Oven Roasted Cauliflower Florets

Raw cauliflower can be a little boring, but Oven Roasted Cauliflower is a totally different story. With caramelized edges and tender insides, it is a tasty side dish to any meal!

And the best part is that it is so easy to switch out the seasonings to fit your mood and your main dish. The flavor combinations are endless.

A PERFECT LOW CARB SIDE DISH

Potatoes are usually my side dish of choice, but since starting the keto diet earlier this year, I am reaching for more low carb recipes. I shared this recipe years ago, but I thought it was time for a revamp of the photos and instructions. 🙂

My kids typically do not like cauliflower. They will eat just about any vegetable, but for some reason they are reluctant to touch cauliflower. Which has always puzzled me, because they love broccoli. 

But when I prepare this oven roasted cauliflower recipe, they will actually eat it. (Except the one picky teenager.)

My youngest likes eating it with her fingers like french fries. And I’m not complaining because I’m just happy she’s eating healthy vegetables!

Once I tried roasted cauliflower, I could never go back to steamed. The flavor of this roasted curried cauliflower is so much better!

If you like cauliflower, (or even if you think you don’t), you might want to give this a try. And let me just say that if you let kids eat it sans forks, it goes over a lot better. I don’t even care if they dip it in ranch or ketchup. It’s still a mom win.

Watch the video to see how to make roasted cauliflower:

HOW TO ROAST CAULIFLOWER

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this crispy roasted cauliflower. It’s so easy!

1. PREP – Preheat your oven to 475 degrees fahrenheit. Spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or spread a thin layer of olive oil over it. Wash and chop the head of cauliflower into bite sized florets and place them in a large bowl. 
2. SEASON – Combine your seasonings in a small bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower, then add the seasonings. Stir till evenly coated. 
3. BAKE – Pour the cauliflower on the prepared pan. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until browned on the edges and crisp tender. Baking time varies based on the size of your florets and your oven.

PRO TIPS:

• Try to cut the cauliflower pieces as close in size as possible so they cook evenly.
• Don’t overcrowd the pan. If the cauliflower is too close together, it will steam instead of crisping up.
• Stir the cauliflower every few minutes so it browns evenly on all sides.

VARIATIONS: 

• My kids like the cauliflower in florets because it looks like popcorn, but you can cut it into slices if you prefer. 
• For a Tex-Mex flair, sprinkle the cauliflower with taco seasoning, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes, or a combination of any of them.
• Love herbs? Try coating the cauliflower with Italian seasoning in place of the curry.
• 3-5 minutes before it is done, sprinkle the roasted cauliflower florets with parmesan cheese. Delish!
• When the cauliflower is done, sprinkle some fresh lemon juice over the top. This is especially tasty if you use parmesan.
• For a crunchy coating, toss the coated cauliflower with some panko bread crumbs before baking. Of course, it will up the carb count, and the dish will no longer be gluten free, but it will be delish!

Can you roast frozen cauliflower?

You can, but it won’t be quite the same. The higher water content makes the cauliflower much more soft. You may want to use additional oil to coat the pieces.

MORE TASTY SIDE DISHES:

• Baked French Fries
• Crockpot Scalloped Potatoes
• Carrots and Zucchini
• Sesame Green Beans
• Parmesan Roasted Asparagus
• Skillet Fried Corn

Oven Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

This simple pan-roasted cauliflower is a great side dish to everything from Chinese chicken salad to jalapeno popper chicken. It’s amazing that something so simple can transform such a plain vegetable into such a delicious dish!