By: Merritt Allen

I have never been a huge fan of cauliflower. One too many plates of steamed cauliflower in my dining hall of college turned me away from this vegetable for a long time. As I started to find new vegetable recipes, I found myself experimenting with roasted cauliflower and really liking it! The trick is to do more to this healthy cruciferous vegetable than just steaming it.

This recipe is an oven roasted cauliflower with curry and fresh basil, which is delicious, addictive, and so much better than plain steamed cauliflower! Having plenty of healthy and easy vegetable options is very important to me as I like to include them in as many meals as possible. I am so happy that I tried cauliflower again as I have been making this easy recipe weekly since developing it. I hope you give this oven roasted cauliflower recipe a try!

Notes and Tips for Oven Roasted Cauliflower

• Buying fresh cauliflower will give you the best roasted cauliflower flavor. Precut bags of cauliflower can go bad quickly. If you want to buy pre-cut cauliflower, I recommend buying frozen cauliflower and preparing this dish on the stovetop. Frozen cauliflower is frozen at peak ripeness so its a great option if you can not find a fresh head of cauliflower.

• Stovetop preparation for frozen cauliflower works well to evaporate a lot of water. I recommend this method over the oven, as the frozen cauliflower can take longer to cook and come out soggy. Sauté the cauliflower in a skillet until most of the water is gone. Add in the olive oil, curry power, garlic, salt and pepper and sauté until starting to crisp. Add the basil and let wilt down for a few minutes, and enjoy!

• Convection functions in ovens are great for getting your vegetables really crispy. If you have this feature in your oven I recommend cooking your cauliflower this way. Your vegetables will get extra crispy without burning them.

Common Questions For Roasted Cauliflower:

How Do You Prepare Cauliflower for Eating?

• Cauliflower is really easy to prepare for eating. For a fresh head of cauliflower, remove the outer leaves first. Next de stem your cauliflower by chopping the stem off so you have a flat bottom to cut from. Remove any brown or mushy spots that may be present on your cauliflower. Chop your cauliflower into bit size pieces, saving any small bits since those will roast into the best crunchy pieces. Next wash your cauliflower under cold water to remove any dirt. Your cauliflower is ready to roast after that!

• The method described above is the same one I use for broccoli and brussels sprouts. These hearty vegetables are also considered cruciferous vegetables, and are equally easy to prepare.

Why Do People Soak Cauliflower Before Cooking?

• Soaking cauliflower in salt water before cooking is a method to remove dirt, bugs, and bacteria before cooking. You can definitely do this is you want to take extra precaution against anything that may be present in your vegetables.

• The process of de-stemming, chopping, washing, and roasting, is adequate for removing anything unsavory that may be in your cauliflower. If you do not wish to take the time of soaking, just make sure to give your cauliflower a good scrub and look over before placing it in the oven!

Is Roasted Cauliflower Healthy?

• Roasted cauliflower is very healthy! Cauliflower is very high in fiber and minerals like vitamin C, potassium, and magnesium. It can be a great way to increase your cruciferous vegetable intake which are some of the healthiest vegetables you can eat. Roasted cauliflower in olive oil is a good way to have some healthy fats which can help in the absorption of vitamins and minerals. Roasting can also help your body digest the cauliflower easier than if it was raw, and it tastes a lot of better than raw or even steamed cauliflower.

What Does Roasted Cauliflower Go With?

• Curried cauliflower is a delicious addition to many dishes. It tasted great on rice, paired with chicken, or even tossed in a salad. Below are some of my favorite recipes from my kitchen that I like to pair this cauliflower with!

  • My Toasted Chickpea Salad pairs great with the curry flavor if you want to add the cauliflower as a topping.

  • Mix some of the Curried Cauliflower into my Pasta Salad for a delicious addition.

  • Top my Lemon Basil Rice with some of this curry cauliflower and enjoy and nice variation on flavors. The curry, lemon, and basil are the perfect pairing for your favorite protein.

  • Mix any leftover cauliflower in my recipe for a Breakfast Frittata! A great way to start your day is with vegetables and this pairing is fantastic for that.

• Let me know what pair your cauliflower with in the comments below!

Basil Vs Holy Basil:

• This recipe calls for green Italian basil, which is a common herb found most commonly in the Mediterranean. Holy basil is a Thai herb that used in cooking and teas and has more minty or licorice flavor.

• When deciding between basil vs. holy basil, I suggest trying both and just using the one you like better! I have used both these basils for this recipe and both taste good.

Ingredients For Curry Roasted Cauliflower with Fresh Basil

 Directions to Make Roasted Cauliflower with Curry and Basil:

1. Preheat the Oven

2. Preheat your oven to 350 F, using convection function if you have it.

3. To your head of cauliflower, peel the leaves off and chop the stem off. Remove any bad spots that may be present.

4. Chop up your cauliflower into medium size pieces, cutting out any large stem pieces that remain.

5. Add your cauliflower to a cookie sheet and set aside.

6. Chop up 2-3 cloves of garlic and add to your cookie sheet.

7. Toss the cauliflower with the curry powder, salt, pepper, and olive oil. Mix until combined.

8. Bake in the oven until golden and crispy, about 20 minutes.

2. Add the Basil

1. While the cauliflower is baking, wash and de stem your fresh basil, and set aside a few leaves for topping

2. Rough chop your basil until you have about 1 cup.

3. After about 20 minutes, remove the cauliflower from the oven and sprinkle the basil on top. Incorporate with a spoon or spatula and then roast for an additional 5 minutes, until the basil is wilted and starting to crisp around the edges.

4. Top with flaky salt, and fresh basil!