I don’t know about you but sometimes I can think of a great main dish for dinner but side dishes can leave me staring blankly at the wall. The sheer act of thinking of something to cook for dinner every night can be overwhelming. Then you have to come up with a vegetable or two that your people will eat. It makes me want to take a nap! Enter Roasted Cauliflower! I’ve been roasting potatoes and butternut squash for years and finally thought to roast cauliflower. It’s delicious!
Cauliflower Your Way!
The best thing about this recipe is that it’s more of a guideline. You can use any spice or flavoring you like. Usually I sprinkle it with salt and pepper but there’s so much more you can do with it. Red chili flakes, minced garlic, curry powder, my Garlic Herb Steak Seasoning, or Cajun Seasoning are all amazing on cauliflower.
I’m going to give you my basic recipe then you can experiment and find your family’s favorite way to have Roasted Cauliflower!
Tips and Tricks will follow the recipe.
Roasted Cauliflower
- 1 head of cauliflower
- Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper
Trim any yucky leaves of the cauliflower but save any that are fresh and green. The leaves and stem are both delicous. Cut the cauliflower into quarters and then into big chunks. You can cut them apart or just break them up by hand. Break or cut each big chunk into smaller pieces to get uniform size florets. You want them to all be roughly equal in size so they will roast evenly.
Transfer the cauliflower onto a parchment lined baking sheet and pile loosely in the middle. Next drizzle generously with olive oil then toss to coat each floret with oil. The oil helps the cauliflower, or any vegetable, roast evenly. Spread the cauliflower into an even layer before sprinkling with salt and pepper. Here’s where you can change up the seasonings and get creative!
Roast the cauliflower in a 425 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes. The thick stem pieces should be tender and the edges should be getting brown and crispy. All you have to do now is get it on the table and enjoy!
Tips and Tricks
- Try different seasonings to go with your meal. For example, garlic and cumin with a mexican dinner.
- Use different oils. Drizzling with melted butter would be amazing!
- Roast broccoli and cauliflower together.
- Serve at room temperature with a dip for an appetizer.
- Use as a component of a rice bowl instead of as a side dish.
