Chili Roasted Cauliflower with Mexican Cheese

OMG! I did NOT see this one coming... Such an amazing dish! Fresh cauliflower florets, tossed with chili, cumin, garlic, and onion and then roasted until caramelized and tender. And that canopy of Mexican cheese... you can't stop eating this! My mouth is watering just looking at this picture, remembering... Insanely easy to prepare too (the oven does everything).

I'm not kidding - I didn't expect this side dish to blow my mind. But it did (and everyone else eating at my house that day, including 15 teenagers). My first thought was to create a dish for the few vegetarians in the crowd. I knew they would love the earthy, Mexican-inspired flavor on the toasty cauliflower. That would have been sufficient; but the cheese took the nearly perfect roasted vegetable to the next level. Mexican seasonings, caramelized cauly, sharp/gooey cheese. It's a winning dish on EVERY level.

Mexican cheese blends are the perfect combo of sharp and gooey - so you get equal parts zing and stringy in one bite. In this case, it's the ideal partner for the veggie. If you want a vegan dish, substitute equal parts cheddar-like cheese and mozzarella-like cheese - for the sharpness and meltiness this dish thrives on.

Chili Roasted Cauliflower with Mexican Cheese

2 heads cauliflower, stalks removed and florets rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Salt and ground black pepper
1 cup Mexican cheese blend of choice
Fresh cilantro leaves for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the cauliflower in a large bowl, add the olive oil and toss to coat. Sprinkle over the chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, and onion powder and then toss to coat. Transfer the cauliflower to a roasting pan and season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast for 15 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Uncover and roast for 15 more minutes, until the florets are tender, stirring halfway through cooking.
Top with the cheese and return the pan to the oven. Roast for 3 to 5 more minutes, until the cheese melts. Sprinkle cilantro leaves over top and serve.

Serves 4-6