Roasted Cauliflower With Pancetta, Olives and Crisp Parmesan

By Melissa Clark

Published Oct. 9, 2020

Roasted Cauliflower With Pancetta, Olives and Crisp Parmesan
Johnny Miller for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Total Time
45 minutes
Rating
4(5,448)
Comments
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Studded with salty olives, pancetta and Parmesan that gets golden and crisp at the edges, this is roasted cauliflower at its brightest and most full-flavored. You can serve the caramelized florets either as a vegetable-based main dish or a hearty side to roasted meats or fish, or big bowls of pasta. The recipe calls for using a package of finely diced pancetta that practically melts into the sauce. But if you prefer a chunkier texture, you can dice it yourself into ½-inch cubes, and add them with the cauliflower. Or, to make this vegetarian, just leave the pancetta out.

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Ingredients

Yield:2 main-dish servings or 4 side-dish servings
  • 1large head cauliflower (about 1¾ pounds), trimmed and cut into bite-size florets (about 8 cups)
  • ½cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
  • ⅓cup olives, crushed, pitted and chopped
  • 1fat garlic clove, finely grated or minced
  • 1½tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
  • ⅛teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more as needed
  • 4ounces pancetta or bacon, cut into ⅛-inch cubes
  • ¾teaspoon cumin or caraway seeds
  • ½cup shredded (not ground) Parmesan
  • ¼cup chopped fresh parsley or mint leaves and tender stems, for serving
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

991 calories; 88 grams fat; 21 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 53 grams monounsaturated fat; 9 grams polyunsaturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 10 grams dietary fiber; 9 grams sugars; 30 grams protein; 1450 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with ¼ cup olive oil and ½ teaspoon salt until well coated. Roast for 15 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    In a small bowl, whisk together olives, garlic, lemon juice, ⅛ teaspoon red-pepper flakes and a large pinch of salt. Drizzle in the remaining ¼ cup olive oil, whisking well.

  3. Step 3

    After the cauliflower has roasted for 15 minutes, add pancetta and cumin seeds to pan and gently mix to combine. Sprinkle Parmesan on top and roast for another 15 to 20 minutes, until cauliflower is tender, the pancetta rendered, and cheese is golden brown and crunchy.

  4. Step 4

    Spoon olive dressing all over roasted cauliflower while still hot and toss to combine. Taste, and add more salt, red-pepper flakes or lemon juice, if needed. Scatter parsley over the top before serving.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
5,448 user ratings
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Comments

john c

What kind of olives should be used?

Marsha Halper

Has anyone tried substituting anchovies for pancetta or bacon? Or discovered a different, non-meat substitute?

Helene Russo

My husband can't eat spicy things like red pepper flakes. What type of seasoning can I substitute?

Claire Hassid

I loved this recipe. I had a HUGE head of cauliflower from the farm, which is probably why the proportions of oil and fat from pancetta worked so well. I tossed the sections of cauliflower and oil in a big bowl before arranging everything on the pan. Also, I roasted for longer as I like cauliflower very browned and almost burnt. I enjoyed this for dinner with a poached egg on top for protein. I will make it again for sure and add in chick peas as another person suggested.

Kate

This was wonderful, but swimming in oil. I’ll cut it in half at each step next time I make it.

Juneauesque

I have made this dish several times. It is one of my absolute favorite recipes from the NY Times. Something about the combination of cumin, briny olives, bacon, garlic, parmesan... just delicious. For months I'd been wondering what it would be like to add store-bought gnocchi to the sheet pan with the bacon and cumin to make a one-dish meal and increase the dressing slightly. I tried it last night and it was fantastic!

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