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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I love roasted cauliflower. I could eat it every day. I wish it was not so expensive. When I see it on sale I buy as much as I can.
Jenn- do you think this can be made ahead and reheated in the oven? If so, how long and at what temp? I’ve been asked to bring roasted cauliflower for Thanksgiving . . . . Thanks!
Hi Bridget, Yes, it can definitely be made ahead. Just reheat at 350 for 10-15 min, or until hot 🙂
We try to cook and eat as low carb as possible and this is one of my go-to recipes for side dishes. It makes cauliflower so much better than the old steamed, cheese drenched recipes. Usually this has to bake longer than the recipe calls for to get the browned parts. Maybe I’m cutting the florets a little bigger. Line your baking sheet with foil and clean up is a breeze!
i have done this and it’s delicious! problem is i eat it all up before the kids can even try it! it does work equally well w/ broccoli…i believe ina garten has a recipe for the roasted broccoli which includes basil, garlic, cheese, maybe pine nuts? anyway, we’ve done that one (sort of) and just go back to the basic way most of the time…yummmm….(roasting carrots w/o the cheese is yummy too)
This was a huge hit with the family – especially the hubby. Kids usually only will eat cauliflower smothered in cheese…I prepped this in a pan and my Hubby made it on the grill.
Sooo good. My teenager often asks for this one!
Jenn, this recipe is so good that I barely got a taste of it myself I just made it as a kind of last minute thing to go with some Lamb Patties and Wilted Spinach “Salad:.
I did make a few TINY changes (adaptations) I instead of plain black pepper, I used a freshly ground Garlic-Pepper (we are garlic lovers) and at the end used a combination of Pecorino Romano and grated/shredded Asiago (not sure if that made ANY difference.) But the bottom line is this dish is genuinely delicious and something about ROASTING as the cooking method seems to make an enormous difference in the flavor quality.
Notes:
1. It’s a good idea to stir and check the cauliflower frequently. I did have to turn the oven temperature after about 10 minutes otherwise the florets can easily char or burn.
2. I’m just guessing here – but I can’t imagine this recipe working well with frozen (thawed) cauliflower – I think it might end up as a watery, mushy mess. But if I’m wrong I hope someone will correct me!
I’m a huge fan of this recipe. So easy and a great way to add a ton of flavor to vegetables. My 2-year old loves this, as do we! Wouldn’t change a thing.
This recipe is really good, but to suit my taste a little more, I thinly sliced garlic cloves and tucked them into the florets to perfume them while roasting. Garlic helps everything, right?
This has become one of my favorite go-to recipes. It is fast, easy and delicious!