pan so the veggies will be able to brown a bit.
Once they have softened and browned, then you can add on your cheese! Yay cheese! I used a combo of Vermont Sharp white cheddar and grated Parmesan cheese. Let that melt for about 3 minutes, then you are good to go. Your taste buds will be so happy!

Steps To Make This Recipe

: 1. Cut broccoli and cauliflower into florets.

: 2. Toss with oil, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cayenne.

: 3. Spread on a baking sheet lined with foil and roast until browned and softened.

: 4. Top with cheese and return the oven for 2 to 4 minutes.

More Cauliflower and Broccoli Recipes

Cream of Cauliflower Soup with cheese- Oh so dreamy and creamy and made in the instant pot!
This Steamed Cauliflower with herbs is a super simple way of preparing cauliflower.
My Lemon Garlic Broccoli recipe has been super popular!
Want more ideas for cauliflower? Don’t miss this Ultimate Guide to Cauliflower!
Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Pasta from Two Healthy Kitchens is a way of combining them into a main course.

This Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower Recipe is on a Meal Prep Menu:

One more thing! This recipe is part of my Meal Prep Menu which includes five make ahead dinners! In this plan, I give you the prep list, shopping list and plan to prep on the weekend, so you can have all your weeknight meals ready to go with 20 minutes (or less) of time in the kitchen!

Monday: Stuffed Shells with Spinach and salad with Lemon Juice Salad Dressing
Tuesday: Cod Fish Tacos with refried black beans
Wednesday: Sloppy Joes and this Roasted Broccoli and Cauliflower with Cheese
Thursday: Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Friday: Greek Pizza and lemony green beans

To get the full details, print your shopping list and get started, head over to the Meal Prep Menu to check it out!

Thanks so much for reading. If you make this recipe, please come back and let me know by leaving a star rating and review. If you’re new here you may want to sign up for my email list or follow me on instagram to keep up with the latest posts.

Happy Cooking!

~Katie