Some think of cauliflower as bland and unimaginative, but I’d rather think of it as the perfect blank canvas. If you like to keep its essential taste, go ahead and steam or blanch your cauliflower in boiling water for 5 minutes or so. From there, jazz it up with your choice of spices and a good drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. And just like that, you’ve got yourself a healthy side dish. But if you’re looking for something more exciting and want to really taste the sweeter, much nuttier side of cauliflower, I highly recommend roasting. There is a secret to achieving sweet, tender, nutty, and perfectly charred oven roasted cauliflower. And I’m super excited to share this recipe and tips with you! If you haven’t worked with fresh cauliflower before, you may have a few questions…
How do I choose cauliflower?
Every good meal begins with good ingredients, so it’s important to select a good cauliflower. Here is what I look for
How to store fresh cauliflower?
If you’re not making this roasted cauliflower recipe right away, you should make sure to properly store the head of cauliflower. Most grocery stores will sell cauliflower heads sealed in plastic wrap. Once you get home, unwrap the cauliflower and pat it dry with a paper towel. Store it in a loosely sealed bag in the fridge (I like to add a clean paper towel in there to absorb moisture). It should keep well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Give the cauliflower head a quick whiff before using though, it should not smell bad.
How do you cut cauliflower for roasting?
Cutting a whole fresh cauliflower could not be any easier. You’ll need a good chef’s knife (affiliate link), and here is what you do:
Do you wash cauliflower before cooking?
The easiest way to wash cauliflower is once you’ve cut it up into florets. I simply place the florets in a colander and wash well under running water. It’s important to dry the florets well before roasting.
5 Tips for the best oven roasted cauliflower
The best oven roasted cauliflower is: perfectly tender and sweet, while caramelized and even charred in some parts on the outside. Here are a few tips:
Roasted cauliflower with cumin and lemon
Like I said earlier, cauliflower is an excellent blank canvas. Because it’s so plain, cauliflower is the perfect carrier for any number of flavors. And you can dress it up however you like. I usually drizzle the cauliflower with quality extra virgin olive oil first, then add spices and a pinch of salt and pepper. Give everything a good toss to distribute the spices well. This time, for my flavor choice, I’m going for a bit of a warm Moroccan theme: – Ground cumin. Cumin is the perfect compliment to caramelized oven roasted cauliflower, adding depth and warmth. Cumin is also a digestion-enhancing spice. This is good because while cauliflower is tasty super-food, for many of us, eating this cruciferous vegetable can cause some stomach issues. – Harissa spice blend. You may not be as familiar harissa, it is a unique spice blend which carries sweeter chili notes along with coriander, caraway and fennel. (If you haven’t tried it yet, find all-natural harissa at our online shop here!) – Fresh lemon juice to finish. While the spices are added to the cauliflower before roasting, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice is added to our hot-out-of-the-oven roasted cauliflower. This adds brightness and really rounds out flavor.
How to roast cauliflower (step-by-step)
recipe and video below
Flavor Variations
You can dress up cauliflower however you like. Sprinkle some nutty dukkah on top as a finishing touch. Or, try a different flavor combination altogether…you can use
Drizzle with Private Reserve extra virgin olive oil, then hit up the cauliflower with spices, salt and pepper. Toss to make sure everything is well coated. Spread well on baking sheet.
Cover with foil and roast in high-heated oven for 15 minutes, then uncover and roast until well caramelized and even charred in some places (make sure to rotate baking sheet occasionally, and turn cauliflower over). This will take about 30 minutes or so. You can adjust the cooking time, if you don’t like your cauliflower too caramelized or charred (but it’s so good this way!)
4-Transfer to a serving platter and, while nice and hot, hit it up with lemon juice. Garnish with toasted nuts and fresh parsley.
Try a bit of an Italian twist using dry oregano for your seasoning and finishing with a sprinkle of paremsan cheese Or try a combination of za’atar and sum
For me, fresh lemon juice over hot oven roasted cauliflower is a must no matter what combination of spices!
Can I roast frozen cauliflower?
Frozen cauliflower is convenient– it comes in bag already cut into florets and all. You can absolutely roast frozen cauliflower, although in this recipe, I used fresh cauliflower. You do not need to thaw frozen cauliflower in order to roast it, but be sure to toss the frozen florets in extra virgin olive oil and coat them well. And of course, season to your liking. From there, place the frozen cauliflower on a sheet pan and roast, but DO NOT cover with foil at any point.You want the high heat to evaporate any ice condensation on the frozen florets. Remember that frozen cauliflower had been blanched or steamed earlier before it was packaged to freeze, so they will likely roast more quickly. Do watch and turn the tray around, flip cauliflower over as needed.
What to serve it with
This roasted cauliflower is a super versatile dish. Great as an appetizer with tahini or hummus and warm pita bread. I often serve it as a side next to roast chicken, lamb or even salmon (lots more ideas below the recipe!) But you can easily turn roasted cauliflower into soup, dinner bowls or these tasty, wholesome vegan sandwich wraps! Ready to take your roasted cauliflower game to the next level? Be sure to check out this whole roasted cauliflower with an unforgettable lemony whipped feta sauce!
How to store leftovers
If you have any leftover roasted cauliflower, let them cool then refrigerate in tight-lid glass containers for 3 to 4 days. Leftovers are great cold or at room temperature! You may also like: Oven Roasted Broccoli with Lemon Roasted Cauliflower and Chickpea Stew Quick Roasted Tomatoes Mediterranean-Style Roasted Eggplant Easy Baked Zucchini with Thyme and Parmesan You may also enjoy 50+ Top Mediterranean diet recipes. For all recipes, visit us here. JOIN MY FREE E-MAIL LIST HERE. *This post first appeared on The Mediterranean Dish in March 2019 and has been recently updated with new information and media for readers benefit. Enjoy!
