Roasted Riced Vegetables with Garlic and Parmesan

Why This Recipe is a Keeper!

This recipe takes cauliflower rice to a colorful, festive level with additional vegetables, garlic, and nutty Parmesan cheese!

I was making Cauliflower Rice for a client one day and had some leftover carrots, red bell pepper, zucchini and yellow squash from some other recipes I made.

My clients don’t want bits and pieces of vegetables left in their refrigerator because they typically don’t cook. If I don’t have a specific use for it, there’s no guarantee I’ll use it either. If you’re a regular reader, you know I’m averse to food waste.

I decided to roast those odds and ends and stirred them into the cauliflower rice I had already made. Voila! Roasted Vegetable Rice with Garlic and Parmesan was born!

That night I got a text message from my client raving about it! They said it was a welcome change from just cauliflower rice.

Here’s how to make it!

How to Make Roasted Vegetable Rice with Garlic and Parmesan:

Recipe Ingredients:

Here’s everything you’ll need to make this recipe. See the riced vegetable recipe card below for the exact quantities.

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

• Cauliflower: Here’s where purchased “riced” cauliflower (also called cauliflower “pearls”) will save you some time. If you prefer to make it yourself, I recommend grating it rather than making it in a food processor. You’ll have “grains” that are more similarly sized than if you make it in a food processor. However, If you want/need to make them in a food processor, here’s a great tutorial on making riced vegetables from Cotter Crunch.
• Carrots: Save time by using purchased julienned carrots then chopping them.
• Red Bell Pepper: You can also use yellow or orange bell pepper; as long as it’s a sweet pepper. I’m not a fan of green bell pepper with cauliflower as the flavors “fight” (in my not-so-humble opinion).

Step-By-Step Instructions:

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
• Gather and prep all the ingredients.
• Line two baking sheets with nonstick aluminum foil.
• Spread the cauliflower pearls (riced cauliflower) onto the prepared baking sheet. Add the carrots, drizzle with olive oil, stir and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

• Place the diced red bell pepper, zucchini and yellow squash on the second baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

• Place both baking sheets in the oven and roast for 12 minutes.
• After 12 minutes, take both baking sheets out of the oven.
• Tent the sheet pan with the cauliflower and carrots with aluminum foil or another identically-sized sheet pan to keep it warm.
• Add the garlic to the pan with the zucchini, yellow squash and red bell pepper, stir it in and place it back in the oven for another 4-5 minutes.

• Remove it from the oven and toss the vegetables on both pans together. Add salt and black pepper to taste, Parmesan cheese and parsley.

• And serve!! Roasted Riced Vegetables with Garlic and Parmesan!

Chef Tips and Tricks:

• Zucchini and yellow squash are super easy to dice:
  • Remove the stem and flower end.
  • Cut into planks.
  • Stack half the planks and cut into strips.
  • Dice.
• If you don’t have nonstick aluminum foil, use regular aluminum and spray it with cooking spray.

What to Serve with Vegetable Rice:

• Seared Lamb Chops with Anchovy Butter
• Grilled Marinated Skirt Steak with Peperonata
• Easy Skillet Mediterranean Chicken
• Braised Pork Loin Roast in Dijon Mustard Sauce
• Pesto and Goat Cheese-Stuffed Chicken with Roma Tomatoes
• Chicken Milanese

More great no-waste recipes!

• Cream of Celery Leaves Soup
• Carrot Top Salsa Verde
• Whole Grain Croutons with Thyme Rosemary and Parmesan
• Purslane Chimichurri

Get all my best vegetable recipes here! Vegetable Side Dishes – From A Chef’s Kitchen