Behold, the whole roasted cauliflower.
This recipe, while it may seem straightforward, threw me for a loop. I roasted 7 heads of cauliflower until I got it just right! But in the end, it was totally worth the effort.
There are a couple of secrets to the whole roasted cauliflower game. Let me show you how!
This recipe is easy, requiring just 5 ingredients and simple methods to prepare!
Tip #1: Start with a sauce comprised of spices (such as shawarma spice blend* and harissa*), a little oil, maple syrup, and salt. The result is a flavor-packed marinade of sorts that’s perfect for lathering all over your cauliflower.
*Note: learn about the origin of shawarma spice blend here and harissa here.
Tip #2: Flip your cauliflower upside down to let the sauce pour down the core, shake it around so it infuses the center, and then flip the cauliflower over and use a brush to rub the leftover sauce all over the exterior.
Tip #3: Add just a pinch more spice and salt to the exterior for even more flavor.
Tip #4: Place a pan with water on the bottom of your oven while baking so the cauliflower steams and gets softer faster. It doesn’t make the cauliflower soggy as long as you don’t over-bake – just perfectly tender all the way to the core. (A tip we borrowed from NYT.)
Tip #5: Turn the oven to broil at the last minute to get a browned outer edge.
That’s it! Just 5 ingredients and 5 tips to the perfect roasted cauliflower.
We hope you all LOVE this cauliflower! It’s:
Perfectly tender
Packed with flavor
Easy to make
Super versatile
& So delicious
Make this cauliflower as the main dish or an appetizer for dinner parties or weeknight meals! Because cauliflower doesn’t have many calories, we recommend serving it over some cooked quinoa with our go-to Magic Green Sauce. You could also add our Actually Crispy Chickpeas to the plate for some added protein, fiber, and crunch!
Other sides that would be amazing with this dish are Garlicky Kale Salad with Crispy Chickpeas, Super Cleansing Slaw with Rosemary Tahini Dressing, Loaded Kale Salad, Butternut Squash Sweet Potato Gratin, and Romesco Soup with Smashed Chickpeas.
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
The Best Whole Roasted Cauliflower (5 Ingredients!)
Ingredients
CAULIFLOWER
- 1 medium-large head cauliflower (~1 ¼ – 2 pounds or 550-950 g // ~5-7 inches or 12-18 cm in width)
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil (or melted coconut oil // if oil-free, sub water)
- 2 Tbsp water
- 2 Tbsp shawarma spice blend (or curry powder* or a blend of similar spices // plus more for exterior)
- 1-2 tsp harissa paste (optional // reduce for less spice // increase for more spice)
- 2 tsp maple syrup (if avoiding sugar, omit)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus more for exterior)
FOR SERVING optional
- Magic Green Sauce
- Fresh parsley
- Cooked quinoa*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (204 C). Also fill a small baking pan halfway with water and set on the floor (bottom) of the oven. This will provide steam to help the cauliflower cook more evenly.
- Rinse and dry the head of cauliflower and carefully cut off the bottom stalk without removing too much of the core. You want the entire head intact for baking. Peel away any remaining green leaves and place in a cast-iron skillet (or other oven-safe pan).
- In a mixing bowl, mix together avocado oil or melted coconut oil, water, shawarma spice blend, harissa paste (optional), maple syrup, and salt. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more shawarma for smoky flavor, harissa paste (optional) for spiciness, maple syrup for sweetness, or salt for more intense overall flavor.
- Flip your cauliflower upside down and pour on most of the sauce. Let the sauce pour down the core, shake it around so it infuses the center, and then flip the cauliflower over and use a brush to rub the leftover sauce (including any that seeped into the pan) all over the exterior for maximum flavor. Place cauliflower core-side down before baking and add an extra pinch of salt and spice blend to the exterior for extra flavor.
- Place skillet in oven and roast for 35-50 minutes (depending on size of cauliflower) or until a knife easily pierces the core. If you prefer softer cauliflower, then roast for longer. For cauliflower with a little bite, roast for less time.
- To brown the exterior, increase heat to high broil and roast 2-4 more minutes, watching carefully as not to burn.
- Remove from oven and let cauliflower rest in pan for 5-10 minutes to continue softening the core, if needed. Enjoy as is or garnish with desired sauces and sides. We went for quinoa cooked with curry powder.
- Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator up to 4 days. Reheat in a 350-degree F (176 C) oven until hot.
