roasted cauliflower

Try this simple cauliflower recipe to reignite your passion for veg

Cauliflower.

This easily recognisable and widely available vegetable is much more versatile than you think! Gone are the days when cauliflower is just boiled in a pan, the result being a mush of white non-descript food. Cauliflower is one of those vegetables which soaks up flavours and can be prepared in so many different ways. Are you aware that cauliflower can now be bought as fresh or frozen rice, as a pizza base and in cake (move over courgette cake)!

cauliflowers
Fresh cauliflowers by Nadja Me on Pexels

The Roast Cauliflower Recipe

The great thing about anything roast is that you can add your own blend of herbs, spices and seasonings. Maybe, you prefer to roast your vegetables and potatoes plain just with a sprinkle of salt and a splash of oil? Or, if you are like me, then a range of different flavours is what you are after!

Choosing the best for you

Firstly, you need to chose your cauliflower! White is the obvious choice, but do you know there are also yellow and pink varieties?

coloured cauliflowers
Colourful Cauliflower by Massimo Virgilio on Unsplash

Cauliflower preparation

This may seem an obvious thing, but traditionally cauliflower has been broken or chopped into florets. Alternatively, you can slice the cauliflower into what are called ‘steaks’, cutting from the top downwards into slices about 1cm thick. Keep those green stalks too – they roast really well and taste delicious!

cauliflower florets
Cauliflower florets by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels

Gather your extras

You could of course, just throw the cauliflower into the oven on a baking tray and hope for the best! I would like to think though, that you will take a bit of time to get the best flavours.

Start with your oil. Olive, rapeseed, walnut, coconut, your choice. Drizzle it over, then gently massage it in to create a canvas for your flavourings.

cauliflower drizzled with oil
Cauliflower drizzled with oil by Karolina Grabowska on Pexels

Next, sprinkle over your favourite herbs, some great combinations are:

  • paprika, oregano and garlic
  • garlic, cajun and cumin
  • paprika and Italian mix
  • basil, rosemary and sage
  • chilli and garlic
  • cumin, coriander and turmeric

Then dust with your favourite salt and grind some fresh black pepper on top.

You could add a few extras here too – sesame seeds work well, as do nigella seeds or flaked almonds. If you want a bit of extra crunch, sprinkle over a spoonful of fine semolina or cornmeal. Drizzle over a bit more oil, then cook in a medium to hot oven for around 30 minutes (depending on how you cut them). If you wish, you can turn them over half way through, but then you may loose some of the flavourings onto your tray!

What do I need?

I really hope you decide to make your own version of this delicious roast cauliflower. If you are new to cooking or your kitchen needs a refresh, here are a few useful things for this recipe. I receive a small commission if you click and purchase through these links (this is at no additional cost to you)! You can check out some more products I love here.



Serving

You can serve this cauliflower as a starter, a side or even a main, as it is, or dressed up. Once cooked drizzle with your favourite sauce – tahini works really well, or garlic mayonnaise. Scatter with toasted seeds, nuts or pomegranate seeds. Chop some fresh herbs – coriander, chives, parsley all add a bit of colour and extra tastiness.

roasted cauliflower
Cauliflower steaks by Karolina Kolodziejczak on Unsplash

Storage

These will store in the fridge for a few days, but make sure you seal them in a container so they keep their flavour (and so the fridge still smells nice)! They will freeze but I would advise making them fresh to retain their shape and structure.


Sharing

I really do hope you have a play with some cauliflower and see what great iedas you can come up with! I love seeing your adaptions and interpretations of my recipes (I’ve seen 2 biryani’s this week thank you)! and I’d love to see your photos of these! Please share and tag me @LifeDietHealth or using #LifeDietHealth on InstagramPinterest,  Facebook or Twitter.

How are you cooking and serving your roast cauliflower? Leave me a comment below… I love to chat!

I hope to speak with you soon

Laurena x


9 Comments

  • tulips79 12th May 2022 at 20:02

    Hi Laurena☺️Cauliflower has indeed had somewhat of a renaissance these past few years- I’d never heard of cauliflower rice or steaks even 10 years ago lol. I’ve seen recipes to roast it whole with tandoori spices (haven’t done that). I grew up eating it mostly braised in a tomato sauce…and of course boiled alongside the usual roast. When I’m allowed to bring some home😜I like to roast the florets in most of the spice and herb combos you suggest: my faves are oregano, garlic, lemon and whole cumin and crushed coriander seed. I like the idea of adding sesame seeds or serving it with a tahini sauce; hadn’t really thought of it before👍
    I bought some coriander herb recently to make your biryani, I had forgotten how much I like it! x

    Reply
    • Laurena@LifeDietHealth 12th May 2022 at 20:19

      Hello Eva, I have done a whole baked cauliflower before (link should be on this post somewhere), but I find chopping or slicing it up gets more flavour in!
      Braised in a tomato sauce sounds like a traditional dish… we do that with green beans mainly. Oh yes, I meant to add in the serving paragraph about lemon but I got distracted thinking about pomegranate! Oh my Eva, I’ve tried something with tahini that you haven’t lol… it’s really good!
      Fresh coriander is so great at making things taste fresher… have you tried growing it in your windowsill?

      Reply
      • tulips79 12th May 2022 at 20:41

        I love braised green beans in a tomato sauce! I do like the zingy tang of fresh coriander, it helps lift a dish. I haven’t tried growing it yet. As for the tahini, I’m still loving it in my Weetabix and porridge, so yummy and creamy.

        Reply
        • Laurena@LifeDietHealth 12th May 2022 at 20:50

          Hmmm… tahini in porridge? I ‘might’ try that tomorrow as I’ve just finished my rhubarb! Haha, made myself fancy beans and they’re currently cooking (I know it’s late but not had dinner yet)!

          Reply
          • tulips79 12th May 2022 at 21:00

            Oh gosh, reminds me of the days we would have dinner at 9ish Mon-Fri (used to get home around 8pm). I do hope you like the addition of tahini in hot cereal😊Made some more rhubarb and apple compote today. I’ll continue to buy it for as long as stores have it, which I assume won’t be for much longer. Enjoy your fancy beans lol

          • Laurena@LifeDietHealth 12th May 2022 at 21:09

            Oh gosh… I’m not sure I’ve ever had to buy rhubarb! Third lot ready for picking already! I’ll enjoy my beans if my Cajun courgette fries dont make me too full!

          • tulips79 12th May 2022 at 21:17

            You’ll love the fact the rhubarb is sold loose (including soil and leaves lol)- must be locally produced. Well done to you harvesting all that! Your Cajun courgette fries sound delicious. I only like courgette fried in some way☺️

          • Laurena@LifeDietHealth 12th May 2022 at 21:34

            Soil too… OMGosh, I cut mine and leave the stalks low to the ground. You know the leaves make great weedkiller👍🏼 No courgette in tomato sauce then🙈

          • tulips79 13th May 2022 at 07:47

            Hehe, courgette is definitely the exception there 😄

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