This turmeric roasted cauliflower makes for a delicious and nutritious vegan side dish or main. It can be prepared as a whole roasted cauliflower, cauliflower steaks, or florets. Plus, this recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan, and low-carb!
Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
Clean the leaves and remove the stem of the cauliflower. Make sure to keep the florets intact.
Finely chop the garlic gloves and mix them with the turmeric powder, salt and olive oil.
Pour the oil mixture all over the cauliflower - underside included. Do this over the baking sheet, so you don't waste any of the flavors.Chef's note: It's a good side to start by pouring some of the oil seasoning on the underside of the cauliflower and shaking it lightly to encourage it to drip down into the core of the cauliflower, between the florets. Then turn it over and baste the top.Brush the mixture all over - make sure to cover all the little nooks. Add a bit more oil if needed to help distribute the mixture all over the cauliflower.
Place the cauliflower in the middle of the prepared sheet, florets upwards, and bake for around 1hr15* (though this will vary depending on the exact size of the cauliflower head).
You'll need to place a small dish of water in the bottom of the oven to help the cauliflower steam as it cooks. Baste the cauliflower with the oil/spice mixture several times during the cooking for extra flavor. Once baked, slice, and serve.
How To Store
Roasted cauliflower can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for between 4-5 days. It is also freezer friendly for between 2-3 months.You can eat the cauliflower cold or reheat in the microwave or oven.
Notes
* The cooking time will vary depending on whether you're cooking it whole, like steaks or florets. Florets will take between 20- 30 minutes, steaks will take slightly longer, 25-35 minutes.Chef's note: If you want crispier results, then you can remove the dish of water towards the last 10-15 minutes of cooking and/or lightly broil the cauliflower for a few minutes at the end of the bake time.
If you plan to bake these as individual florets, you can simply toss the cauliflower in a large bowl with the seasoning/oil mixture. There's no need to re-baste once they're in the oven.
The smaller the pieces of cauliflower are when roasting. The crispier they will become.
As a simple alternative to this turmeric spice, you could create a baste with my Italian seasoning mix, garlic, salt and pepper, and oil. Then, optionally, sprinkle with some parmesan/ dairy-free hard cheese (or even nutritional yeast).
You can also bake the whole roasted cauliflower in a dutch oven, covered with the lid or some foil, until tender (between 45-60mins).