Cauliflower Parmigiana: A hearty vegetarian dinner, perfect for Meatless Mondays!
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Parmigiana style casseroles are a great excuse to drown an otherwise healthy in fried breadcrumbs, marinara, and melted cheese. Not that I really need an excuse to do that. I could never say no to an eggplant parm grinder anyway. I had this Cauliflower Parmigiana for the first time at my parent’s house recently and totally fell in love.
Cauliflower is kind of amazing stuff, isn’t it? It’s a fantastic vehicle for sauces and toppings since it’s own flavor is so mellow and versatile. Most times I just like roasting it with salt, pepper, and olive oil, but experimenting is lots of fun too. I’ve been dying to try making some cauliflower buffalo wings one of these days.
When my sisters and I were kids our family was full-time vegetarian. These days my parents eat a more varied menu, but they still make it a point to eat vegetarian meals twice a week. Meatless Monday was the first to be added to their routine. Later, my Dad added his own invention, Thoughtful Thursday, to the schedule.
After decades of vegetarianism, my mom has gotten quite good at spotting extra tasty recipes. Personally, she’s more of a traditional eater at heart (you will never find kale in her kitchen) so I know when I eat dinner with her on Monday or Thursday the meal will be hearty and crowd-pleasing.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2-3 eggs, beaten
- 1 cup flour
- 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
- 4 - 6 tablespoons cooking oil
- 2 cups marinara sauce
- 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 pinches salt and pepper.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 F.
- Remove leaves, and slice cauliflower into 1-inch wide steaks.
- Mix flour with a pinch of salt and pepper and place in shallow dish. Mix eggs with pinch of salt and pepper and place in another shallow dish. Place breadcrumbs in a third shallow dish.
- Dredge steaks in flour, then dip in eggs. Once coated, transfer to bread crumbs and toss until well covered.
- Heat oil in frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is piping hot, add cauliflower and fry on each side for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.
- Spread about 1/2 cup marinara sauce into the bottom of a casserole dish. Place fried cauliflower into dish, then top with remaining marinara sauce. Sprinkle cheese over the top.
- Bake cauliflower for 10 - 15 minutes, just long enough for the cheese to melt and brown a little bit. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 minutes before serving.
Looking for more hearty veggie-focused meals?
Check out my recipes for Creamy Chipotle Sweet Potato Quinoa Casserole and Black Bean Falafel Tacos. You can find even more meal ideas in my Meal Ideas recipe section.
