This whole roasted cauliflower is the perfect side dish or main course for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or simply a cosy weekend meal. Serve it with a tangy tahini sauce for ultimate deliciousness! Gluten-free, easy to make.
Say hi to your new favourite way to cook cauliflower. Seriously, if you haven't tried whole roasted cauliflower yet, you're missing out. Even if you think you don't like cauliflower, you may change your mind after trying this!
After all, it's how you make a certain vegetable that determines whether it's yummy or not. After all, there are much tastier ways to meet your 5-a-day than just munching on salad! Don't get me wrong, I love a good salad. But you can also roast, sauté, make a delicious sauce, and so much more.
Anyway, onto the topic of whole roasted cauliflower. The holiday season is right around the corner, and I'm so excited to share this recipe with you, which is ideal for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can serve it either as a side dish or as a main course. Regardless, it will be super tasty. Add a simple, tangy tahini dressing, and you'll go back for seconds more than once!
Why you will love this whole roasted cauliflower
This dish is comfort food at its best - you won't be able to believe that a vegetable like cauliflower can be so yummy. Furthermore, it's ...
- Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
- Made with simple ingredients.
- Great either as a main course or a side dish.
- Easy to make.
- Gluten-free.
- Slightly spicy.
- Earthy, hearty and wholesome.
- Great for the holiday season.
Yep, if you haven't tried making a whole roasted cauliflower yet, you really need to give it a go!
Ingredients you will need
- Cauliflower. I'd recommend using a small or a medium head to make sure it cooks all the way through.
- Olive oil. I find that olive oil achieves the best earthy flavour.
- Tamari. You can use soy sauce if not avoiding gluten, or coconut aminos for a soy-free version.
- Fresh garlic. This will make your kitchen smell amazing!
- Garlic powder.
- Garam masala.
- Cumin.
- Dried basil.
- Red chilli. This will add a slight hint of spice, but you can leave it out if you want.
- Lemon juice.
- Fresh thyme to sprinkle on top.
How to roast cauliflower
Firstly, preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 F) and line a baking tray with a sheet of parchment paper.
Prepare the cauliflower by trimming the leaves and the base of the stalk of the cauliflower, but make sure not to accidentally trim away any of the florets.
Next, mix together the the olive oil, tamari, garlic, garlic powder, garam masala, cumin, dried basil, chilli pepper, and lemon juice.
In order to achieve more flavour, turn the cauliflower upside down and pour in around ¼ of the sauce, shaking it a few times to distribute it throughout the florets. Place it on the baking tray and brush the rest of the sauce all over the cauliflower. You can also use your hands to do this.
Sprinkle some fresh thyme on top and place in the oven and roast for around 50 minutes, until golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside (you can test for readiness using a toothpick). After around 45 minutes, keep a close eye on it to make sure that it doesn't start to burn.
Remove the whole roasted cauliflower from the oven and serve immediately with the lemon tahini sauce.
Lemon tahini sauce
You can, of course, serve this whole roasted cauliflower with any sauce of your choice. But I think that this lemon tahini sauce goes so well with the rest of the flavours. Its light, tangy and fresh flavour perfectly contrasts the depth of the cauliflower.
You need just a few ingredients: plant based milk, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, tahini, lemon juice and salt. Simply whisk them together when the cauliflower is almost ready.
Tips and tricks for the best whole roasted cauliflower
- It's important to use a small or a medium cauliflower, as one that is too big may burn on the outside, but still end up being undercooked.
- Make sure to use as much of the sauce as you can to maximise the flavour.
- Keep in mind that baking times can vary between ovens.
- You can add any other spices or dry herbs of your choice depending on your preferences.
How to serve roasted cauliflower
- Whole roasted cauliflower is also delicious with gluten-free vegan gravy.
- You can serve it with scalloped potatoes on the side.
- Hasselback potatoes will also make an amazing meal!
- Roasted cauliflower goes really well with chunky guacamole ...
- ... Or spicy cashew cream.
Other cauliflower recipes you will love
Let me know in the comments: what's your favourite cauliflower recipe at the moment? If you give this whole roasted cauliflower a recipe a go, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@ohmyveggies), and leave your feedback in the comments below together with a star rating.
Equipment
- Conventional oven
Ingredients
For the cauliflower
- 1 head cauliflower
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 1 red chilli pepper finely chopped
- ½ lemon juice of
- 3 tbsp fresh thyme
For the tahini sauce
- 2 tbsp plant based milk
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup tahini
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ lemon juice of
- ½ tsp salt
Instructions
The roasted cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 180 degrees C (350 F) and line a baking tray with a sheet of parchment paper.
- Prepare the cauliflower by trimming the leaves and the base of the stalk of the cauliflower, but make sure not to accidentally trim away any of the florets.
- Mix together the the olive oil, tamari, garlic, garlic powder, garam masala, cumin, dried basil, chilli pepper, and lemon juice.
- Turn the cauliflower upside down and pour in around ¼ of the sauce, shaking it a few times to distribute it throughout the florets. Place it on the baking tray and brush the rest of the sauce all over the cauliflower. You can also use your hands to do this.
- Place in the oven and roast for around 50 minutes, until golden brown on the outside and tender on the inside (you can test for readiness using a toothpick). After around 45 minutes, keep a close eye on it to make sure that it doesn't start to burn.
Make the tahini sauce
- Make the tahini sauce when the cauliflower is almost ready. Whisk together the plant based milk, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, tahini, lemon juice and salt.
- Serve immediately with the cauliflower.
Nutrition
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