My
Shop Sugar-Free
Wholesome Yum
Free: Healthy Freezer Meals Recipe Ebook
Get It NowThis post may contain affiliate links, which help keep this content free. (Full disclosure)
Getting bored of the same cauliflower recipes? Try roasting it in the oven! Not only is this oven roasted cauliflower recipe easy to follow, there are also plenty of seasoning variations so you can tailor it to your own unique taste. We make different versions of this almost every week!
When you roast cauliflower, it brings out its sweet, nutty flavor, and it gets golden and caramelized edges similar to roasted potatoes, roasted broccoli, or roasted romanesco. You probably have everything you need to make it right now!
Why You’ll Love This Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
- Golden and caramelized, with crispy edges
- Perfect crisp tender vegetables
- Savory, lightly sweet flavor
- Only 3 ingredients, plus salt and pepper — and endless ways to customize!
- Quick 5-minute prep time
- Naturally gluten-free, healthy, low carb, and keto friendly
- Perfect as a veggie side dish or as the main course of a vegetarian meal
Ingredients & Substitutions
This section explains how to choose the best ingredients for roasting cauliflower, what each one does in the recipe, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower – You can either cut a whole cauliflower head or you can use pre-cut cauliflower florets. The same method also works for roasted broccoli, romanesco, or broccoli and cauliflower together.
- Olive Oil – Adds flavor, helps the seasonings stick, and promotes caramelization. Avocado oil would work as well.
- Seasoning – Sprinkle cauliflower florets with garlic powder (optional), sea salt, and black pepper for a delicious savory flavor. See more seasoning ideas below!
How To Cut Cauliflower For Roasting
Here is the easiest method for cutting cauliflower into florets. You don’t even have to remove the leaves and stems — they will come off when you cut away the core.
- Quarter. Cut the cauliflower into 4 wedges.
- Remove the core. Cut away the core from each quarter.
- Chop. Cut into florets. Medium florets, about 1.5 inches in diameter and 1.5 to 2 inches long, are ideal for roasting cauliflower.
How To Roast Cauliflower In The Oven
This section shows how to make roasted cauliflower, with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
- Prep. Preheat the oven. Cut cauliflower head into florets as shown above.
- Season. Place cauliflower in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic powder (if using), salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Arrange. Place cauliflower in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. If you want to line it, I recommend using foil rather than parchment paper, because parchment paper will reduce browning. You’ll want to coat the pan lightly in oil if it’s not a great non-stick surface.
TIP: Don’t crowd the pan.
Each floret should be touching the pan, so make sure your pan is large enough. This will ensure even cooking, best texture, and caramelization.
- Roast. Bake cauliflower in the oven, tossing halfway through, until tender and browned on the edges. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
How Long To Roast Cauliflower?
Roast cauliflower in the oven at 400 degrees F for 25-30 minutes. Keep in mind that time will vary depending on the size of the cauliflower florets.
Seasoning Variations
- Lemon, Garlic, & Paprika – Prepare the same seasoning mix used for air fryer cauliflower: Add 3/4 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika, 2 teaspoon lemon juice (or 1/2 to 1 teaspoon lemon zest), and include the optional 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder from the recipe below.
- Italian Seasoning – Add 1/2 teaspoon of store-bought or homemade Italian seasoning.
- Roasted Cauliflower With Parmesan – Prepare the same seasoning sauce used for whole roasted cauliflower: In a small bowl, combine 3 cloves crushed garlic, 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1 teaspoon dried parsley, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Drizzle the sauce over florets before roasting.
- Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower – If you want spicy roasted cauliflower, you can use the same flavor combination as my buffalo cauliflower recipe. Follow the instructions above. Then, heat 1/2 cup buffalo sauce and 1/4 cup unsalted butter together. Toss cauliflower in the buffalo sauce to coat.
- Curry Spiced – Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of curry powder.
- Chili Lime – Mix 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder together. Sprinkle seasoning mix on cauliflower florets and roast. Finally, garnish with fresh cilantro.
- Mexican – Use 1/2 teaspoon store-bought or homemade taco seasoning in place of garlic powder to give this cauliflower a Mexican twist for meatless tacos.
Storage Instructions
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Reheat: Warm roasted cauliflower in the oven at 350 degrees F, until warm. The microwave works in a pinch, but the texture is best with the oven method.
- Freeze: Let cauliflower cool completely, then store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Freezing cauliflower raw is not recommended, so you’d have to blanch it if you want to freeze before roasting.
What To Serve With Roasted Cauliflower
Roasted cauliflower is a great healthy side dish that can pair with just about anything! Try it with these easy main dishes:
- Beef – Cauliflower pairs perfectly with steaks, like sirloin steak, filet mignon, ribeye, or New York strip. For special meals, beef short ribs, roasted beef tenderloin, or sirloin tip roast make great options.
- Chicken – Keep it simple with baked chicken legs, or make air fryer chicken breast while roasting cauliflower in the oven. If you like chicken recipes with sauce, try chicken cacciatore, garlic butter chicken, or creamy mushroom chicken.
- Pork – Pair oven roasted cauliflower with pan seared pork chops, stuffed pork chops, pork steaks, or pork tenderloin without breaking the bank.
- Seafood – Make baked cod or baked salmon for weeknight meals — or make sea bass, lobster tails, or halibut for special occasions.
- Lamb – Even lamb chops, boneless leg of lamb, and braised lamb shanks would pair beautifully with cauliflower.
- Sauces – Roasted cauliflower recipes are already flavorful as is, but sometimes I like to dip it in garlic aioli, pesto sauce, spicy mayo, or marinara.
