Crispy Baked Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Cauliflower

Whole breaded baked cauliflower in a cast iron skillet with a slice cut out.

5 from 2 votes

Crispy Baked Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Cauliflower

A whole head of cauliflower stuffed with a cheesy spinach and artichoke filling, topped with crispy parmesan Panko breadcrumbs and baked to golden brown perfection.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Side, Side Dish, Side Dishes

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 249kcal

Author: Jessica

Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower 3-4 lbs
½ cup artichoke hearts 5-6
3 oz baby spinach leaves about 2 packed cups
4 oz cream cheese softened
½ cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
2 eggs
1 clove fresh garlic roughly minced
½ teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Crispy Panko Topping

½ cup plain Panko breadcrumbs
¼ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees f. Bring a large pot of very salty water to a boil.
Carefully remove the outer leaves of the cauliflower. With a sharp paring knife, remove as much of the stem as you can while keeping the whole cauliflower intact.
Carefully lower the whole cauliflower into the boiling water and boil for exactly 6 minutes, flipping over in the water halfway through. Remove and let drain and cool.
In the bowl of a food processor combine cream cheese, jack cheese, eggs, minced garlic, salt and pepper. Pulse a few times to combine.
Add artichoke hearts and baby spinach leaves and pulse until spinach leaves look like roughly chopped herbs. The filling will be loose.
Fill a large piping bag or resealable disposable/compostable bag with the filling and cut a small hole in the tip or corner.
Carefully turn the cauliflower stem side up and pipe the filling into the nooks and crannies of the cauliflower. You may need to use your fingers to gently poke it down. It may leak out of the top a little bit, that is ok. Keep going.
When the cauliflower is filled, carefully flip it over into a baking dish. Drizzle the top all over with a tablespoon of olive oil.
In a small bowl, stir together panko breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and remaining olive oil.
Press breadcrumb mixture all over the head of the cauliflower. If the topping falls around the edges, use a spatula to push them up as close to the cauliflower as possible.
Bake for 40-45 minutes until knife tender. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing into wedges and serving.

Notes

Mozzarella cheese can be substituted for Monterey jack.

For gluten free, substitute gluten free panko breadcrumbs.

Nutrition