I don’t have the best knife technique ever but sometimes I like to pretend that I have mad chopping skills. I especially love breaking down cauliflower. Once you get the core out you can just get into the zone cutting up the florets into tiny, bite-sized pieces. I love how cauliflower are fractal – no matter how small you cut the florets, you can still tell they’re cauliflower!
Cauliflower is one of those versatile vegetables that you can pretty much do anything to. Like my ultimate favourite vegetable, potatoes, they taste great boiled, steamed, baked, stir-fried, deep-fried and best of all, roasted. Roasting at high heat gives cauliflower a sweet, almost caramelized flavour. The florets end up soft, but not mushy. Roasted cauliflower is like cauliflower candy, no joke. I’m pretty sure I can eat a whole head myself.
Cauliflower were on sale recently so I went ahead and bought two. Excessive? Maybe. But for someone who falls into food obsessions, two heads of cauliflower is nothing. We’ve been eating roasted cauliflower for three days straight and counting and I’m loving it! Do yourself a favour and jump on the roasted cauliflower train – it’s a very tasty ride!
i am caramelized, i am roasted: i am roasted cauliflower!
Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
serves 4 generously as a side dish
- 1 head of cauliflower cut into small florets
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Toss the cauliflower in a large bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Line a large baking pan with tinfoil for easy clean up. Spread the cauliflower out on the pan and roast, stirring occasionally if needed, until tender and golden brown about 25-35 minutes, depending on the size of your florets.
22 Comments
Jenn says:
April 30, 2012 at 11:51 pm
I love roasted cauliflower! My fiance and I cook it a similar way, only we add lemon juice and cheddar cheese on top before we put it in the oven. It’s amazing!
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Wendy@ Salt and Wine says:
May 1, 2012 at 11:48 am
I love this! It’s simple, healthy and tasty – win, win, win!
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Eileen says:
May 1, 2012 at 12:27 pm
Roasted cauliflower is the best–certainly a far cry from the soggy boiled cauliflower of my youth. I think my favorite way to eat it is as a garnish for a thick tomatoy or peanutty soup or stew.
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May 1, 2012 at 3:11 pm
I love roasted cauliflower.I’m always interested to read other recipe’s to see if anyone has any clever spins, but olive oil with s&p is the simplest and the best. i’m all for the browner the better!
mary says:
May 1, 2012 at 6:41 pm
i believe this is the best way to eat cauliflower. great work!
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Patrick says:
May 1, 2012 at 11:33 pm
Awesome recipe! Gonna use this and make some cauliflower puree :)
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Rachel says:
May 2, 2012 at 6:43 am
I’m going o try this tonight, I hope my man likes it!
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Claudia says:
May 3, 2012 at 11:02 am
do you need to boil it?
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kale says:
May 3, 2012 at 1:51 pm
I always feel like I’ve got mad knife skills when I’m breaking down a cauliflower, too! I’m probably doing it all wrong.
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Kevin (Closet Cooking) says:
May 9, 2012 at 6:27 pm
Roasted cauliflower is so addictively good! I could easy snack on a whole head of it after coming out of the oven!
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milos says:
May 28, 2012 at 9:45 am
Still one of the best recipes I’ve found in a long time, thanks.
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Pat says:
June 30, 2012 at 1:17 pm
Nice, simple recipe!
A good trick – to really get a nice sear on the florets (and for that matter, on any roasted veggie) – is to stick the roasting pan in the oven (sans foil) while it heats. Then toss the florets on teh pan and put it in the oven. So good!Reply
InTime says:
July 18, 2012 at 1:07 pm
Mmmmmm… I like cauliflower especially with the cheese, then is the most delicious… Very good!
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Jenica says:
July 29, 2012 at 11:13 am
Add a little thyme in with the salt and pepper. From tasty to gourmet in seconds.
I like to make cauliflower soup by roasting on the stovetop in a large pot with an onion and pat of butter until soft. Then add a box of chicken stock. Simmer for 15 minutes then blend. One of the best simple foods ever.
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pearlinalotus says:
January 2, 2013 at 5:34 pm
Now this is an add on that I will try with the roasted cauliflower , sounds delicious!
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Lisa says:
September 17, 2012 at 10:11 am
The stem or the core of the cauliflower is just as good! I just take a pairing knife and remove the fibrous outer layer, then chop up into little pieces and toss along with the florets. It’s delicious!
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MeganSarah says:
December 17, 2012 at 11:04 am
perfect recipe- but lemon zest the minute it comes out of the oven takes it up that necessary notch.
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Janice says:
March 12, 2013 at 8:35 am
I added roasted garlic and turned the roasted cauliflower into faux mashed potatoes. Mmm mmm mmm!
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TvOnTheWeb says:
March 28, 2014 at 11:58 am
It was so delicious. I added some broccoli and garlic even better. Recipe so simple yet delicious.
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Daniel says:
August 24, 2021 at 9:16 am
Often the simplest is the best. Great recipe!Reply
