Simple Whole Roasted Cauliflower

A Perfectly Whole Roasted Cauliflower is a wonderful thing and it’s easier than you think. This golden orb is perfectly tender on the inside and golden roasted on the outside.

Roasting vegetables brings out their sweetness and intensifies their flavour. Check out these other recipes featuring roasted veggies:

Easy Roasted Asparagus Olive Oil Roasted Baby Asparagus

How Do You Make the Best Roasted Cauliflower?

Up until a few years ago I would have told you ‘the best’ cauliflower was an oxymoron. In general, I’ve never been a fan of cruciferous vegetables, having grown up being served bowls of boiled mush on the regular. It’s one of those childhood food memories that has stuck with me until my adult years.

When the kids were small, I made a point of serving them broccoli, cauliflower cheese, and cabbage even though I didn’t like them. Hopefully by keeping them crisp and covered in cheese I didn’t scar them for life. I wish I had known about roasting vegetables back then because it really brings out some amazing flavours.

I haven’t tried roasted broccoli yet, but now that I’ve roasted cauliflower, I am hooked!

The Best Roasted Cauliflower

Everyone has their own taste preferences but I prefer my whole roasted cauliflower to be a deep golden colour on the outside. The inside should be slightly al dente (no mushy cauliflower!) but still easily sliced with a knife.

What Do You Eat Cauliflower With?

1. For a great roasted cauliflower, simply use olive oil, salt, and pepper and allow the simple flavour to shine through.
2. Cauliflower has a very neutral flavour which means that it pairs well with flavourful sauces. Pair it with a delicious Romesco sauce and some Beluga lentils for an impressive vegan main dish.
3. Cheese lovers rejoice because cauliflower is the perfect vehicle for a decadent cheese sauce. You can also just sprinkle grated Parmesan during the last 10 minutes of roasting.
4. Lightly steamed cauliflower florets, fry up some breadcrumbs in butter, season, and add to the cauliflower.

Cauliflower Inspiration

It would have be so easy to just give up on cauliflower and focus on other more delicious vegetables. The truth is, I’ve had some GREAT cauliflower dishes while dining out so I know it can be done. When I found heads of cauliflower on sale for one dollar, I just couldn’t resist buying a few for ‘research purposes’.

The Benefits of Eating Cauliflower

Cauliflower is more than just a vehicle for cheese. It’s high in fibre which helps digestion and in weight loss (sans cheese). You may be surprised to learn that cauliflower is also high in vitamin B and just one 100 g serving will give you 80% of your daily dietary vitamin C. Cauliflower and other cruciferous vegetables are also high in Vitamin K, which is important in increasing blood clotting proteins and assisting in bone metabolism.