↑

Delicious Little Bites

Loving Life One Bite at a Time

  • About
    • Disclosure Statement
    • Work With Me
    • Contact Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Low Carb
  • Gluten Free
  • Vegetarian
  • Desserts
  • Privacy Policy
You are here: Home / Recipes / Side Dishes / California Blend Vegetables with Parmesan Bread Crumbs

California Blend Vegetables with Parmesan Bread Crumbs

Published August 21, 2019. Last updated June 25, 2020 by Lauren Vavala

Thanks for sharing!

California Blend Vegetables with Parmesan Bread Crumbs is a mixture of broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower topped with Parmesan bread crumbs. A hint of cayenne brings a touch of heat to this very delicious side dish!

California Blend Vegetables with Parmesan Bread Crumbs in a white casserole dish with a black and white striped napkin

This post contains affiliate links. See our Disclosure Statement for more information.

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. Up until maybe 8-9 years ago, I couldn’t cook to save my life.

Even following a recipe, somehow I would manage to create only an inedible mess that looked nothing like the picture.

I think my mom probably thought I was a lost cause. I can actually remember her saying: “How can you be Italian?” And, just recently, we did find out we are far more Greek than Italian – ha!

I’ve mentioned before that I did follow a strict vegetarian diet for over 10 years.

My meals mostly consisted of rice, beans, pasta, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, of course.

The one meal I did make was this California Blend Vegetables with Parmesan Bread Crumbs recipe. It must be impossible to mess up, because I have never made a bad batch.

I would literally eat this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

The recipe originally started off as something completely different, and over time, I made it my own. I even turned it into California Blend Vegetable Soup too!

Why This Recipe Works

  • It makes a great vegetarian main dish, or you can enjoy it as a side dish.
  • This is a quick and easy recipe to make all year round.
  • You can make this mild or spicy, depending on your own preferences.

How to Make California Blend Vegetables with Parmesan Bread Crumbs

Prep!

Broccoli, cauliflower, and carrots in a silver bowl

Cut the carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower into bite-size pieces.

Melt the butter in the microwave (15-30 seconds usually does the trick) and grate the Parmesan cheese, if necessary.

Tip: cut the vegetables into even bite-size pieces to ensure even cooking.

Preheat your oven to 350°F.

Create!

Add the vegetables and melted butter to a medium size bowl and stir to coat the vegetables in the butter.

Parmesan bread crumbs in a light blue bowl close up

In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, panko bread crumbs, and cayenne pepper (if using), mix well.

Tip: simply omit the cayenne pepper if you don’t like spicy food or want to make this dish family-friendly.

Broccoli, cauliflower and carrots tossed with Parmesan bread crumbs in a silver bowl

Add the bread crumbs to the bowl of vegetables. Toss to coat.

NOTE: a lot of the bread crumbs will fall to the bottom of the bowl – we will use these in the next step.

California blend vegetables in a white casserole dish before baking

Carefully pour the vegetables into a medium-size baking dish.

Evenly spread the extra bread crumbs from the bottom of the bowl all over the top of the veggies.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork-tender and the bread crumbs are golden brown.

Present!

Close up of California Blend Vegetables baked in a white casserole dish

Serve hot and enjoy!

Tips and Techniques for the Best California Blend Vegetables

  • Use fresh vegetables for the best results.
  • Butter is not necessarily needed for this recipe. I usually make it without, but the bread crumbs will be drier.
  • The measurements for the vegetables are all adjustable to your own preferences.
  • Use gluten free bread crumbs to make this dish gluten free.

FAQ’s

  • What are California Blend vegetables? California blend vegetables are a combination of cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots.
  • Can you use frozen California Blend vegetables? While fresh is always best for taste and texture, you can use frozen vegetables, if needed.

Other Recipes to Try

  • Keto Broccoli Casserole
  • Loaded Cauliflower Bites
  • Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts Medley

Love this California Blend Vegetables with Parmesan Bread Crumbs recipe? Follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook for more!

Broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower baked with parmesan bread crumbs in a white casserole dish with a black and white striped napkin
Print

California Blend Vegetables with Parmesan Bread Crumbs

A mix of broccoli, carrots, and cauliflower topped with Parmesan bread crumbs. A hint of cayenne brings a touch of heat to this very delicious side dish!
Course Side Dish
Cuisine American, Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 8 servings
Calories 72kcal
Author Lauren Vavala

Ingredients

  • 2 cups carrots * cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 cups broccoli florets * cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 cups cauliflower * cut into bite-size pieces
  • 2 tablespoons butter * melted
  • 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese * grated
  • 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper * optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350F.
  • Add the chopped vegetables and melted butter to a medium size bowl.
  • Stir to coat the vegetables in the butter.
  • In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan cheese, panko bread crumbs, and cayenne pepper (if using). Mix well.
  • Add the Parmesan cheese mixture to the bowl of vegetables and mix well.
  • Pour the vegetables into a medium-size baking dish, evenly spreading any extra bread crumbs from the bottom of the bowl all over the top of the veggies.
  • Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.
  • Remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are fork-tender and the bread crumbs are golden brown.

