Roasted Cauliflower Recipe: Insanely Easy & Delicious

Pssst… I have to tell you a secret. Did you know that pretty much any vegetable is exponentially more tasty when it is roasted? Cauliflower is no exception! Simple oven-roasted cauliflower is one of our favorite ways to prepare and enjoy cauliflower. Even if you think you aren’t a “fan” of cauliflower, I say give this a try! It is so easy and delicious, it is actually insane. 

This roasted cauliflower recipe is also extremely versatile, easy to customize with various seasonings of your choice! You can even finish it off with seeds, nuts, or cheese if you’d like. I’ll give you the bare-minimum spice suggestions along with our top-favorite seasonings, but feel free to experiment and tweak your roasted cauliflower creations too. That is the beauty of cooking, after all!

For us, this recipe is the perfect opportunity to pair fresh garden produce with fresh herbs and various homegrown seasoning powders – though we still opt to keep our roasted cauliflower pretty dang simple. Also, if you need any tips on how to grow your own cauliflower, check out our cauliflower grow guide here!

Why Roasted Cauliflower Is So Good

First of all, cauliflower has many stellar health benefits. It is high in fiber, vitamins C & K, minerals, and cancer-fighting antioxidants. Studies show that the numerous compounds found in cruciferous vegetables (including cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower) help to either prevent or reduce the progression of cancer.

And then we roast it. That’s when the magic happens. 

When exposed to high and dry heat, foods take on a whole new complex flavor profile because of the chemical reactions that take place. Namely, caramelization.

According to the Science of Cooking, caramelization is an oxidative reaction that involves the removal of water (as steam) and the breakdown of the sugar. As the the browning process occurs, natural volatile chemicals are released that produce the characteristic caramel flavor.  Thus, roasting vegetables can transform their earthy, vegetal, sometimes slightly bitter taste into something sweet, nutty, and toasted instead!

So that is why the roasting can bring such a simple recipe or relatively bland veggies (such as cauliflower) to a whole new level – just like our roasted tomato sauce! If you haven’t discovered it yet, this simple roasted tomato sauce is a fan-favorite. It is literally just tomatoes, salt, and pepper, but puts store bought tomato sauce to shame. Okay, back to cauliflower.

INGREDIENTS

• Fresh Cauliflower – however much you’d like to roast. We usually do about a head at a time.
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt
• Black pepper
• Garlic powder. In the place of garlic powder, replace the salt with garlic salt, or use a few fresh cloves of chopped garlic.  See this tutorial to learn how to make your own garlic powder.

Those are the core spices I would recommend using. However, roasted cauliflower is also delicious with fresh herbs like thyme, oregano or sage! Other popular seasoning additions include red chili flakes, chili powder, curry powder, cumin, lemon powder, or even taco seasoning.

Like I said, this recipe is easy to customize as you see fit! We usually keep it pretty simple. In this particular batch of roasted cauliflower, we used the core seasonings in the bulleted list above, along with handful of fresh garden thyme and homemade onion powder.

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat your oven to 450°F
  
  
• Wash your cauliflower, and allow it to drain as much excess water as possible. Shake it out or even add it to a salad spinner if you have one. The less wet, the better it will roast, caramelize, and crisp.
  
  
• Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Try to keep them relatively consistent in size, as larger florets will take longer to roast than smaller ones. Or, you could cut it into 1-inch thick flat slices; cauliflower “steaks” if you will.
  
  
• In a large mixing bowl, toss the cauliflower with a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a sprinkle of sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and other seasonings (to taste). Add fresh chopped herbs or garlic if desired.
  
  
• Quick Tips: We don’t typically measure, but I suggest about 3-4 tablespoons of olive olive per average 2-pound head of cauliflower. Also, I usually sprinkle a light portion of seasonings over the top of the cauliflower, toss well, then add a little more, and toss again. Because cauliflower has so many spice-holding crevices, it is easy for the top layer to get over-seasoned while the pieces hidden in the bottom of the bowl get neglected.
  
  
• Spread out the seasoned cauliflower florets evenly on a baking sheet. You can line the pan with foil or parchment paper for easy clean-up. Using a bare pan or foil over parchment paper will result in an increasingly crispy roasted cauliflower.
  
  
• Roast the cauliflower on 450°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the florets begin to brown and the stems are fork-tender to your liking.
  
  
• Optional: In the last 5 minutes of roasting, sprinkle grated cheese such as parmesan, pecorino, or sharp cheddar over the roasted cauliflower. Or, add pumpkin seeds or shaved almonds for an excellent punch of crunch – and protein! Return everything to the oven until the cheese melts, or the nuts/seeds become toasted.
  
  
• Serve and enjoy. For an acidic zing, finish with fresh lemon zest (or lemon juice, if serving immediately). Store leftovers in the fridge and use within one week.

Ways to Use Roasted Cauliflower

Eat up! Needless to say, one way to enjoy your roasted cauliflower is simply as-is, on its own or as a side with your meal. It is exceptionally delicious hot and right out of the oven. Yet roasted cauliflower can bring a welcome pop of flavor and texture to a wide variety of dishes.

For example, serve your roasted cauliflower as a salad or pizza topping, with pasta or rice, part of a mixed vegetable antipasto, or in a cold rice, potato, or pasta salad. (If you’re a sourdough fan, be sure to try our sourdough pizza crust.) We especially love to add roasted cauliflower to soup, curry, lentils, and more!

I hope you enjoy this simple roasted cauliflower recipe as much as we do. Be sure to report back with a review to let us know how you liked it, and what seasonings you chose to use! As always, thanks for tuning in.