If you love cauliflower, take it to the next level by roasting it whole. This easy roasted whole cauliflower recipe is so easy to make! Top it with my homemade creamy alfredo sauce, and you have an incredible side dish.

You can see the beautiful crust that bakes into this baked cauliflower head. It is perfect for holding sauces!

Mr. Fearless Dining loved this baked whole cauliflower. We roasted it and then topped it with my easy homemade alfredo sauce. It is restaurant-quality…better than anything he has tried. (And yes, Mr. Fearless Dining is the one who ALWAYS orders the roasted whole cauliflower off the menu!)

If dinner is a big part of your family’s evening, give some of my gluten free dinner recipes a try, too!

A hand sprinkling sunflower seeds on a roasted whole cauliflower.

Homemade alfredo sauce is so easy! If you haven’t made an Alfredo sauce from scratch yet, you will LOVE how easy this is to make. This sauce is so good on pasta, vegetables, baked potatoes; anywhere you could put a sauce.

This alfredo sauce is even delicious on gluten free pizza instead of a red sauce!!

Two heads of cauliflower on the grill.
I brushed pesto on this cauliflower before putting it on the grill!

Ways to cook a whole cauliflower:

Whole, not chopped up into pieces! Here are my favorite ways to cook a whole cauliflower:

  • Bake it in the oven as I did.
  • Toss the whole cauliflower head on the grill (see picture below).
  • Cook it in a pressure cooker (though it won’t get crispy on the outside.)
Roasting a Whole Cauliflower Head next to a roast wrapped in bacon in a pan.

You can even toss the whole cauliflower in a pan and bake it with your other dinner items! Add my easy creamy alfredo sauce recipe, and you have a delicious, easy meal!

Recipe step-by-step directions:

Let’s make that creamy alfredo sauce while your cauliflower is roasting.

Roasting garlic in oil in a skillet.

Step 1: Saute olive oil and garlic in a skillet over medium-low heat.

Simmering homemade alfredo sauce in pan.

Step 2: Add heavy cream and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to simmer.

Homemade Alfredo Sauce simmering in a pan.

Step 3: Add the parmesan cheese. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.

This is the ultimate sauce for all of your cooking!! If you LOVE cauliflower, try this Turmeric Lime Cauliflower recipe. You can roast the cauliflower in cut pieces or whole! Even my kids love it!!

Top view of a whole roasted cauliflower topped with alfredo sauce.

Fun toppings:

  • Try crispy fried shallots. You can make these by sautéing with garlic and olive oil in a pan. It will get crispy and delicious!
  • You can top your roasted cauliflower with a simple marinara sauce.
  • Make an enchilada out of it with enchilada sauce (like Hatch gluten free brands), and add cheddar cheese on top!
  • For this recipe, I added some sunflower or pumpkin seeds and scallions, and enjoy!

Serve it with:

Roasted Whole Cauliflower with Homemade Alfredo Sauce

Sandi Gaertner
Easy whole roasted cauliflower with four ingredient alfredo sauce.
5 from 4 votes
an egg free allergen icon
gluten free allergy icon
nut free allergen icon
soy free allergy icon
vegetarian icon
Prep Time 7 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Course Gluten Free Side Dish Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 2 people
Calories 521 kcal

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients
  

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 large garlic clove minced, or 2 small cloves
  • 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Wash a cauliflower and cut off the leaves.
  • Place in pan. Brush with olive oil, then sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden.
  • In a saucepan, add oil and garlic. Saute 2 minutes.
  • Add heavy cream. Turn heat to low and simmer until it gently boils.
  • Turn off heat and add parmesan cheese.
  • Drizzle the sauce over the roasted cauliflower. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and scallions. Eat hot.

SPECIAL NOTE

Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 521kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 10gFat: 48gSaturated Fat: 29gPolyunsaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 2gCholesterol: 139mgSodium: 329mgFiber: 7gSugar: 9g
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Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

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Recipe Rating




13 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Loving the idea of an Alfredo sauce over a whole roasted cauli, that really sounds like the perfect garnish!

    1. Thank you so much Kavey. Alfredo is one of the few sauces my picky child will eat 🙂

  2. Cauliflower is becoming my favorite vegetable. It can so easily transform into anything we want. This recipe looks delicious!

  3. As much as I love the idea of a roasted cauliflower head, you really got me distracted by that bacon wrapped roast! Both look mouth watering!