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Whole Roasted Cauliflower

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An entire head of roasted cauliflower? For dinner? 100% unquestionably YES! I know cauliflower has been wowing us all over the internet and I really hope it isn’t leaving anytime soon PLZ & TY! This an effortless cauliflower recipe that is sure to surprise you with some sincere dinnertime affection.

Also: We’re here for roasted cauliflower with chimichurri sauce.

Bite of crispy caramelized whole roasted cauliflower.

The caramelization. Are you SEEING this?

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower: [ Kol-ee-flou-er ] (N)(V)(LIFE) : the unassuming wallflower that has just found the warmest, coziest nook in our cast iron cookware. From vegan tacos to cream sauces and stuffing recipes (true story), we love us this versatile vegetable.

Whole cauliflower head to roast.

How to make oven-roasted cauliflower

Ok, this recipe delivers mind-blowing results with ZERO effort. We’re gonna remove the leaves, we’re gonna season with some oil/S/P and we’re gonna dig right in.

I buy a head of cauliflower just to have as a standby for nights I don’t feel like putting much energy into dinner but still want to include veggies v. processed foods.

The leaves and stem removed from a whole cauliflower.

Be cautious as you remove the leaves, to ensure the cauliflower head remains intact.

whole cauliflower head with olive oil pouring
whole cauliflower head seasoned with salt and pepper in a cast iron pan.

Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper prior to baking.

Then Voila! you pull this golden beauty out 40 minutes later!

Oven roasted whole cauliflower in a cast iron skillet.

What to expect from roasted cauliflower

If I could describe a vegetable as melt-in-your-mouth I would do so here. The whole cauliflower head is at the mercy of your dinner fork, pluck and pull wherever you see fit.

The lemon gifts us a smackable, close your eyes and smile feeling in your tummy. Also, this dish is versatile-pair this with absolutely any sauce your heart desires and you. are. set.

Entire roasted head of cauliflower.
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Whole roasted cauliflower head

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

  • Author: Adriana
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: Sides, gluten-free
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: Vegan
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Description

Are you a fan of dippable, beautiful vegetables? Babes, this whole roasted cauliflower is the recipe for you. Guaranteed to make you feel like KWEEN of your kitchen, cook this up and marvel at your shining creation. You’re about to reach home cook level: genius and we’re ready to watch you shine!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juice and zest

Instructions

Heat the oven to 400.

  1. Flip your cauliflower upside down. Slice the stalk away as short as you can without displacing any of the florets. 
  2. If there are any smaller leaves left- which there usually are- simple pluck them off with your hands.
  3. Place on a cast iron pan or a baking sheet and drizzle the olive oil over top of the cauliflower, coating all the surface area and using your hands or a brush if you need. 
  4. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 40-60 minutes, until fork tender. Organic cauliflower are smaller in size so they’ll be ready at about the 40 minute mark. I’ve seen some gigantic cauliflower in grocery stores- these will take closer to 60 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s fork-tender.
  5. Remove from oven and squeeze fresh lemon juice and zest over top.
  6. Enjoy! I really love this dish with chimichurri sauce!

Notes

** As mentioned, cauliflower comes in a variety of sizes, the smaller cauliflower heads take about 40 minutes whereas the large cauliflower may take closer to 60 minutes. Check at 40 minutes.

** For serving: We family style this dish by placing the entire roasted cauliflower on a plate and my husband and I share it along with out meal. You can slice or quarter it into sections for serving. Truly any way you add this to your table it is sure to be a hit!

** I have tried covering this with a sauce or stuffing it prior to baking. You can totally do this. However, with some sauces the color is a very muddy hue. I prefer to drizzle sauces on after!

Keywords: Gluten-free, cauliflower

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