Enjoy the fusion of flavours and cultures with this roasted cauliflower recipe. This is the perfect way to spruce up a normal cauliflower side dish.
Why Cauliflower?
Not only is cauliflower an extremely versatile and delicious ingredient, but it also has many health benefits. It is good for your heart and acts as a natural antioxidant. Cauliflower is also high in the essential nutrient called choline. Choline is important for our memory, recall and mood, as well as for brain development. If this already isn’t enough reason to make cauliflower part of your weekly menu, here are a few ways to spice it up:
Everyday-Inspired Cauliflower Roast
Cauliflower already has a natural nutty and sweet flavour. So with the basic roast, all you need to do is add a little bit of olive oil, and salt and pepper to enhance those flavours.
Italian – Inspired
What can you add to cauliflower to make it even better? Cheese! No one will be able to resist these Italian inspired flavours. Between the freshness of the parsley and lemon zest, and the extra bite from the cayenne pepper, the Parmesan cheese is the perfect melted topper for this version.
Mexican – Inspired
With spices like cumin and garlic powder, the Mexican inspired roast is definitely packed with the most flavour. Play around with texture by adding some mixed nuts, pumpkin seeds, or sesame seeds. Once it’s roasted to perfection, top it off with fresh coriander and lime zest and it’s ready to be enjoyed!
Indian – Inspired
And finally, it’s time to prepare the last roast. The Indian inspired roast has the same amount of flavour as the others, with half the ingredients. All you need for this version is curry powder and fresh coriander. Most curry powders are made from quite flavourful ingredients such as turmeric, cumin, chilli peppers and coriander. So by only adding half a teaspoon of curry powder, your cauliflower roast will still be popping with amazing flavours.
Whether you mix them all together in the end or keep the flavours separated, no one will be able to resist this roasted cauliflower side.
Not sure what to make these roasted cauliflower versions on the side of? Try it with our Club Steak Marinated in Thyme and Paprika recipe!
Ingredients
Basic roasted cauliflower
- 1 large head of cauliflower
- 2-3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
- ¼ tsp fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the Italian version
- ¾ cup finely grated Parmesan
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- finely grated lemon zest, for garnish
- cayenne pepper
For the Mexican version
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- mixed nuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, or any other of your choice
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh coriander
- finely grated lime zest
For the Indian version
- ½ tsp curry powder
- 1 tsp finely chopped fresh coriander
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 435 °F = 223.88889 °C and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil
- To prepare the cauliflower, use a chef’s knife to slice off the base, quarter it into four even wedges, slice off just the inner core areas, leaving the rest intact
- Cut across each piece to make 5c slices, then use your fingers to break apart any florets that are stuck together
Basic cauliflower roast
- Place the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and some pepper, then toss until the ingredients are evenly distributed and the cauliflower is lightly coated in oil, adding another drizzle of oil only if necessary
- Arrange the cauliflower in an even layer and bake until it’s deeply golden on the edges, tossing halfway about 20 to 25 minutes
Italian version
- arrange the cauliflower in an even layer and bake for 15 minutes then remove from the oven, toss, and then sprinkle the Parmesan over the cauliflower
- Return to the oven and bake until the cauliflower is deeply golden on the edges, about 10 to 20 more minutes, sprinkle the cauliflower with parsley, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes
Mexican version
- sprinkle the cauliflower with cumin and chili powder and toss until well blended and then arrange the cauliflower in an even layer and bake for 15 minutes
- Remove from the oven, toss, and sprinkle the nuts over the center area of the pan (if you sprinkle them too close to the edges, they might burn)
- Return to the oven and bake until the cauliflower is deeply golden on the edges, about 10 to 15 more minutes, sprinkle the cauliflower with coriander and lemon zest
Indian version
- sprinkle the cauliflower with curry powder and toss until well blended then arrange the cauliflower in an even layer and bake until it’s deeply golden on the edges, tossing halfway about 20 to 25 minutes
- Sprinkle the cauliflower with coriander and red pepper flakes.
