If you've never made a Whole Roasted Cauliflower, this is the nudge you've been needed. It's an impressive vegetarian main and I will forever be obsessed. The below recipe takes a beautifully roasted head of cauliflower with a chopped lemon vinaigrette and a creamy yogurt sauce to make a match made in heaven.
Table of Contents
Why I Love This Recipe
Cauliflower has absolutely had it's MOMENT in the spotlight the last few years (sometimes a little too much) but that doesn't change the fact that it's one of the most versatile veggies and makes an incredible meal! I love a good buffalo cauliflower or a cheese cauliflower gratin, and this whole roasted cauliflower is a beauty!!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- A beautiful head of Cauliflower
- Olive Oil
- Kosher Salt
And that's pretty much it!! For all the other great sauces / condiments on this recipe, you'll need:
- Labneh this is the one I buy most frequently
- Garlic
- Feta
- Shallots
- Red Wine Vinegar
- Meyer Lemons
- Herbs
*For a full list of ingredients and instructions please see recipe card below.
How to Make Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Step 1: Combine the shallot, vinegar and a pinch of salt and let sit for 15 minutes.
Step 2: Combine all ingredients for the labneh together in a bowl and stir to combine the feta. Season with salt as needed.
Step 3: Cut the lemon into 8 wedges and remove all seeds. Then chop the lemon wedges into a fine dice, you’ll wind up with about ½ cup of chopped lemon. Add the chopped lemon to the shallot mixture and add the olive oil, herbs and salt and pepper to taste. (NOTE - if using the whole lemon peel freaks you out, zest the entire lemon and use that instead. But the peel of Meyer Lemons is very edible and very delish)
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Carefully place the cauliflower in the water and cover and let cook for 5-7 minutes until just barely fork tender on the outside.
Step 5: Remove the cauliflower and place on a sheet tray to dry for around 10 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil all over and season well with kosher salt.
Step 6: Transfer the baking sheet into the oven and let roast for 30-40 minutes until golden on the outside.
Step 7: Remove from the oven once golden and charred and place on a serving plate with a bed of labneh. Drizzle with vinaigrette and garnish with parsley and chives.
How to Store Whole Roasted Cauliflower
You can store this in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days. Feel free to cut into smaller pieces for easier storage. Store the labneh separately, preferably.
How to Freeze Whole Roasted Cauliflower
You can freeze roasted cauliflower for 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge when you plan to use it, and roast in the oven for a few minutes.
Tips & Tricks
Make sure to keep the stems and leaves on the cauliflower, they get delicious when crispy and golden.
Ways to jazz up this Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Perhaps you don't want to make these 2 sauces that I serve with my Whole Roasted Cauliflower - it's also great with my basil vinaigrette on top. It would be lovely with a bunch of freshly made Pico de Gallo too! And my last suggestion would be tomato confit! OMG it's everything.
FAQs
Why is my roasted cauliflower mushy?
Probably because you boiled it for too long! You want it to just be tender - not overly tender. So use a sharp knife and if it just barely goes through the head of cauliflower, without having to push it too hard, you're good! If it goes thru TOO easily, it's already over-cooked.
Do you have to blanch cauliflower before cooking?
For a whole head yes! If you're doing florets for a different recipe, no.
How do you wash cauliflower before roasting?
I give it a great rinse under water and get any dirt off and trim off any brown pieces.
What does Baked cauliflower taste like?
IT TASTES LIKE HEAVEN. You want all those crispy roasted bits to really amp up the flavor. It's creamy and crispy and pairs so well with just about everything.
Similar Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today
Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
For the Cauliflower
- 1 head of cauliflower please keep the stems and leaves on, they get delicious when crispy and golden
- olive oil
- Kosher salt to taste
For the Garlic Feta Labneh
- 1 cup store bought labneh
- Kosher salt to taste
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- ½ cup feta
For the Lemon Vinaigrette
- 1 shallot diced
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- 1 whole Meyer lemon
- ½ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- Parsley and Chives to garnish
Instructions
For the Garlic Feta Labneh
- Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and stir to combine the feta. Season with salt as needed.
For the Vinaigrette
- Combine the shallot, vinegar and a pinch of salt and let sit for 15 minutes. Cut the lemon into 8 wedges and remove all seeds. Then chop the lemon wedges into a fine dice, you’ll wind up with about ½ cup of chopped lemon. Add the chopped lemon to the shallot mixture and add the olive oil, herbs and salt and pepper to taste. (NOTE - if using the whole lemon peel freaks you out, zest the entire lemon and use that instead. But the peel of Meyer Lemons is very edible and very delish)
For the Cauliflower
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Carefully place the cauliflower in the water and cover and let cook for 5-7 minutes until just barely fork tender on the outside. Remove the cauliflower and place on a sheet tray to dry for around 10 minutes. Drizzle with olive oil all over and season well with kosher salt. Transfer the baking sheet into the oven and let roast for 30-40 minutes until golden on the outside.
- Remove from the oven once golden and charred and place on a serving plate with a bed of labneh. Drizzle with vinaigrette and garnish with parsley and chives.
Notes
- Make sure to keep the stems and leaves on the cauliflower, they get delicious when crispy and golden
This was a hit at my house. Everyone, even my husband who claims to be allergic to veggies had some!
O.M.G. This looks so beautiful and delicious! I have never tried this before, but need to go get a cauliflower STAT!!!