Name: Parmesan Fried Cauliflower
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 7 min
Total time: 22 min
Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower; 1/3 cup all purpose flour; 1/2 cup warm water; 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 large egg; 1/2 cup canola oil

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Fresh steamed cauliflower dipped in a flour and grated Parmesan cheese batter; then pan fried until golden brown.

Cauliflower is one of my family's favorite vegetables and my husband loves it breaded and fried, like his mom used to make it. We don't eat a lot of fried foods now, but I came across this recipe for Parmesan Fried Cauliflower and just had to try it.

Usually my mother in law will bread it like chicken cutlets; then fry it in oil and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. My family devours it! This recipe uses a flour batter instead of breadcrumbs so I was curious to see how it tasted and it was a hit!

Ingredients Needed

For this recipe you'll need the following ingredients:

Cauliflower
All Purpose Flour
Warm Water
Grated Parmesan Cheese (or Pecorino Romano)
Salt
Garlic Powder
An Egg
Canola Oil

Personally, my family likes the flavor and texture of fresh cauliflower, but you can use defrosted frozen cauliflower florets as long as you drain them well to soak up any additional moisture before battering them.

How do you make Parmesan Fried Cauliflower?

Start by cutting the whole head of cauliflower down into florets so they're in bite sized pieces; then add them to a steamer pot. Cover the lid and steam the cauliflower until it is fork tender; approximately 5 minutes after the water comes to a boil.

Remove the cauliflower from the pot and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, water, cheese, salt, garlic powder and egg; then whisk until the batter is smooth. Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. You'll need enough oil to come up about ¼-inch up the sides; just enough to fry and not submerge the cauliflower florets.

Test the oil to make sure it's hot by adding a drop of batter or water to the oil. If the oil "pops", it's hot enough to start frying.

Dip each floret into the batter; then place in the pan to start frying. Repeat for all pieces making sure each piece touches the pan and are not overlapping. Fry for approximately 5-7 minutes; turning as each side turns golden brown.

Remove the cauliflower; then drain on paper towels to remove any excess oil before serving. If you'd like, you can also sprinkle a little extra grated cheese on top.

Serving Suggestions

Honestly, this Parmesan Fried Cauliflower didn't even make it paste coming out of the pan; let along to be served with anything because my family was devouring them! But here are a few suggestions:

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