Caramalized Roasted Cauliflower

One of my favorite things ever is roasted cauliflower. I have been making at least once a week for about 20 years now (I even wrote an article for NPR about this love affair once upon a time). If I've ever cooked you dinner, you've probably been treated to a side of deliciously caramelized baked cauliflower, and more than once! It's one of the easiest sides ever, yet it is oddly impossible to stop eating. Left on my own, I could probably consume an entire head of roasted cauliflower for dinner, along with a wedge of cheese, and be perfectly happy.

To make it, all you'll do is break up a cauliflower, coat it with olive oil and salt, then roast it until it's easily pierced with a fork. In my view, the best roasted cauliflower is one that's alternately soft and crispy with good blackened bits along the sides of the pan, although you can roast it a bit less if you prefer. It's wonderful stirred into pasta, served alongside pasta, fish, roasted chicken, vegetable soufflé, or just on its own with a fresh, crusty loaf of easy dutch oven bread - you have a lot of options.

So Much to Love

How do I love you, little cauliflower? Oh, there are many, many ways: I love you for your delicious, crumbly gratins baked for an hour in the oven on Friday evenings; I love your Monday night soups quickly whirled together and seasoned with mushrooms and herbs de Provence; I love your lazy Sunday afternoon curries served with coconut rice.

But I think best of all, I love you slow-roasted at 375 degrees for about an hour. Even if Mark Twain wrote that you are "nothing but cabbage with a college education", what's wrong with that?! Here's why you must make this recipe ASAP:

• So easy - I love roasting vegetables because you can let the oven do much of the work. I would say you need about 5 minutes or less of prep time to make roasted cauliflower, leaving you about 15 extra minutes to water the garden or throw a tennis ball for the dog.
• A new way to serve cauliflower - Look beyond the crudité plate - although cauliflower does have its place there - and turn it all melty-crisp in the oven.
• Good for you - Cauliflower is low in fat and high in fiber, folate, water, and vitamin C. So go ahead and indulge.

What You Need

You need only 3 ingredients to make this recipe! Here they are:

• Cauliflower - You'll mostly find white cauliflower, but that doesn't mean you should limit yourself to that variety. Other options, often seen at farmers' markets, include green, orange, and purple cauliflower.
• Olive oil - I keep a bottle of extra virgin olive oil at the ready for tucking into dressings or slicking on vegetables. You could substitute avocado oil if needed.
• Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt is best.

Tips & Recipe Notes

• Spread out the cauliflower - If you pack the cauliflower too close together, there won't be enough room for air to circulate around the florets. What's the big deal? Actually, it's not a huge deal if you don't mind slightly soggy cauliflower. But to me, part of the appeal of roasted cauliflower is all of those yummy caramelized bits. So, space it out!
• Double the recipe - Easily make twice as much roasted cauliflower, just double the recipe.
• Line the pan - If you use a glass casserole or baking dish, you don't need to line it. But, if you use a baking sheet, like in these photos, it's best to line it with a piece of parchment paper so that the cauliflower doesn't burn and/or stick to the pan.
• Break it into different-sized pieces - I like all different sizes of cauliflower florets in my roasted cauliflower. This isn't one of those recipes where it's important that the cauliflower all cook at exactly the same rate. For example, the smaller bits of cauliflower will get more crispy while the larger pieces will soften but not get too crunchy. I love this mix of contrasting textures.

Serving Suggestions

Roasted cauliflower is such a wonderfully adaptable dish that can be served as the main attraction or as a side dish along with a salad, bread, and a meat or meatless main. Here are a few more ideas:

• As a side - Whether you're enjoying a roast chicken, baked salmon, pasta, or a vegetarian souffle, roasted cauliflower makes a versatile and easy side dish.
• Make it your main meal - Add a loaf of no-knead whole wheat bread and cheese, and enjoy cauliflower as a light main dish!
• Add to pasta - Tuck roasted cauliflower into a shaped pasta along with toasted, sliced almonds and lemon zest for a flavorful meal.
• Turn it into soup - Elevate a carrot cauliflower soup by roasting the cauliflower first for extra depth of flavor. Then add it to the soup following the recipe instructions.

Storage Options

Here's what to do with any leftover roasted cauliflower (although between you and me, I doubt you will have any!):

• Fridge - Store leftover roasted cauliflower in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• To Reheat - To reheat, place the cauliflower in a microwave-safe dish and gently heat it in the microwave at 30-second intervals until warm.