- To remove stuck bits from cast iron pan, let warm pan soak with water in it for 5 minutes before scrubbing clean with a medium-to-firm bristle brush. See our cast iron guide for more information on cleaning and cooking with cast iron.
Video
Notes
*If opting for curry powder, use this DIY Curry Blend or store-bought.
*Inspired by our Shawarma Roasted Cauliflower Steak and The New York Times Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Almond Herb Sauce
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional serving ingredients.
LaBreah Johnston says
Absolutely delicious recipe, definitely adding to the rotation! I was already a lover of cauliflower but this takes it to the next level.
Do you have a recommendation on how I could “Thanksgiving-ify” the flavors? I’m trying to think of a way to make a spice rub that would go with things like mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, corn, and stuffing. Thank you!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, LaBreah. Thank you for the lovely review! We love that idea to go in a Thanksgiving flavor direction. Our only hesitation is that the herbs often used for Thanksgiving flavors (sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley) can be a little overwhelming when used in excess and the cauliflower does benefit from a spice blend that can be smothered all over it. Perhaps roasting it more plainly and then adding something like this crispy sage pine nut topping toward the end of baking would work well? We’d love to hear if you do some experimenting!
Carol says
Absolutely lovely! Served this with salmon with cilantro dressing.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Carol! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Sara says
Absolutely delicious. The water/steaming tip makes all the difference!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sara. Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Emily Holth says
10/10
INCREDIBLE recipe, I made my own spic blend as I couldn’t find it in store oh oh, boy. Could not recommend more.
Used a vegan pesto over the top and placed it on a bed of hummus with a light salad round the side with toasted chickpeas and roast potatoes
Amazing! Love your creativity too, Emily. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Patricia says
OMG, this may just be the best Minimalist Baker recipe I have made, and that’s a tough call because they have all been amazing. I have been wanting to make a whole roasted cauliflower for a very long time and finally got around to it, no doubt because this recipe looked so easy, which it was. I made it with your DIY curry powder, drizzled some lemon tahini dressing on a bed of your five minute hummus (what I had in the fridge). Best dinner in a long time, thank you again!
Ooo – sounds like a delicious combo! Thanks for the lovely review, Patricia! We’re so glad you enjoyed.
Ingrid says
An amazing recipe!!! I had it with the magic green sauce and….,omg.
Woohoo! We’re so glad you enjoyed. Thanks for the lovely review, Ingrid! xo
Honey says
Holy Moly, this was delicious! I almost skipped this recipe because I didn’t have a store bought shawarma spice on hand. But honestly it took me longer to find the spices in my cabinet than it did to whip up this beauty. Omitted the optional paste. Served with rice, peas and the last of the asparagus from the garden. Next time I’ll try the Magic Green Sauce.
A keeper, for sure.
Thank you.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for giving it a try and for the lovely review! xoxo
Teressa says
Made this with the magic green sauce! Had it with garlic mash and curried lentils. All was so good! Thanks for another amazing recipe! 😋❤️
Can we eat at your house? ;) We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Teresa! xoxo
Manda says
This was my first whole cauliflower dish and I am hooked… not that you can ever go wrong with cauliflower, right?
Side note: if you’re thinking of switching to a steam oven your only regret will be waiting even a minute longer. It just makes everything so moist on the inside and frankly, so so so so easy. For this dish I just set it to steam for the first half and switched the setting to bake for the second half. The oven will be steamy the entire time. Just wow. Perfectly roasted.
Right! Thanks so much for sharing, Manda! xoxo
BW says
All your recipes are fantastic and I can’t wait to try this one! Quick question, I have a harissa dry spice blend. Would this work in place of paste? Should I add olive oil or tomato paste to thicken, or can I use it dry and proceed as normal with the rest of the recipe? Thanks so much!
It should work! Adding tomato paste and olive oil (or water) to create more of a paste would be ideal.
Patrick says
Harissa Paste
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup harissa
Mix water & oil & add harissa and mix well
Audrey says
Amazing. The name doesn’t lie, this is the best.
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Audrey! xo
Eugenia says
Can the cauliflower be made ahead of time and marinate for a while before placing in the oven?
Yes!
Lindsay Lee says
Gah! This was so delicious!! Made it last night with a chimichurri sauce and am making it again tonight for dinner (don’t judge! It was delicious!!). Adding this to the monthly repertoire for sure!! Thank you for sharing!!
