Oven roasted cauliflower florets are a delightful culinary creation offering a perfect blend of crispy texture and earthly flavors. This easy roasted cauliflower is seasoned to perfection to bring out the natural mild nuttiness of the cauliflower.
The roasting process enhances the natural sweetness of the cauliflower while imparting a slight crunch to the exterior.
This easy roasted cauliflower recipe will be a great side to any dinner or as a delicious addition to a salad or as a healthy snack.
If you love roasted vegetables, make sure to check out my oven-roasted asparagus or roasted zucchini with parmesan recipes.
Ingredients to make Oven Roasted Cauliflower
Let’s start by gathering the ingredients we need to make my oven roasted cauliflower recipe. In Chef Speak, this is called the Mise en Place, which translates into Everything in its Place.
Not only does setting your ingredients up ahead of time speed the cooking process, but it also helps ensure you have everything you need to make the dish.
Can I change the seasonings?
I used fresh thyme, garlic powder, sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, and turmeric to make this recipe, but it’s easily adaptable and can be seasoned to your taste preference.
Use your favorite spices and fresh herbs or seasoning blends to make my oven-roasted cauliflower recipe. Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, lemon pepper, and jerk seasoning are a few of my favorites.
Chili powder and curry powder are two other seasonings that will perk up the flavor of the florets. Red pepper flakes can be added for a touch of heat. It’s all about the flavors you enjoy eating.
You can also just use olive oil, salt, and black pepper for a simpler version of this delicious side dish. Or add a sprinkle of parmesan cheese halfway through the roasting process.
How to make Oven Roasted Cauliflower
- Add the seasonings to a small bowl.
- Mix to combine thoroughly, and set aside until needed.
Add cold water and ½ teaspoon of salt to a bowl large enough to hold the entire head of cauliflower.
*you can also add one teaspoon of lemon juice to the water to give the cauliflower a little tang.
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
- De-stem the fresh cauliflower head and place it upside down in the cold salt water. Let it soak for at least 15 minutes (if you have more time, let it soak up to 45 minutes)
*This will impart some flavor to the cauliflower as well as help clean it. - Remove the cauliflower from the water, and using a boning knife or pairing knife, cut along the stem side of the cauliflower. Try to keep the florets comparable in size to ensure even cooking.
- Rinse the cauliflower florets and remove any excess water. If needed, pat them down with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
- Add the cauliflower to a large bowl and coat the florets with the olive oil, making sure to stir it to coat all of the florets.
- Sprinkle half of the seasoning mixture onto the cauliflower florets and stir to coat the florets.
- Add the remainder of the seasoning mixture to the bowl.
- Toss the florets with the seasonings, making sure all the pieces are seasoned evenly.
Cover a sheet pan with tinfoil (or parchment paper) and place a wire rack on top of it.
*If you don’t have a wire rack, you can place the seasoned florets directly on the foil-lined baking sheet. Using a rack lets the airflow under and around the florets, helping to make them crispier.
Spray the wire rack with a non-stick pan spray or rub it with a paper towel lightly coated with cooking oil.
- Place the seasoned florets in a single layer on the wire rack, spacing them so the pieces don’t touch. Then, place the baking sheet on a rack in the upper third of the 450-degree F. preheated oven.
- Roast the cauliflower for 25-30 minutes until desired tenderness or until they are fork tender.
- Remove the pan from the oven and serve the cauliflower as a side dish or as an appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce.
Sprinkle my oven roasted cauliflower with chopped fresh parsley and serve it with your favorite dipping sauce. Spicy siracha mayo and chipotle pepper sauce, are two of my favorites.
Store any leftover florets refrigerated in an airtight container or well-covered with plastic wrap for 2-3 days.
Recipe FAQ’s
Whether you’re roasting cauliflower steaks or florets, it’s always a good idea to soak the full head in cold, salted water for at least 15 minutes. This is to remove any dirt or bugs as well as adding flavor to the florets.
The most common reason is you, over-crowded the pan. This will cause the florets to steam instead of roasting.
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Oven Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Add cold water and ½ teaspoon of salt to a bowl large enough to hold the entire head of cauliflower. *you can also add one teaspoon of lemon juice to the water to give the cauliflower a little tang.
- Destem the cauliflower head and place it upside down in the cold salt water. Let it soak for at least 15 minutes (if you have more time let it soak up to 45 minutes)*this will impart some flavor to the cauliflower as well as help clean it.
- Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F.
- Add the seasonings to a small bowl and mix to thoroughly combine.
- Remove the cauliflower from the water and using a boning knife or pairing knife, cut along the stem side of the cauliflower. Try to keep the florets comparable in size to ensure even cooking.
- Rinse the florets and remove any excess water, if needed, pat the florets down with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.
- Add the cauliflower to a medium bowl and coat the florets with the olive oil, making sure to stir it to coat all of the florets.
- Sprinkle half of the seasoning mixture onto the cauliflower florets and stir to coat the florets.
- Add the remainder of the seasoning mixture and stir again, this well help to make sure all pieces are seasoned evenly.
- Cover a baking sheet with tinfoil (or parchment paper) and place a wire rack on top of it.*If you don't have a wire rack, you can place the seasoned florets directly on the foil-lined baking sheet. Using a rack lets the airflow under and around the florets helping to make them crispier.
- Spray the wire rack with a non-stick pan spray or rub it with a paper towel lightly coated with cooking oil.
- Place the seasoned florets on the wire rack spacing them apart so the pieces do not touch, and place the baking sheet on a rack in the upper third of the preheated oven.
- Roast the cauliflower for 25-30 minutes until desired tenderness or until they are fork tender.
- Remove the pan from the oven and serve the cauliflower as a side dish or as an appetizer with your favorite dipping sauce.
- I like to serve it with spicy siracha mayonnaise or chipotle pepper sauce, those are two of my favorite dipping sauces.
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