Roasted Cauliflower Recipe (2024)

30 minutes

Home > Recipes > Sides > Vegetable Side Dishes > Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

5 from 2 votes

by Lisa Longley

posted: 10/05/23

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Jump to Recipe

by Lisa Longley

posted: 10/05/23

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy

Jump to Recipe

This Roasted Cauliflower recipe has just a few simple ingredients and will become a regular side dish recipe in your house! Even my pickiest eaters love this recipe.

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I am always working on new side dish recipes that are good for my kids and provide another serving of vegetables in their diet. We love this easy roasted cauliflower recipe because it totally fits the bill.

On top of that, my pickiest eater devours this. That kid requests this one! That is like a gold seal of approval for a recipe.

How to Roast Cauliflower

I love the ease of this oven-roasted cauliflower recipe. It comes together in just a few steps before you pop it in the oven. For the full recipe including measurements and baking times, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Prepare the cauliflower. I prefer to cut the florets into bite-sized pieces. See my tips below to make quick work of cutting up your cauliflower.
Season the cauliflower. Add the cauliflower, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper to a large bowl and toss to coat.
Bake it in the oven. Pour onto a parchment-lined baking sheet before tossing it in the oven.

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Adding Parmesan

I love to toss the hot cauliflower with finely grated parmesan cheese after it comes out of the oven, or sprinkle some parmesan on in the final few minutes of baking.

Parmesan cheese just makes everything better in this world. I recommend keeping a block of parmesan in the refrigerator so that you can use freshly grated cheese in this recipe and my other recipes that call for it. It makes a world of difference and block Parmesan lasts for quite a while in the refrigerator. Block cheese melts better and tastes better than pre-shredded cheese.

Picking a Good Head of Cauliflower

There are a few things to look for when picking out a head in the grocery store to make this oven-roasted cauliflower recipe.

First and foremost, pick a head of cauliflower that is bright white and doesn’t have any brown spots.
The whole head should be tight together without any loose sections.
Finally, the cauliflower head should have bright green leaves that are tightly attached.

Once you get your cauliflower home, you can store it in the refrigerator for four to seven days pre-cut. Use cut cauliflower within four days.

How to Cut Cauliflower

When roasting cauliflower, there are two ways that you can break up a cauliflower head: cutting or breaking.

Cutting the florets: Start by cutting the cauliflower head in half. Working with just one half of the head, make two cuts, each angling into the other, to remove the stem from the florets. Repeat with the other half and then cut the florets into bite-sized pieces.
Breaking the florets: In method two, you just start breaking florets off the head. Continue to do this until you have broken off all of the pieces away from the stem and broken them into smaller bite-sized pieces.

Most people use method one, but I find them to be about the same amount of time.

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Making Cauliflower in the Airfryer

You can also roast cauliflower in the air fryer. Prepare it the same way and cook it in the air fryer for 15 to 20 minutes, tossing halfway through.

Air Fryer Cauliflower

Let the air fryer do the roasting and free up your oven with this simple cauiflower recipe!

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Health Benefits of Cauliflower

In addition to cauliflower being a great option for those following a low carb diet, it is naturally fat-free, cholesterol free, and low in sodium. Another health benefit is that it is high in fiber.

Making this Recipe More Healthy

Please note that while cauliflower is naturally fat-free and low in sodium, we are changing that a bit in this recipe by adding both oil and salt. If these are concerns for your diet, you can make this recipe with half the amount of oil and half the amount of salt and it will still be delicious. Use 1 1/2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 a teaspoon of kosher salt.

Storing Leftovers

Store any leftover roasted cauliflower in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Place in the oven, microwave, or air fryer to reheat.

Other Great Healthy Sides

I’m always trying to come up with healthy sides for my family, here are a few that my family loves:

Grilled Pineapple: We actually make this on our indoor grill a lot and enjoy it year-round.
Mashed Cauliflower:This is a favorite of mine! I love it with my Mississippi Pot Roast.
Beet Salad Recipe:I love the health benefits of beets, and I love how easy this salad is.

If you make this roasted cauliflower recipe or any of the other recipes please leave me a comment and let me know!

5 from 2 votes