No judgment =) We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lindsay! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Donna Ingram says
The Whole Roasted Cauliflower was the best I have ever had. What a great simple and tasty receipe. Delicious thank you.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Donna. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Sarah says
Absolutely loved this! So flavourful and looks amazing when you serve it up. I didn’t have any maple syrup so swapped in some honey instead, but worked a treat!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Sarah! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Adrianne says
Hi Dana,
Thank you for the recipe. I made this last night. I really love the recipe.
My only question, how to you prevent the bottom of the pan from burning from roasting the cauliflower. My pan burnt and after scrubbing still hard to get off.
Thank you.
Ah, sorry about that! You can add a bit more oil to the pan next time. Or use a cast iron which is our preferred. Thanks for sharing, Adrianne!
C R Webb says
I had to improvise with the spices since we are under stay-at-home orders. I added whit wine. My only regret is that I did not cook two. My husband ( who chose to eat later) only got to taste the stalk ( that’s all that was left ) I served it with cod and shrimp which I baked with the same spices and wine combo
Ha! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Sneha says
Remembering that we made this as the main during thanksgiving… the sauce is perfect and it’s such an easy recipe and a crowd pleaser!
Sara says
Great recipe! Went the Indian route and served the cauliflower with coconut curry quinoa and a coconut yogurt raita. It was so satisfying and flavorful!
B says
Easy and delicious! Thank for another winning recipe!
Angie says
I just made this ??????? …..OMGosh this is Delish! I’ve not been a huge fan of cauliflower but you’ve changed my mind with this recipe! I hope I don’t eat the whole head???
I ate it on a bed of TJoe’s tri-colour quinoa. I spiced it up with curry turmeric & fenugreek spices that’s one spice. Plus, I had to sub in agave cuz I didn’t have maple syrup. This is a staple for me now? super easy?
By the way, I made your biscuits yesterday morning again! They always are so yummy ? You made me love biscuits again since going vegan years ago I just accepted I can’t have them I anymore. Plus, yours turn out better than greasy ones you get from a stinky drive-thru…yuk I rate them A 5+
Aw, we’re so glad you enjoy both recipes, Angie! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
F says
This recipe is one of my favourites of yours! It comes out perfect every time and it so easy to make. I usually triple the marinade and save the rest for other things like tofu, vegetables, chicken, and even as a salad dressing cause I’m obsessed with it.
Kate Cunningham says
So delicious.
Served this on a bed of humous, with cranberries and pistachios.
Subbed maple syrup with honey and it was great, even our most fussy eater loved it!
Definitely liked the easy clock through shawarma spice mix. Recommend making a big jar so you are ready to create something amazing with no fuss!
Lila Cohen says
Came out perfect the first time. Omitted the browning but did cover loosely with foil and it was done (a medium-size head) after 35 minutes in the oven and not a morsel remained. Making it again this week for our Friday night dinner and I don’t think anyone will complain. It’s a real winner…thanks.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Lila. We are so glad you enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Melanie Lee says
Absolutely delicious. I’ve made it without harissa and subbed jalapeño/Serrano peppers and it was delicious. Harissa is also amazing if you’ve got it. Feel free to make more sauce if you’ve got a larger cauliflower and account for extra baking time. I like to make this with chimichurri and a side of quinoa. So yummy :)
Sasha spaysky vater says
I made this for dinner tonight and it is everything the description says it it! Delicious, easy, flavorful and EASY!! I served it on top of a bed of greens with a creamy tahini dressing. I was just trying to use up what I had. I know this recipe will be on a weekly rotation. I did add a bit more water to the pan 1/2 way thru cooking but that is probably because I didnt measure everything perfectly, I just eyeballed it.
Moral of the story is THIS DISH IS EVERYTHING!
Whoop! We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
Swan says
So although the spice ideas were tasty the cooking method didn’t work for me. Similar to other comments where the cauliflower didn’t cook properly – extra long cook time, beginning to burn on the outside, yet still uncooked on the inside. I have a guess about what might be the cause: the cooking vessel. In step 2 of the instructions it says, “place in a cast-iron skillet (or other oven-safe pan).” I think perhaps only a cast-iron skillet or other enameled cast-iron vessel that radiates lots of heat will yield the desired results. I used glass and after 80 minutes it still wasn’t soft enough to cut with a regular dinner knife.
:D says
I followed @minimalistbaker’s recipes as written: Homemade Schwarma Spice Blend, Creamy Chimchurri Sauce, Roasted Whole Cauliflower (purchased Harissa from @traderjoes), but I made my own curried quinoa.
