This festive-looking roasted whole cauliflower is beautifully seasoned with olive oil, garlic, and paprika. The cauliflower head comes out gorgeous! It's nicely browned on the outside and tender on the inside.
My Dad inspired me to make this recipe. He's a great cook, always happy to try new recipes. When he sent over this beautiful photo, I just had to try it too! And I'm so happy I did. The cauliflower looks so impressive when it emerges from the oven. But the best part? It's delicious. My entire family enjoys this recipe and requests it often.
Ingredients
You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:
- Cauliflower head: I use a medium-sized head. You'll need to adjust the cooking time if you use a small or a big one.
- Olive oil: I love cooking with this flavorful oil. Melted butter is another tasty option.
- To season: I use kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Olive oil spray: I use it to spray the cauliflower one more time after I season it. This helps keep the spices moist and prevents them from burning in the oven.
Variations
The best way to vary this recipe is to use different spices. Good options I tried and liked include onion powder, chili powder, and ground cumin. You can add ½ teaspoon of each.
You can also coat the cauliflower with melted butter or ghee instead of olive oil.
Instructions
Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:
Brush the cauliflower all over with olive oil. Sprinkle it with spices, then spray it with more olive oil.
Place the cauliflower in a pan with water at the bottom. Roast it for about 80 minutes in a 350°F oven.
Allow to slightly cool, then cut and serve.
Expert Tips
- The water will slowly evaporate as the cauliflower cooks, so it's a good idea to add hot water to the bottom of the pan after about 40 minutes of roasting. See the recipe card below for detailed instructions on how to do it.
- The reason for coating the seasoned cauliflower with more olive oil is to protect the spices from burning during prolonged baking.
Recipe FAQs
That depends on the method you use. The main challenge is that you want to ensure the inside is cooked through before the outside is burned.
My Dad boils the cauliflower first for 10 minutes, then roasts it at 350°F for 45-60 minutes, depending on its size. But I'm lazy. The thought of a two-step recipe (and an extra pot to wash!) is daunting. So, I simply bake the cauliflower in the oven, skipping the boiling part.
To make sure the inside becomes tender, I pour a little water into the pan. With this method, the outside gets crispy while the steam from the water penetrates the inside of the cauliflower, allowing it to soften.
Using my method, it takes about 80 minutes to cook the cauliflower in a 350°F oven.
When I make roasted cauliflower, I like to roast it at 425°F. But when making this recipe, it's best to bake the cauliflower head at a lower temperature to ensure even cooking.
In my oven, I find that 80 minutes at 350°F works perfectly. But as you know, oven temperatures vary, so you'll have to experiment and see what works in your oven.
No, you shouldn't. Cauliflower stems are edible. Removing the core, even very carefully, can cause the cauliflower to fall apart.
I remove the outer leaves and cut the bottom of the stem, but I leave the core intact. I find that it softens nicely and is delicious when baked. By the way, broccoli stems are also edible and very tasty!
Serving Suggestions
Make sure you bring the cauliflower to the table whole! It's so pretty. You can cut it at the table after everyone admires your work of art.
As for what dishes go with it, anything goes, really. Much like cauliflower steak, it's substantial enough to serve as a main dish, with perhaps a side salad (try arugula salad or tomato salad). Or you can serve it with fried or poached eggs.
You can also serve the cauliflower as a side dish. I like to serve it with any of the following because I can bake the entire meal in the same 350°F oven:
Storing Leftovers
You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. They are also good when served cold! Kind of like eating cold antipasti.
You can also freeze the cooled leftovers in freezer-safe bags for up to three months.
More Cauliflower Recipes
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Recipe Card
Roasted Whole Cauliflower
Video
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower head - 2 pounds before trimming
- 3 tablespoons olive oil - extra virgin
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt - or ½ teaspoon of any other salt, including Morton kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Olive oil spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pour ¼ cup of water into a rimmed, square baking dish.
- Remove the cauliflower's outer leaves but leave the stem intact, trimming it just a little so the cauliflower head can stand upright in the pan. Wash the cauliflower and dry it well with paper towels.
- Brush the cauliflower all over with the olive oil and sprinkle it with the seasonings (kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika). Spray the seasoned cauliflower with olive oil spray to protect the spices from burning.
- Place the cauliflower head, stem side down, in the prepared baking dish. Roast, uncovered, for 40 minutes.
- Carefully remove the pan from the oven, placing it on a trivet mat and leaving the oven on. Use two wide spatulas to temporarily transfer the cauliflower to a plate. Wipe the pan clean with paper towels (be careful, it will be hot). Pour ¼ cup of hot water into the pan. Make sure the water is hot, especially if using a Pyrex pan. Return the cauliflower to the pan, stem side down. Spray it with more olive oil. Place the pan back in the oven, and continue roasting the cauliflower until the outside is browned and crispy and the inside is tender-crisp, about 40 more minutes.
- Allow the cauliflower to rest for 5 minutes, then cut it and serve.
Notes
-
- Please don't remove the core. Cauliflower stems are edible. Removing the core, even very carefully, can cause the cauliflower to fall apart. I remove the outer leaves and cut the bottom of the stem, but I leave the core intact. I find that it softens nicely and is delicious when baked.
- Variations: The best way to vary this recipe is to use different spices. Good options include onion powder, chili powder, and ground cumin. You can also coat the cauliflower with melted ghee instead of using olive oil.
- Leftovers: You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently in the microwave at 50% power. They are also good when served cold! Kind of like eating cold antipasti. You can also freeze the cooled leftovers in freezer-safe bags for up to three months.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
carley says
made this recipe exactly as written. didn't change a thing. came out perfect.
Vered DeLeeuw says
I'm glad you liked this recipe, carley! Thank you for the review.
SueSue says
80 minutes is not enough baking time for this recipe. I made it and baked it for 80 and it came out pretty firm.
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Sue,
Thank you for your feedback. As with all recipes, there's no escaping the need to adjust this recipe to your oven (oven temperatures vary) and the size of your cauliflower.