oven fried italian cauliflower parmesan nuggets
Twisting up classic chicken parmesan in a vegetarian-friendly, bite-sized format with these Oven Fried Italian Cauliflower Parmesan Nuggets. Perfect of a little somethin-somethin happening tomorrow.
I usually dream up my best recipe concepts right upon waking at 4 am on Saturdays. For some reason, my brain goes into hyperdrive (preworkout probably helps this) and I’m able to see with some clarity what type of foods I want to try out during the upcoming week. Usually, in that same hour, I write my shopping lists and picture the styling of the photos I might take. Oftentimes, too, I continue my trains of thought while running or working out in the gym.
Obviously, I change my mind a lot and usually end up tweaking the concepts over the early days of the week, but that backbone is usually solidified in those dark, silent morning hours. I cultivated the habit of 4 am wakeups over a long period of time, mind you. I’ve adapted to functioning well before dawn, and I guess my brain followed suit. I see it as my alone time and a period to enjoy a lack of outside expectations.
Anyhow, that’s a little glimpse of my development process. It isn’t overly complicated, just perhaps a bit strange to those who don’t willingly open their eyes so early.
I remember these cauliflower nuggets as cropping up in my thoughts almost immediately after my alarm went off and I stumbled in the kitchen to fill my water bottle. I definitely thank my half-awake brain for this one. Saucy, cheesy, breaded with an Italian-seasoned breadcrumb blend, a wonderful multipurpose appetizer for a gathering or a quick but fun supper paired with pasta or garlic bread. Yumbo.
A Nugget of Knowledge
I use prechopped cauliflower in most of my cauli-themed recipes. Try to buy bags with mostly large florets (by large, I mean 1-2 inches at their widest points), but if you can’t find any good offerings, a big head of cauliflower is perfectly suitable.
Scoot the oven to 450 and line a big baking sheet with parchment. You can use two if your baking sheet isn’t large and in charge.
Prep your two bowls for the dredges. In the first, whisk up three eggs until a bit frothy. In the second, toss together breadcrumbs with a mix of Italian seasonings: dried basil, oregano, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Drop the cauliflower in the eggs and gently toss to coat. Then, working a couple of florets at a time, press the coated cauli into the breadcrumbs until each side is covered. Place the florets on the baking sheet(s) and repeat the breadcrumb dredge with all the remaining veggie.
Spray the cauliflower with oil. Bake 20 minutes, turning the florets once halfway through cooking time.
Marinara marinara..Batman?
Pull the crispy cauliflowers out of the oven and, if you needed two baking sheets, combine the nuggets onto one. You can push them close together at this point in preparation for the toppings.
Douse the shit out of the nuggets with marinara. I like these suckers saucy, so I use quite a lot of marinara. Sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese, and finish with heaps of fresh mozzarella. Pop the tray back in the oven for 10-15 minutes or so until the cheese melts, bubbles, and starts to turn a bit golden in parts.
I serve these dudes pretty simply: extra marinara on the side, maybe some pasta or garlic bread, and a good amount of chopped fresh basil. Basil and tomato just…*kisses fingertips and throws a gesticulating firework*. If you’re feeling extra, a few spoonfuls of pesto would be luscious.
Leftovers don’t keep their crunch too well, but if you do have some remaining for the next day, an option would be to warm the cauliflower in the oven at 350 for 8-10 minutes, then pile it into a hoagie or baguette with extra marinara (preferably warmed up as well).
Boom, cauliflower parmesan sandwich.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Check out my other cauliflower nibbles!
Baked Taco Crunch Cauliflower Wings with Salty Avocado Crema
Oven Fried Lemon Garlic Pepper Popcorn Cauliflower with Dill Ranch Dip
Oven Baked PB&J Cauliflower Wings
oven fried italian cauliflower parmesan nuggets
Ingredients
- 4 cups large cauliflower florets
- 3 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups plain breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp dried basil
- 2 tsp dried oregano
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- pinch each kosher salt and pepper
- 2 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store bought, plus more to serve
- 8 oz fresh mozzarella, roughly torn
- 3/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment, or two smaller ones.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a fork until lightly beaten. In a second bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, basil, oregano, paprika, garlic, onion, salt and pepper.
- Toss the cauliflower florets in the eggs until thoroughly coated. Then, working 2-3 florets at a time, coat all sides in the breadcrumbs, shaking off the excess. Set on the prepared baking sheets with a bit of space in between each. Repeat the breadcrumb dredge with all remaining cauliflower.
- Spray or drizzle the coated florets with oil. Bake 20 minutes, turning the nuggets halfway through. Remove the pans from the oven and set all the nuggets onto one sheet, if you needed to use two. Pour the marinara sauce evenly over the cauliflower. Sprinkle on the parmesan, then place the mozzarella overtop. Bake 10 minutes longer until the cheese melts and starts to turn golden.
- Serve the cauliflower nuggets with chopped fresh basil and additional marinara, as desired.