IMPORTANT ROASTING TIP: I end up roasting my cauliflower 58 mins. or until knife tender through the core. I loosely tented a foil during the last 10 mins. of roasting to not let the top become overly browned. This is because I just learned that I should have carefully trim more of the thick core away. By not doing so, I needed to roast the cauliflower much longer time. Despite the longer roasting time, it did work out for me so I have no regrets since the cauliflower was tender and delicious. I just wanted to note that out so you know the consequences of not trimming the thick core away.
Thanks for sharing!
Andrea Calhoun says
Ok, I’ve made a couple of whole roasted cauliflowers before but OMG this one was by far the best! I made exactly as called for, using coconut oil instead of avocado oil, made the shawarma spice mix (yes!!) and used a cast iron skillet. I also didn’t have harissa paste, but harissa seasoning which I made a paste with using water. The only issue I had was my cauliflower was the size of my head and I could have used a bit more sauce. I cooked it for close to the maximum time, and it was spectacular.
And the chimichurri! Another winner. Made as written, and it was also amazing. I did use 4 garlic as mine were small but I think 3 would have been enough.
Super easy, super delicious. Great recipe! Will post photos on IG.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Andrea!
Andrea says
Did you get a chance to see pics? I rarely hashtag anything!
We’ll look! Thanks for tagging us! So glad you enjoyed it, Andrea!
Molly says
What spices did you put on the quinoa? More shawarma?
Yes! That and some curry powder.
Annie says
This is such a delicious meal. I made your chimichurri sauce to go with it and wow what a zingy mouthful that is. Thank you so much for these wonderful recipes.
Lovely – thanks for sharing!
Kate Wills says
Made last night. This cauliflower chicken tastes JUST like cauliflower chicken! heheheh
Truly, it was brilliant. So simple to make, and with quinoa and your chimichurri sauce, I felt like a queen. My omnivore, somewhat picky husband even appreciated. My ONLY issue is I don’t know when to stop. Thank you, as always! xo
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kate! We are so glad you and your husband both enjoyed it.
Christy says
I finally had an opportunity to make this and WOW!!! So delicious! I used Baltic Curry powder instead of the shawarma because that’s what I had on hand. So delicious and packed with flavor. I was lazy and simply served with plain quinoa, but it was still so good. Mine didn’t look as pretty as yours, but the taste was spectacular. Definitely a keeper! Thank you!
Michelle says
Just made this and it’s absolutely delicious! I added some nutritional yeast because I don’t have harissa and didn’t know what to add… turned out divine! Thank you so much for introducing me to nutritional yeast, by the way. It’s not an understatement to say it’s changed my life. I put it on kale with avocado oil, salt and pepper and it actually makes kale delicious. My diet is 100% times better since you showed me the magic of nutritional yeast… makes every. single. thing. delicious! Five stars for this recipe. Will be making again tomorrow :) Thank you.
Whoop! So glad you enjoyed it!
Nina says
Hi there, is there a sub for maple syrup?
My husband can’t have any sugar including unprocessed/natural, but want to still be able to achieve the browning/crisping!
Hi Nina, the oil should help it brown nicely, but you could try adding a little more oil in place of the maple syrup for best results! Hope that helps!
Gaby says
Amazing recipe! Loved the harissa mix, although I left the cayenne pepper out for the kids. Still, mine was ready o the faster side (45 minutes) and it got perfectly and evenly crunchy on top without needing the broiler. I made it on the fan setting of my oven and the cauliflower was soft inside and crunchy on top. I loved the idea of adding water on a bottom tray, I think that made a huge difference. Thanks!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Gaby!
Laura in NJ says
Yum, yum, and yum! I roasted your cauliflower this morning, and am having it for lunch. The shawarma spice blend is brilliant. Not having harissa in the house, I used a 50/50 mix of tomato paste and sriracha for body, and it turned out wonderfully. Thanks also for the fabulous tip for coating the interior of the head with the marinade.
Kerstin says
I’ve made roasted whole cauliflower before and it definitely is my favourite way of cooking cauliflower. Usually I boil it first which is a bit complicated since you need a huge pot etc. so I was quite interested to see how this would turn out. Loved the idea with the shwarma spices and it did taste lovely. However, after over an hour in the oven, my cauliflower was still a bit too crunchy.
