Name: Roasted Garlic Cauliflower
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 medium head cauliflower; 4 garlic cloves; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; Fresh ground black pepper; Olive oil; Lemon juice

This roasted garlic cauliflower requires less than 10 minutes of prep work and pairs well with everything from pasta to stir-fries.

Cauliflower is one of my favorite veggies to roast. We’ve had it with sage, with curry powder, with paprika – or just like this, highlighted on its own. You can’t really mess it up. I used to think that cauliflower was pretty bland. However, I’ve since grown to appreciate its unique flavor (particularly when it is roasted). If you think you don’t like cauliflower and haven’t had it in a while, give this roasted garlic cauliflower a try and see if your tastes have changed!

Our favorite cauliflower recipe? Perfect Roasted Cauliflower

How to roast cauliflower

This roasted garlic cauliflower is about as simple as it gets. When roasting cauliflower, you want to chop it into even-sized pieces so everything bakes at the same rate. The smaller the pieces, the quicker the cauliflower will cook. However, you don’t want to chop the cauliflower too finely, or else the pieces might burn in the oven.

The oven temperature should be fairly high, as you want the outside of the cauliflower to get beautifully golden brown and slightly crispy (the darker parts are the most flavorful!). However, you don’t want the temperature so high that the outside of the cauliflower cooks while the inside stays raw. We’ve found 450FºF to be the perfect temperature, but some ovens burn hotter than others so you may need to adjust your oven temperature a bit after you’ve tried out this roasted garlic cauliflower recipe.

Last but certainly not least is the importance of olive oil in this recipe. The olive oil helps the cauliflower become golden on the outside and adds a touch of flavor. You want to drizzle on just enough oil that the cauliflower is slick to the touch, but not swimming in oil. Too much oil will cause the cauliflower to burn or become soggy in the oven. When in doubt, add a tablespoon of oil at a time until you’ve reached a ratio you’re happy with.

Because this cauliflower is flavored simply with salt, pepper, and garlic, it pairs nicely with a variety of dishes. Serve it alongside pizza for a hearty meal, with some salmon or shrimp, or toss it into a stir-fry or pasta dish. You can also mix in some other veggies like broccoli and roast them at the same time.

Looking for more cauliflower recipes?

If you love this cruciferous veggie, you’ll also love these cauliflower recipes:

This roasted garlic cauliflower recipe is…

Begetarian, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, and plant-based.