How to Roast Cauliflower – A Simple Guide

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Roasted cauliflower has recently become a favorite vegetable in our house and I’m pretty convinced it’s because I finally discovered how to roast it right.  Well that and I found a few great blends of spices that everyone loves! I haven’t made a “how-to” on roasted vegetables yet, and I’m hoping that my simple method will help you get creative with veggies in your house, too.

Roasting is the method I use to cook many of the vegetables we eat in our house.  I find that my kids, and me and the hubby too, are much more likely to eat the good stuff if it’s been roasted. There is just something about those super caramelized bits  that none of us can get enough of!

So why a “how to roast cauliflower” tutorial to start with?  Well, mostly because I like to share what we have really been eating here and this is in heavy rotation.  I also think it’s one of the simplest vegetables to roast well, and to make taste great. You know me, I’m all about keeping it simple.  

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Why do you like to roast instead of steam?

When I roast cauliflower I like to really let it caramelize on the pan, which allows the natural sweetness of the vegetable to come out.  I also happen to think that roasting veggies is a super simple way to serve them. With just three basic steps: chop, olive oil, season it can’t get much easier. 

We all agree that it’s easier to eat our veggies when they taste good right?  I have yet to find a way to season steamed veggies so they really pack a punch in the flavor department.  Sure you can add flavoring to the steaming liquid, but beyond that salt, pepper and lemon, I’ve been stuck.

However, with roasting, the sky’s the limit.  You can toss cauliflower in almost any spice you like and it’s going to taste delicious. 

Why?

Well, cauliflower especially has a very neutral flavor and will absorb the flavor of the spices really well during roasting.  This means, if you spice it up well with a flavor you love, your roasted cauliflower will be something dreams are made of!

What flavors pair well with cauliflower?

Some of the flavor combinations I’ve been using on my roasted cauliflower follow.  Please note that some of spice blends come premixed and some I’ve made up along the way.  I do not have exact measurements because I eyeball it every time. Let me know if you want exact measurements, I’m happy to help you get it right.

• Za’atar spice: a blend of roasted sesame seeds, thyme or oregano, marjoram sumac.  I get mine from Israel when friends and family travel, but you can find lots of varieties of it on your grocery store shelf. Some don’t have salt, so you may want to add a bit. 
• Shawarma spice: I like either Leibers or Pereg brand.  I like to add a bit of salt to these blends to really bake the cauliflower shine.

• Savory popcorn blend: paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, coarse kosher salt
• Sweet and smokey blend: brown sugar, smoked paprika, chili powder, kosher salt
• Light and fresh: salt and pepper, roast with lemon slices, squeeze lemon over top and sprinkle with Parmesan at the end

How healthy can roast cauliflower really be?

Super duper healthy in my opinion.  We use a healthy fat, olive oil and spices to create a truly delicious vegetable.  One of the great things about roasting vegetables, is that you can bring out it’s natural flavors without much added to it.  Not only are there very few ingredients used when roasting cauliflower but it has some great health benefits too.

Cauliflower is not only a great source of fiber (if you are going to eat a ton of it, be sure to keep the water bottle nearby 😉), but is also chock full of vitamins.  It has almost all of the vitamins in it that our body needs. Wow! There are good antioxidants hiding in there, and can help reduce the risk of a variety of diseases. (source: healthline.com)

And finally, here’s how to roast cauliflower:

There are two main methods for roasting a cauliflower:

1. Roast the whole head of cauliflower
2. Cut it up into pieces and roast from there

Today, I’m going to share with you how I roast the cauliflower once it’s been cut up into pieces.  If you are looking for a great whole roasted head of cauliflower check out this recipe from Bon Appetit.

So that’s where we start.

Cutting a cauliflower is actually quite simple.  You’ll first want to peel back all of the green leaves that are attached to the stem.  Once you’ve done that, you’ll want to wash the whole head of cauliflower, removing any bits that don’t look good.

I like to cut the cauliflower in half next, then cut out the stem on each side.  You can chop the stem up and roast it along with the florets…being sure to chop them into the same size pieces so they roast at the same speed.

Once you have the two halves, I cut the big florets off the larger “branches” and then I break the rest up with my hands for the most part.  I like to get the pieces to all be close to the same size and I try to have a flat side on each piece for optimum caramelization.

Now, prepare you baking sheet. I like to use half sheet pans for this, to give me the most surface area, while still easily fitting in my oven. You can either roast directly on the sheet pan, or use a piece of parchment paper like I do.  I do not recommend roasting on aluminum foil. All those creases prevent optimum browning (in my opinion).

now, you can go one of two ways:  

Either toss the cauliflower into a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, add your spices and then spread out on the baking pan OR you can spread out on the baking pan, then drizzle, spice, and shmear.  It’s up to you.

method #1:

• take your cut up cauliflower and put it in a mixing bowl. 
• drizzle it with about a tablespoon of olive oil (more if you had a very large head of cauliflower).  You want to make sure things are coated, but not soaked.  
• then sprinkle in your spices.  A tablespoon should do, but use more or less depending on what you like.  
• now that everything is in the bowl, toss it all together.  I like to use my hands, but two wooden spoons work, or a good shake will do the trick.
• take the coated cauliflower and spread it out on your prepared baking sheet

method #2:

• take your cut up cauliflower and spread it out on your prepared baking sheet
• drizzle the cauliflower with about a tablespoon of olive oil (more if you had a very large head of cauliflower).  You want to make sure things are coated, but not soaked.  
• then sprinkle in your spices.  A tablespoon should do, but use more or less depending on what you like.  
• Now use your a hands to rub the spices and olive oil in the cut-up pieces on the cauliflower and spread them out again

now you are you ready to roast!

I like to roast my vegetables at 425 degrees.  Hot enough to ensure caramelization, not so scorching (like over 450 degrees) that they burn and don’t get cooked through all the way.  

You’ll want to cook the cauliflower about 20-30 minutes.  It really depends on your oven, how brown and crispy you like them, and how cooked through you like your veggies.  We like our super crispy and delicious, so I tend to go a bit longer.  

An important note:  Always check on things in your oven as no two ovens cook exactly the same way.  Use you nose to smell if things are done and your eyes to check on how they are cooking…poke the veggies with you finger (carefully) even to see if they feel right to you.  This is all about a method, not an exact recipe!

Tips and Tricks:

• Roast cauliflower is great for meal prep.  Simply cut up the head of cauliflower on the day you are meal prepping.  When you come to the day you want to use it, just spread on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, season and roast!
• I love roasted cauliflower in salads with a lemony dressing. Add some couscous, quinoa or other whole grain and some chopped nuts for a satisfying lunch.

Looking for other easy veggie forward recipes? Check these out!

• zucchini quiche
• cauliflower mac ‘n cheese
• artichoke pasta bake

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