Roasted Cauliflower
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Caramelized roasted cauliflower is almost too good to be good for you.
The mild flavor of cauliflower makes it a wonderful blank canvas for other flavors — it’s a great stand-in for mashed potatoes (see cauliflower purée), fried rice (see cauliflower fried rice), or even steak (see cauliflower steaks) — but simple boiled or steamed cauliflower can be bland. Roasting is an easy way to boost cauliflower’s flavor without drowning it in a heavy sauce. When cooked in a blazing-hot oven, the florets become golden and caramelized on the exterior and creamy on the interior. You can roast cauliflower with only olive oil, salt, and pepper, but a few tablespoons of grated Pecorino Romano cheese add sharp, salty flavor — and a squeeze of lemon makes it practically habit-forming.
What You’ll Need To Make Roasted Cauliflower
Step-by-Step Instructions
In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower florets with the olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. (Alternatively, toss the cauliflower with the oil and seasoning directly on the baking sheet using a rubber spatula.)
Roast the cauliflower, stirring a few times to promote even browning, until tender and golden brown, about 20 minutes. (Keep an eye on it; you want the florets to develop deep golden spots. If it looks like they’re getting too dark, reduce the oven temperature.)
Sprinkle with the grated cheese, then taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot or room temperature.
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Roasted Cauliflower
Caramelized roasted cauliflower is almost too good to be good for you.
Ingredients
- 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2½ pounds), cut into florets about 1½" wide*
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated pecorino Romano cheese (or Parmigiano Reggiano)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and set a rack in the middle position. Line a baking sheet with heavy-duty aluminum foil.
- In a large bowl, combine the cauliflower florets with the olive oil, salt and pepper and toss to coat evenly. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. (Alternatively, toss the cauliflower with the oil and seasoning directly on the baking sheet using a rubber spatula.)
- Roast the cauliflower, stirring a few times to promote even browning, until tender and golden brown, about 20 minutes. (Keep an eye on it; you want the florets to develop deep golden spots. If it looks like they're getting too dark, reduce the oven temperature to 425°F.) Sprinkle with the grated cheese, then taste and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot or room temperature.
- *Dry the cauliflower florets well with a kitchen towel after washing, as too much moisture will prevent them from browning.
Nutrition Information
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- Per serving (4 servings)
- Calories: 151
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 8 g
- Sugar: 5 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 199 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Gluten-Free Adaptable Note
To the best of my knowledge, all of the ingredients used in this recipe are gluten-free or widely available in gluten-free versions. There is hidden gluten in many foods; if you're following a gluten-free diet or cooking for someone with gluten allergies, always read the labels of your ingredients to verify that they are gluten-free.
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this was so easy and delicious!
Outstanding! My whole family loved this. I love roasted veggies and don’t know why I never thought to roast cauliflower. Thank you!
What a beautiful dish-and it sounds delicious! I just bought quite a bit of pecorino romano cheese and have been wondering what to do with it-looks like I found my answer 🙂
This was simple and DELICIOUS! Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
Oh my gosh this is good. My husband and I ate the entire dish for dinner! Once again, it was great.
Yummiest cauliflower ever. Seriously, I think this is going to be my new snack food! Thanks Jen!
Chris 🙂
Another way to get cauliflower to brown is to sprinkle a very very tiny bit onto the pieces before you put them in the oven. You won’t taste the sugar, but it will help brown your veg. I’ve only made this with parmesan cheese before, so I’m looking forward to trying it with the romano. Thank you for sharing!
Getting the kids to eat a new veggie seriously deserves an award!!!!! This looks simply amazing!
I “rediscovered” this year just how much I love cauliflower. And yes, roasting it is best. If I can offer one tip, it would be to blanch the cauliflower for 3-5 minutes before baking. It makes a huge difference in the final product.
ooooh, I love cauliflower! I’ve struggled too with just WHAT to do with it, other than the obligatory nuke-in-microwave-cover-with-cream-sauce-nuke-again recipe from who knows when.
I gave up, and usually just eat it raw LOL..THIS I am going to try tonight! 🙂 *wonders if that would work just as well for broccoli…*