More Roasted Cauliflower Recipes
I love roasting cauliflower for dinner! It’s so easy to prep and the flavor options are endless. Here are some other reader favorite roasted cauliflower recipes:
Tools For Roasting Cauliflower
- Sheet Pan – I recommend using a corrugated non-stick sheet pan like this one for even cooking.
Oven Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
Roasted Cauliflower Recipe (So Easy!)
Learn how to roast cauliflower perfectly with olive oil + simple seasoning. This easy oven roasted cauliflower recipe is tender & caramelized!
Go Ad-Free
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see where to get them. Please turn Safari reader mode OFF to view ingredients.
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions below to start a kitchen timer while you cook.
-
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (204 degrees C).
-
Place the cauliflower in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with garlic powder (if using), salt, and pepper. Toss to coat.
-
Arrange the cauliflower in a single layer on a large baking sheet. (Do not crowd the pan – each floret should be touching the pan.) You can use a non-stick sheet pan like this, or line any type of sheet pan with foil and coat lightly in oil to prevent sticking.
-
Roast cauliflower in the oven for 25-30 minutes, tossing halfway through, until browned on the edges. (Cook time is for florets about 1 inch in diameter and 1.5-2 inches long; it will vary with larger or smaller florets.)
Last Step: Leave A Rating!
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it!
Readers Who Liked This Easy Recipe Also Made:
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 cup
Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see our nutrition policy.
Want to save this recipe?
Create a free account to save your favorite recipes!
Sign Up To Save Recipes© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. 🙂
29 Comments
Jennifer
0Such a simple but flavorful side dish. This will become a favorite!
Sarita
0Sometimes simple is best, and this recipe is a great example of just that. My new go-to for cauliflower!
Mandy Applegate
0Whenever I’ve roasted cauliflower before they’ve not turned out great, I followed your tips for cutting and didn’t crowd the pan and they were perfect!
Shruthi
0Cauliflower is one of our favorite dinner staples and I’m always looking for easier ways to make a batch, and I’m so glad I found this recipe! Turned out crispy on the outside, soft on the inside. Delicious!
Addison
0This was such an easy and healthy way to make cauliflower! We loved it with our steaks.
Deborah
0I didn’t think I like cauliflower, but it was delicious roasted. What do you do with leftovers?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Deborah, Here is a great recipe for loaded cauliflower salad you could make with the leftovers.
Mary
0I have roasted cauliflower a lot, but this recipe with garlic is even better. The thin slices are better for my usual entre that has melted cheese on top. Thanks for the tip of using cabbage. I am going to try that soon.
Crystal Carter
0Yummy!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Linda, The video is there in the recipe card. Please double check that you aren’t viewing the website in reader mode or with an RSS reader.
Linda Hutchinson
0I’m just about to cook this and want to look at the video. I don’t know how to access it????
In the recipe portion, under view the video, it says to tap on the image below, but I have no image.
Linda Hutchinson
0I’m just about to cook this and want to look at the video. I don’t know how to access it????
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Linda, The video is located in the recipe card. If you cannot see it, make sure you are not viewing the website in an RSS feed or in reader mode.
Pam Hoffner
0wish you would have included how much garlic, oil, salt and pepper
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Pam, The amounts of every ingredient are listed on the recipe card. If amounts are missing for you, be sure that you don’t have your browser “reader mode” turned on.
Belinda Spears
0Thank you so much for your attention to yummy WHOLESOME foods!!! I can’t wait to try this recipe:)
I love how much you seem to care about the healthy way to take care of your body (and OURS), but the second you mention anything to do with a microwave you loose me. Microwaves are good for NOTHING! The ONLY thing they do is NUKE the heck out of our food:( destroying everything in its path.
Thank you again for your help, but please do your homework on microwaves. They stink!!!
Peggy B
0Thank you for this recipe. Love it. Can you roast frozen cauliflower? If you answered in the article, I do apologize. Read through, trying to make sure. And thank you again.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0You’re welcome, Peggy! Yes, you can, but of course you wouldn’t be able to get those thin slices like I did here. It would just take longer to roast.
monica
0This cauliflower looks delicious! I love all roasted veggies, especially cauliflower! Can’t wait to try it!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I hope you like it, Monica!
Deborah
0What temp should the oven be?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Deborah, It’s in the instructions on the recipe card above – 400 degrees F.
Lindsey Dietz
0I just LOVE those little crispy, burned bits! That’s the best part!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0I agree, Lindsey!
Joe
0You have an awesome site. What temperature adjustment will I need to make if I use an 8×8 pan when making your delicious avocado chocolate brownies.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Joe! I’d keep the temperature the same for an 8×8 pan, but you’ll have thicker brownies. Watch them and check if the baking time might need to increase or decrease. For anyone interested, the avocado brownies are here.
Jim H L
0Maya, we had this with with grilled fresh albacore fillets (I caught them). It was a great combination. I followed your recipe to the “T” and my garlic burnt. Ether I did something wrong or I would suggest putting the garlic in on the last 5-10 minutes. I will try that as we really did enjoy it. BTW we are garlic lovers & I put a lot of garlic in there ! LOLOLOLOL
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sounds like a great combination, Jim! I suppose it’s possible that the garlic would burn if you used more of it. Feel free to add it in later if you’re using more than the amount in the recipe.
Jim H L
0I will absolutely do it again, because it was really good, even with burnt garlic. It wasn’t so burnt as to ruin the meal. I will keep the temp. at 400F for roasting & add my garlic when I turn the cauliflower over. I will let you know the results. Jim
P.S. Your site is awesome !