BUT since we didn’t finish it, I cut it up and put it in the pan with some onion and garlic, added some more shwarma spice and coconut milk. We then ate this the next day with rice and it tasted absolutely fabulous. Will definitely use the spice mix again but might go back to my old way of boiling it first.
Hi Kerstin, we retested and found that the size of the head of cauliflower can impact whether it cooks through to the core. We have modified the recipe to troubleshoot this issue. Let us know if you give it another try!
Susan says
Wow-this is absolutely delicious! I doubled the sauce. Thank you for a fantastic, easy Recipe!
Pam says
This is the 2nd time I’ve made this and both times were outstanding. The first time I made it for dinner guests and the presentation was very impressive. Then, of course, I forgot where I obtained the recipe and bumbled around with inferior ones. So disappointing! Earlier this week I found it again and promptly wrote it down. The perfect blend of savory, sweet and heat. I didn’t have harissa paste so used 1 tsp of harissa spice powder. We could have taken it spicier but it was lovely. The sauce and cooking with the pan of water in the bottom of the oven are what make this perfect. Look no further. This IS the BEST ROASTED CAULIFLOWER RECIPE out there!
BONUS: Today I used the leftovers in the creamy cauliflower soup recipe from Laurel’s Kitchen. FABULOUS.
We’re so glad you loved this recipe, Pam!
Maria Kawulych says
I made this on New Year’s Day. It was excellent! This is so easy to make. I followed the recipe exactly with 2 exceptions. I made 1 1/2 times the sauce although I don’t think I needed it. I cooked it in a dutch oven with the lid on for 50 min. It may not have required that full amount of time but I got distracted with other items and missed my earlier timer. It was soft but not mushy. The spiciness and flavor was terrific, however, if I was serving it to kids I would modify the spiciness. I will definitely make this again and might try other spices/flavorings.
I did not make any of the other suggestions as we already had other things planned for our menu.
Ana says
Delicious and so easy! I’ve made this twice now and even my meat-loving family thoroughly enjoyed it. It will be a staple recipe! I can’t wait to play with other flavor combinations.
xoxo! Thanks, Ana!
Barbara V says
I made it twice. It was really good. The only thing I noticed is that the color wasn’t so bright as in the picture, but just brown. Will try again and see if I mixed the spices correctly. Thank you!!!
Jasmine says
Made this for a Friendsgiving. Everyone loved it!
Yay! Thanks for sharing.
Becca says
Any suggestions for spices to use to make this a little more traditional for the Thanksgiving table? I’m thinking of serving whole roasted cauliflower as the vegan alternative to turkey.
Pia says
Once again, an absolutely amazing dish! I am not a vegan, nor a vegetarian, but I just love all your recipes! The cauliflower was so tasty. You are definitely my favourite chef! So easy to do and even I get amazing results. Xx
Cas says
I made this tonight and its delicious as well as beautiful.
Yay!
Hope Ware says
The Best Whole Roasted Cauliflower was absolutely amazing! A perfect blend of flavors. I went with the no oil version. Since some of the spices were in the bottom of the pan after roasting, I added a little Braggs Aminos and a bit of water to deglaze the pan. It made a perfect “gravy” for pouring over the cauliflower. I placed the cauliflower on a bed of brown rice with a few nuts and raisins added to the rice. My family raved and this is definitely a “make again” for us! I posted a photo on Instagram and tagged you!
Great! We’ll be on the look out for your photo on Instagram, Hope! :D
Kayla R. says
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! I was intimidated about making a whole roasted cauliflower, but after being stumped about what to have for dinner and finding a whole cauliflower in the fridge, I knew tonight was the night. The five simple steps were informative and accurate. I also could’ve used more sauce, but happy to have tried it this way first.
I made two switches to the recipe: I used curry powder and Thai green curry paste instead of harissa and Schwarma spices (though I’m so excited to try this again with that flavor). Also made the quinoa with a bit of the spice and garlic salt dissolved in the water while I toasted the grain — probably the best quinoa I’ve ever made. I will always use this method from here on out.
You’ve done it again Dana! Thank you!
Yay! We are so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Kayla! Thanks for sharing :D
Jessica Gysel says
This is really an amazing dish! Super tasty and nicely spiced (especially with the chimichurri which was delicious, the best combination ever). So so good, perfect for this autumn days. I’m so happy I found you via google, I usually go more Ottolenghi style, but your blog is simple, easy and superyummie. Thanks for the research and energy that goes into it, worth every bite!
