Easy Roasted Cauliflower Recipe (How to Oven Roast Cauliflower)
Most vegetables are exponentially more tasty when roasted, and cauliflower is no exception! Customize this simple oven-roasted cauliflower recipe with seasonings of your choice, with several options provided! It is so easy and delicious, it is actually insane.
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking pan
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1 head fresh cauliflower
- 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt (to taste)
- black pepper (to taste)
- garlic powder or fresh chopped garlic (to taste)
- Optional seasonings: fresh herbs (thyme, oregano or sage), chili powder or red chili flakes, curry powder, lemon powder, taco seasoning, or cumin
- Optional toppings: cheese (parmesan, pecorino, sharp cheddar), nuts or seeds (pumpkin seeds or shaved almonds) and/or lemon zest
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Wash cauliflower, and shake/allow it to drain as much excess water as possible.
- Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Try to keep them relatively consistent in size, as larger florets will take longer to roast than smaller ones. Or, you could cut it into 1-inch thick flat slices (cauliflower “steaks”).
- In a large mixing bowl, toss the cauliflower with extra virgin olive oil, and a sprinkle of sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, and any other optional seasonings (to taste). Add fresh chopped herbs or garlic if desired. Toss well.*
- Spread out the seasoned cauliflower florets evenly on a baking sheet, either bare or lined with foil/parchment paper if desired.
- Roast the cauliflower on 425F for 25 to 30 minutes, until the florets begin to brown and the stems are fork-tender to your liking.
- Optional: In the last 5 minutes of roasting, sprinkle grated cheese over the roasted cauliflower. Or, add pumpkin seeds or shaved almonds! Return to the oven until the cheese melts, or the nuts/seeds become toasted.
- Serve and enjoy. For an acidic zing, finish with fresh lemon zest (or lemon juice, if serving immediately). Store leftovers in the fridge and use within one week.
Notes
*Tip: Ih the mixing bowl, I usually sprinkle a light portion of seasonings over the top of the cauliflower, toss well, then add a little more, and toss again. Because cauliflower has so many spice-holding crevices, it is easy for the top layer to get over-seasoned while the pieces hidden in the bottom of the bowl get neglected.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!