Notes

Tips and Techniques for the Best California Blend Vegetables

  • Use fresh vegetables for the best results.
  • Butter is not necessarily needed for this recipe. I usually make it without, but the bread crumbs will be drier.
  • The measurements for the vegetables are all adjustable to your own preferences.
  • Use gluten free bread crumbs to make this dish gluten free.
** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 72kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 126mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 5615IU | Vitamin C: 35.1mg | Calcium: 68mg | Iron: 0.5mg

This recipe was originally published on September 5, 2018. It was updated with new images, more thorough instructions, tips, techniques, and FAQ’s in August 2019.

Related Posts

Roasted Butternut Squash medley with brussels sprouts, cranberries, walnuts, and goat cheese with a spatula lifting some up
Roasted Fall Vegetables (with Cranberries and Maple Walnuts)
close up of quinoa pilaf in an orange wood bowl over a white background
Quinoa Pilaf
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Brussels Sprouts, Cranberries, and Walnut on a Blue Plate with a Blue Napkin
Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with Brussels Sprouts
A Bowl of Spring Risotto with a Yellow Napkin
Spring Vegetable Risotto
Keto Greek Salad with Greek Salad Dressing

Filed Under: Main Dish, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetarian

Comments

  1. Bob says

    January 5, 2021 at 3:22 pm

    Do you think I could substitute cheddar cheese instead?

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      January 5, 2021 at 9:03 pm

      Hi Bob, I think using cheddar cheese will work out just fine. Obviously the flavor will be a bit different but I like cheddar on veggies too 🙂

      – Lauren

      Reply
  2. Abigail says

    December 20, 2020 at 11:22 pm

    Can you add mushrooms to this dish??

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      December 21, 2020 at 10:09 am

      Hi Abigail! I’ve never added mushrooms to this recipe and I don’t recall any feedback that anyone else has, but I really don’t see why you couldn’t. If you give it a try, please let us know how it works out 🙂

      – Lauren

      Reply
  3. Teena says

    December 16, 2020 at 12:13 pm

    Love this dish and have made it several times always using fresh veggies. I’m in a bind today and if I were to use frozen vegetables would they need to be thawed before baking?

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      December 16, 2020 at 8:25 pm

      Sorry Teena! My spam filter is a beast and I am just now seeing this in the mix. You can use frozen veggies to make this (my mom always does). You will either want to defrost them first or increase the bake time. I’d lean more towards defrosting first so that you don’t potentially burn the breadcrumbs if it takes too much extra time to heat through.
      Hope it works out just as great for you!!

      Lauren

      Reply
  4. Ashley says

    December 8, 2020 at 5:20 pm

    Can you make this in the instant pot too?

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      December 8, 2020 at 6:52 pm

      Hi Ashley. I’m not sure an Instant Pot would work very well for this recipe as a whole. Since you need liquid in the pot for it to work, you could really only cook the veggies in there and would still have to transfer it to a baking dish to top with bread crumbs and bake until crispy.

      Hope this helps some.

      – Lauren

      Reply
  5. Joyce Gonzalez says

    November 25, 2020 at 1:25 pm

    I love your recipe! A side dish we use every year for Thanksgiving!

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      November 25, 2020 at 9:23 pm

      Thank you soooo much!!

      Reply
  6. Natalie says

    July 18, 2020 at 4:57 pm

    This looks delicious but I will probably substitute the cayenne for Italian seasoning cause I don’t like spicy foods.

    Reply
  7. Georgie says

    October 3, 2018 at 12:31 pm

    This would make a great side dish for Thanksgiving!!!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      October 6, 2018 at 4:37 pm

      I agree – it’s so easy to make too!

      Reply
  8. Danielle says

    October 3, 2018 at 11:51 am

    I am always looking for new veggie packed dishes to try and this is now next on my list.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      October 6, 2018 at 4:37 pm

      Hope you love it!

      Reply
  9. Maria says

    October 3, 2018 at 11:44 am

    Roasted vegetables are always so delicious this time of year! Such a vibrant dish.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      October 6, 2018 at 4:38 pm

      Thanks Maria!

      Reply
  10. Michelle says

    October 3, 2018 at 11:34 am

    I love this, I could easily have this as a main meal. I’ve just gone back to a vegetarian diet and this will be perfect for a quick and easy dinner.

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      October 6, 2018 at 4:38 pm

      I used to it as the main meal all the time!

      Reply
  11. Lisa Bryan says

    October 3, 2018 at 11:34 am

    Such an easy way to spruce up a veggie side dish – love it!

    Reply
    • Lauren says

      October 6, 2018 at 4:39 pm

      Thanks Lisa!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Welcome, I'm Lauren!

Delicious Little Bites is where I share all types of recipes from appetizers to desserts. You will also find plenty of keto, gluten free, and vegetarian recipes here to help you put a delicious meal on the table every night that the whole family will love! Read More...

as seen on


Copyright ©2021, Delicious Little Bites. All Rights Reserved.