Jennifer says
My whole family loved this!! My 14 year old insisted on licking her plate! Goes awesome with the chimichurri recipe included. I did make more of the shawarma mixture and was glad I did. Also, I didn’t have parsley for the chimichurri, so I used arugula and it turned out delicious. The water to steam I can tell was key to the excellent bake. Highly recommend this recipe. Thank you!
Rainbow says
HArissa is a new one for me. Can you recommend a brand or recipe?
Jill Sweet says
Hmmm, this tastes great but every time I roast a whole cauliflower it takes at least twice as long as recommended. It’s very frustrating but now I know. Maybe I will try the suggested Dutch oven next time to see it that helps speed it up.
Christine says
We made this today with lunch… we swapped out sriracha for the harissa since we didn’t have any on hand, and then made a cilantro chimichurri in lieu of parsley (also didn’t have on hand). It was amazing and can’t wait for the next dinner party to present as the appetizer!
Sushiflower says
Super easy and SO delicious. I made this with brown rice cooked with turmeric and curry and chicken stock near the end. I also made the chimichurri which was seriously awesome! Definitely making again!
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Patrycja says
Omg! This was delicious. Tried this recipe today and I absolutely loved it. Thank you! The paste itself is just great, wonder what else I could use it on. To marinate tofu maybe?
That would be a delicious addition!
Karen Bittinger says
Delicious!! Made this tonight and loved it. Served with wheat couscous and the Chimichurri. I didn’t have all the ingredients on either recipe but substitutes worked fine. Definitely will make again!! Thank you.
Zee says
How do you wash the cauliflower head as a whole? Wouldn’t it still be dirty on the inside? Thank you!
Kate says
Typo: “cauliflower doesn’t many calories” ;)
thanks!
Sue Murray says
I made this and it was soooo good. Yes, it takes patience as mine did take the whole 50 minutes to cook but it was worth it. Ate the leftovers cold the next day as part of a picnic. Will make again.
Gill says
this looks yum defo going to try, thanks for sharing! xx
Tim says
Struggled to cook the cauliflower to the desired outcome based on the guidelines in the recipe. After almost 1.5hrs of cooking the centre of the cauliflower was still tough and the outside was burning. Double and triple checked instructions, the oven and the recipe to an avail…
Sorry to hear you didn’t have success with this recipe Tim! Did you change anything in the recipe by chance? Let us know and we’ll do our best to help!
Hi Tim, we retested and found that the size of the head of cauliflower can impact whether it cooks through to the core. We have modified the recipe to troubleshoot this issue. Let us know if you give it another try!
Anthea says
First time ever I leave a comment on a recipe, but this was just SO GOOD. I also made twice the amount of sauce, and ate it with the chimichurri. Licked my plate clean afterwards!
We are so glad to hear that, Anthea!
Tinny says
Easy and delicious! Made double the seasonings, and drizzled extra on top after the cauliflower was done cooking. So many flavors! Yum!
Tes says
Why toasting the quinoa seeds?
Great question! Toasting brings out the oils and rich nuttiness of grains, lending depth of flavor to a variety of dishes.
Kristin Baker says
The complexity of the spices are amazing! It was my first time roasting a whole cauliflower and I couldn’t have chosen a better recipe to experiment with! Thank you!
caitlin says
I’ve made this twice now, and both times I’ve had positive comments from my usually tough to please chef housemate about how good the kitchen smells ! I also threw some potatoes in at the same time as the cauliflower and the steam/bake process made them fluffy as heck. my partner loves this recipe and I’m adding it to my easy go-to meals list, thanks!
Whoop! Glad to hear that, Caitlin!
Charlotte McKernan says
I’d like to make this with the crispy chickpeas per your suggestion! Do you have a recommendation for the order of operations here, i.e. which dish to put in the oven first and how to store the other while waiting? Thanks! Love your recipes!
Laurie Low says
Delicious! Made this and the chimichurri sauce to go with it. I didn’t want to heat up my kitchen (hot summer!) and made it in my air fryer. I set the temp for 400 and checked it with a sharp knife periodically to see if it was tender. I served it with brown rice.
Yay! Glad you enjoyed it, Laurie!
Deana Litowitz says
I’d love to try this recipe but the link for your shawarma-spice-blend is not working for me. Is there another way I can get the ingredients?
Hi Deana! It should be working now!
