Roasted Cauliflower

By Amanda Hesser

Updated Dec. 16, 2024

Roasted Cauliflower
Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
30 minutes
Rating
4(5,330)
Comments
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Cauliflower is an excellent blank canvas. You can steam or blanch it to keep its essential flavors intact, but by roasting or sautéing it, you can bring out its sweetness. Cauliflower will absorb the oil and seasoning, soaking up flavors much the way eggplant does, but it remains firmer. Roasted cauliflower can be served warm or at room temperature. It can also be part of an antipasto of roasted vegetables, or as an accompaniment to a roast chicken or lamb. And though they aren't obvious choices, scallops and lobster, both naturally sweet themselves, are delicious with roasted cauliflower.

Featured in: The Celestial Cauliflower: Earning a Spot in the Sun

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings
  • 1pound cauliflower, about 1 medium-large head, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices or 2-inch florets
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt
  • Black pepper
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

43 calories; 2 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 2 grams protein; 268 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 375 degrees. Place cauliflower in a large mixing bowl. Pour on enough olive oil to coat (a few tablespoons). Season generously with salt and pepper and toss gently until evenly coated.

  2. Step 2

    Place cauliflower pieces on a baking sheet. Drizzle any remaining oil from the bowl on top. Bake, turning once, until caramelized on edges and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, as a side dish. You can also sprinkle it with a very good aged vinegar.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
5,330 user ratings
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Comments

Josh

This should be cooked at 400+ for 30 minutes. Anything less and I found that the cauliflower, while tasty, does not get crisp and stays a bit wet.

Elizabeth Cohen

Baked at 400 for 25 minutes. Sprinkled some parmesan cheese on top for 5 minutes. Turned out exactly like the photo and was delicious!

Brandy

I make roasted cauliflower a couple of times a week since discovering how wonderful it is. I usually break it into flowerettes because it browns better (more crispy bits!), toss it with EVOO, salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Bake at 400 for about 30 minutes, being sure to turn it over a couple of times while it bakes. Best. Cauliflower. Ever.

David O

I cut the cauliflower into florets - easier to toss in the bowl with oil, salt and pepper. I also added some cumin and coriander - 1/4 teaspoon each. Used convection oven at 350 for 25 mins. Very good.

cheri

Everyone keeps asking me to make this again. For such a simple dish, it’s a clear winner. After washing cauliflower florets, I made sure they were very dry before roasting - allows them to actually roast & not steam.

Lynn

I put it on parchment paper, and add some garlic granules to the mix. It's tasty and probably the easiest recipe to make in the NYT Cooking section.

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