Day One: Roasted Cauliflower ♥ Recipe (2024)

Tips and tricks for roasting cauliflower, one of the classics of roasted vegetables, especially in winter.

~recipe & photo updated 2010 & 2015~

Roasted Cauliflower was the very first recipe that launched the year-long odyssey called A Veggie Venture back in 2005. Since then, it's a recipe that I've made again and again, some times without thinking, some times paying close attention. Here's what I've learned.

Roasting cauliflower – roasting it well, anyway – takes more than just cutting up a head of cauliflower and throwing it into a hot oven. A few tricks and techniques really make the difference between great roasted cauliflower and so-so roasted cauliflower.

Cauliflower needs to be cut into bite-size pieces, otherwise the cooking time is really lengthened.
When cutting the cauliflower, cut through the florets to create flat surfaces that will more easily caramelize against the hot pan. It's a little fussy, but when putting the cauliflower onto the pan for the first time, place the cut sides down.
Stir the cauliflower really-really-really well before cooking to fully distribute the olive oil; a big bowl helps, so does using your hands.
Like many vegetables, cauliflower shrinks when it roasts. A large head will feed four people but honestly, one hungry cauliflower lover could maybe gobble it all down!
To make roasted cauliflower a little bit ahead, roast for an hour at 350F. This will cook but not brown the cauliflower. Just before supper is served, blast the cauliflower at high heat 400F or 425F or even 450F for 5 - 10 minutes, just to rewarm and add some color and caramelization.
Fresh cauliflower is wonderful roasted, frozen cauliflower, not so good.

CAN YOU USE LESS OIL, THOUGH? I've tried using less oil to roast the cauliflower, including by attempting to "stretch" the oil with chicken broth as a delivery vehicle. But it just doesn't work, the olive oil is needed to encourage the deep roasting. I've been able to get it down to two tablespoons per large head, by combining the cauliflower and oil really (remember really-really-really) well but more oil means the cauliflower becomes especially dark and caramelized and roasts more quickly -- and has many more calories. Life is full of choices!

COMPLIMENTS!
"[My husband] encouraged our veggie-phobic 4-year-old, 'I don't like cauliflower either, but it tastes like popcorn.'" ~ MomJamin
"It was very tasty and good." ~ Didi
"I made this over the long weekend, and it was absolutely fantastic! Hands down, the BEST way to serve cauliflower!" ~ Gilly
"What a delicious recipe, especially for a South Beach dieter like me." ~ Sunny
"It was so good! I wished that I had 2 or 3 heads of cauliflower, I could have eaten it all." ~ Dazbee
"... it is a regular request from my husband." seashell

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