Addresschic says
This recipe is really awesome, it looks like a turkey on a first sight but no it is a roasted cauliflower and as I know roasted food always tasty use of spices make them more delicious. I really want to thank you dana adding another recipe for my vegan list. Surely going to try it soon
We hope you love it!
Elizabeth says
Awesome recipe! So easy, and minimal clean up. I used a non-stick, oven-safe pan instead of cast-iron, and it worked great!
Woot woot! That is what we like to hear :D Glad you enjoyed it, Elizabeth!
Gary says
Been making your recipes for some time now. This is my first time reviewing because I wanted to share a tip I came across. I absolutley LOVE your marinade/sauce for this dish. Although next time baking the cauliflower, you should try putting it in the dutch oven with the lid on for 30-35 mins and then the broiler for 2-4 mins with the lid open to finish it off. This way theres no pan of water required. It is the best turnout I’ve had to date. I’ll be using your recipe with this baking technique for years to come!
Smart! We don’t own a dutch oven but will have to try that in the future!
Tiffany Pothapragada says
Would you put liquid in the bottom of the dutch oven still?
Deborah says
Excellent, great flavor and texture, will make again.
Whoop! Glad to hear that, Deborah!
Kait says
Absolutely unreal. Sitting with a plate piled high with this cauliflower right now and I am in veggie heaven. Made the recipe exactly as written excepting a cooking time of 30 minutes. It’s absolutely delicious and just perfect!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Kait!
Amy says
Hi there!
Would this work in a traditional baking dish?
Thanks!
Amy
Yes, that should work!
Cassie Autumn Tran says
Can you try this recipe with veggie broth instead of water? Other than that, what an amazing cauliflower! I love roasting mine with a simple kung pao sauce or Korean barbecue sauce with a few spices. Amazing for dinner!
I think that would work, Cassie!
Kate says
Hi I was wondering if you could put this on a bbq?
We haven’t tried it, but I’d think yes, as long as it was cooked longer and slower at a lower heat.
Steph R says
What can I sub for harissa paste?
You could sub a little tomato paste and cayenne pepper or red pepper flake. Or romesco. Or even pesto!
Dea Brayden says
This was delicious and beautiful!! Brought it to a potluck tonight. Made it with curry and I didn’t have the harissa paste. I did make the chimichurri sauce and quinoa. Based on another comment I made more sauce. Glad I did. Totally fabulous. Thanks so much!
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Dea!
OneGreenSmoothie says
I hope a lot of chefs follow you. There’s nothing worse than being excited for an actual plant-based option at a restaurant, only to have it come out mushy. It always makes me cringe when I think of people who want to give plants a try and if those soggy ones are their first foray, they won’t try again. You seemed to have nailed this and I simply am ecstatic to give this a try. Thank you for your persistence!! Hope the first 6 were still delicious:)
So kind! The first six were still tasty, just not quite the right texture and permeating flavor I was looking for. Thanks for sharing!
Michelle stewart says
So good! I added a bit more maple syrup and chopped up sweet potato on a baking sheet…it’s like spicy candy! I could eat the whole thing…I might eat the whole thing.
Lovely, thanks Michelle!
Sarah says
SOO delicious! Made this for dinner last night and it was a huge hit with my girlfriend and our friends. I would definitely make again!
Thanks, Sarah!
Josh says
Really delicious! I recommend making 1.5 times the recommend amount of sauce.
Thanks, Josh!
LadyKaldi says
I don’t get it. Your tips seem useful — yet they aren’t included in the recipe itself. So when I print the instructions, no tips. And so when I make it some time down the road, no tips.
Hi there, I added the tips shortly after it was published because they somehow didn’t get carried down into the instructions. Sorry for any inconvenience! They should be there now.
Michelle Cotton says
This is not a comment on the cauliflower recipe, but an awareness that all links related to chicken or chickpea fesenjan direct traffic to the cauliflower recipe. I would appreciate the recipe for the chicken fesenjan if it is still being shared publicly.
Thank you.
Michelle, thanks for the question. We have a vegan version of Fesenjan in our cookbook using chickpeas in place of chicken, so we removed the meat version from the site. Sorry for any inconvenience!
finja says
Definitly on the future meal plan, looks too good … though it’s also very nice to leave the greens to the cauliflower – they get super crispy and, at least for me, even more delicious than the rest of the vegetable! Have you also ever tried with brokkoli? :)
I haven’t, but if you do let us know! I assume it would work similarly.
Linda says
Looks delicious! . Can’t wait to try these!