Posted: May 10 2021 in Recipes

Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that loves to team up with herbs and spices for added flavour. Once you learn how easy it is to roast the cauliflower, you can create an exciting side to complement any cuisine. We offer 4 of our favourite variations. Each begins with a large head of cauliflower.

Ingredients:

Basic Roasted Cauliflower
2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Italian Roasted Cauliflower
2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tbsp. Italian parsley, for garnish
1 tbsp. freshly grated lemon zest, for garnish

Spicy Mexican Roasted Cauliflower
2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. mexican chili powder
sea salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup raw pepitas (hulled pumpkin seeds), optional
1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, finely chopped, for garnish
1 tbsp. lime zest, finely grated, for garnish

Indian Curry Roasted Cauliflower
2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. curry powder
sea salt & freshly ground pepper, taste
1 tbsp. fresh cilantro, for garnish
1 tsp. red pepper flakes for added heat, optional

Method:
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cut the cauliflower into 4 quarters and remove the inner core. Slice each section into
1/2” pieces leaving the florets intact. Place onto the baking sheet and drizzle with the olive oil
and salt and pepper, making sure all the pieces are well coated. Spread the cauliflower in an even layer and bake for 25-30 minutes, giving a toss halfway. Cauliflower should be fork tender and golden on its edges when done. This is the method for the basic recipe.

Italian Version: Bake the prepared cauliflower for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with Parmesan and toss. Bake for another 10-15 minutes until the edges start to turn golden.
Remove from oven and garnish with parsley and lemon zest before serving.

Spicy Mexican: Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin and chilli powder until well coated before arranging it in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, toss with the pepitas and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes until edges are golden. Remove from oven and garnish with the cilantro and lemon zest.

Indian Curry Version: Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil, salt, pepper and curry powder. Arrange evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing half way. Remove from oven and garnish with fresh cilantro and red pepper flakes (if using),