How to Roast Cauliflower

Roasted cauliflower is an incredibly easy side dish perfect for the fall and winter. Roasting cauliflower, adds a delicious nutty flavor that when paired with olive oil, salt, and pepper is perfect in its simplicity. If you want to get a little bit fancy, you can add freshly grated Parmesan to top your roast cauliflower off. Read on to learn how to roast cauliflower.

Chances are that if you had cauliflower at one point in your life and you hated it, that it was because it was cooked wrong.

Don’t steam cauliflower. Definitely do not boil cauliflower.

Cooked at higher heat, roasted vegetables begin to caramelize and develop a delicious, nutty flavor that can’t be achieved through steaming or boiling. No one likes soggy or mushy vegetables.

Roasting also sweetens the flavor of the vegetable. I think that roasting makes almost any vegetable taste better. 

Keep reading to learn my tried and tested method for roasting cauliflower perfectly every time.

Tools Needed to Make Roast Cauliflower

You’ll need a few different tools to make this roasted cauliflower recipe. Here’s what I recommend having on hand before beginning this easy cauliflower recipe:

• Cutting Board and Sharp Knife – to cut the whole cauliflower into bite-sized florets
• Large Mixing Bowl – a large bowl makes it easy to coat the raw cauliflower pieces in a small amount of olive oil.
• Aluminum Foil or Parchment Paper – not necessary, but it keeps the prepared baking sheet nice and clean while you cook the roasted cauliflower.
• Large Rimmed Baking Sheet – to roast the cauliflower on.

Recipe Ingredients

Roasting cauliflower is one of my favorite ways to cook this simple vegetable. To make the best roasted cauliflower, you’ll need a few simple ingredients:

• Fresh Head of Cauliflower
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
• Sea Salt or Kosher Salt
• Black Pepper

For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.

How to Roast Cauliflower

Learning how to bake cauliflower couldn’t be simpler. Here is a quick overview of the easy steps to making this oven roasted cauliflower recipe:

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. In a medium sized bowl, combine the cauliflower and olive oil.
3. Spread the cauliflower onto a large baking sheet.
4. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and roast until the cauliflower is cooked and golden brown.
6. If desired, add any additional ingredients (such as fresh parmesan), toss to coat and serve immediately.

Katie’s Tip: Roasted cauliflower makes a delicious side dish. It also makes a great addition to roasted vegetable sandwiches or casseroles, like this spiced cauliflower gratin.

Recipe FAQs

Got questions about how to make this recipe? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.

How long should you roast cauliflower?

Cooking time can vary depending on how large the cauliflower florets are, this oven roasted cauliflower will need to be in the oven for roughly 15 to 25 minutes.

How can you tell when cauliflower is done roasting?

You’ll know that your cauliflower is done roasting when it is tender and has golden brown edges.

What spices go well with roast cauliflower?

Of course! I kept this roasted cauliflower recipe as simple as possible so you could doctor it up however you saw fit. Try it with:

• garlic powder
• parmesan cheese
• red pepper flakes
• balsamic vinegar
• lemon juice or lemon zest
• curry powder
• Italian seasoning
• fresh parsley or other fresh herbs

What’s the best way to reheat roasted cauliflower?

If you wind up with leftovers, you can either reheat them in the oven or in a lightly oiled skillet. Small batches will reheat well on a tray in the toaster oven.

Avoid using the microwave to reheat leftover roast cauliflower, as that makes it mushy.

Roasting Tips

• Keep the cauliflower floret sizing consistent — Try to cut the cauliflower into pieces of the same, or at least close to, size. This will ensure even cook times for the whole pan.
• Dry cauliflower before roasting — Make sure the washed florets have dried completely after rinsing them before you toss them in olive oil to roast them. Wet cauliflower, when cooked, ends up steaming and won’t develop the delicious caramelized crust and nutty flavor that you get when you roast cauliflower.
• Don’t crowd the baking sheet — If the pan is too crowded, the cauliflower will create moisture, which turns your roasted cauliflower into steamed cauliflower. They’ll crisp better if there is more room in between rather than if they are all layered on top of each other. An extra large sheet pan is great for roasting

Try Roasted Cauliflower at Home!

Next time you’re looking for a simple way to cook cauliflower, give this oven-roasted cauliflower a try!

Did you love how easy this recipe was to make? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this roasted cauliflower.

On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this easy side dish!

More Easy Roasted Vegetable Side Dishes:

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Balsamic are a fantastic side dish that is full of delicious flavor — caramelized, roasted Brussels sprouts, savory bacon, and tangy balsamic vinegar.

Rosemary Garlic Roasted Potatoes are the perfect side dish for any meal. I especially love making these in the cooler months.

Another super easy side is this Apple Cider Roasted Acorn Squash. It pairs well with casseroles, grilled meats, and more.

Along with knowing how to roast cauliflower and broccoli, you should also take the time to master roasting sweet potatoes. These Roasted Sweet Potato Cubes with Garlic and Sage are a great place to start!

Take your traditional side dish of roasted broccoli to the next level with this easy broccolini recipe! Roasted broccolini is sprinkled with a mixture of lemon, thyme, and pancetta bread crumbs.

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