Roasted Romanesco

Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower with seasoned panko breadcrumbs is an easy veggie side dish recipe. Ready in under 30 minutes, this funky looking vegetable is kid-friendly, easily vegan, and is fast and easy to make. 

Do you ever walk down the produce aisle and stop in front of the green spiral cauliflower thing and wonder what the heck it is?!

Friends, that thing is Romanesco, and I am here to tell you that it's freaking delicious. I first bought it because I thought my toddler might think the freaky looking vegetable was cool... which he did, but when I put it on his plate he took one look and said, "I don't like it!"

But, I like Romanesco. In fact, I like it a lot. And I think you're going to like this Roasted Romanesco dish as well. Topped with buttery, crunchy, seasoned Panko bread crumbs? This is a vegetable that's worth getting freaky with.

What is Romanesco?

Good question. Romanesco is a member if the Brassica family, along with broccoli and cauliflower. Although it might look like it was created in a modern food lab, Romanesco has actually been around since the 16th century.

Some folks refer to it as Romanesco broccoli, but Romanesco cauliflower would describe the taste a little more accurately. You may also hear it referred to as Roman cauliflower or Broccoflower. Whatever you want to call it, it's a bit sweeter than either broccoli or cauliflower, and very delicious

As a bonus, Romanesco florets are easier to break apart than cauliflower, and less messy to break apart than broccoli. It's basically my dream vegetable.

How do you cook Romanesco Cauliflower?

It's easy to get your Romanesco mojo flowing! You can eat it raw, steam it, sauté it, or, like we're doing today, you can roast it. If you're looking for a Romanesco recipe to try, you can pretty much use it interchangeably with cauliflower in 99.9% of all recipes.

Today we're making a simple Roasted Romanesco recipe, which we're sprucing up with buttery toasted Panko breadcrumbs seasoned with parsley and Parmesan. The triple-P seasoning trick serves up crunch, salt, and herby goodness all at the same time. You're going to love it.

Tips for the best Roasted Romanesco

Roasted vegetables, like me, are at their best when they've got adequate personal space. If you crowd them into the pan they'll steam and won't come out crunchy. I tend to use two sheet pans to give my veggies enough space, whenever I can.

Much like a dude jumping into a cold lake, roasted vegetables are prone to shrinkage. So while it looks like a ton of raw Romanesco, you'll end up with a reasonable amount once roasted.

Please note! Not all ovens are created equal, and I do believe that mine runs on the hot side.  I've also got a convection oven, so gloriously browned and crunchy roasted Romanesco takes about 20 minutes in my oven, but it might take longer in yours.

I love this Romanesco recipe hot out of the oven, but I've also eaten it cold and at room temperature, both of which are perfectly pleasant. The Romanesco won't maintain it's crunch for long, so if it's crunch you're after, then please do serve this dish immediately.

Recipe notes:

• Where do I buy Romanesco? Check the produce aisle of your regular grocery store - it should be located near the broccoli and cauliflower. If not, chat to the friendly people at your local farmer's market or CSA program about where you can find it.
• I can't find Romanesco! Bummer, man. But you can totally use cauliflower in this recipe instead.
• Where do I buy Panko breadcrumbs? Check your Asian food aisle for Panko, but if you can't find it you can use regular breadcrumbs instead. They'll be slightly less crunchy, but we'll all survive.
• Can I make this recipe vegan? You bet you can! Just replace the butter with olive oil and replace the Parmesan with nutritional yeast for the seasoned bread crumbs.
• Do you have another Romanesco recipe to recommend? You can use Romanesco pretty much anywhere you'd use cauliflower, so you could use it in these Roasted Cauliflower Tacos or Roasted Cauliflower Hummus Bowls, for example.
• Can I roast frozen vegetables? You bet you can! Here's a guide to roasting frozen vegetables to help you out.

Hey Nutrition Lady, is Romanesco healthy?

You bet it is! Romanesco is a member of the cruciferous vegetable family, which includes broccoli, cauliflower, and kale.

Like other cruciferous vegetables, Romanesco is loaded with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory health benefits. It's an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K, and folate. It is a great source of vitamin B5, potassium, and a good source of protein, phosphorus, magnesium, vitamins B1-3, and iron.

Additionally, Romanesco is high in dietary fiber, which is great for gut health and for helping to keep blood sugar levels stable.

Other Recipes You Might Enjoy:

Miso Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Roasted Cauliflower Hummus Bowls
Crispy Potato Wedges
Cheesy Baked Spaghetti Squash
Lemony Roasted Tahini Cauliflower
Healthy Cauliflower Soup with Peas and Mint
Cauliflower Steak

This recipe was originally published February 19, 2019. It was retested, edited, and updated on February 25th, 2022.