When it comes to cooking with cauliflower the possibilities are endless. This versatile vegetable has been substituted for many ingredients that there are now more recipes on the Internet where cauliflower lost its ‘best actor’ status. With the rise of low-carb diets, gluten-free, Paleo or Keto life styles foodies, like me, were inspired to experiment the capabilities of this one humble vegetable.
The last time that I made a cauliflower dish was during a 12 week healthy eating challenge. Going gluten-free was not a part of the challenge but I did it anyways. Mainly to fuel the part of me that seeks constant creativity. This was the time that I put cauliflower dishes to test.
So during that 12 week period I enjoyed cauliflower as a substitute ingredient in many different recipes. Pizza bases, cheesy bread sticks, flavorful tacos and tortillas, guilt free fried rice, paellas and risottos. There is a very big pool of options out there. And yes, I will share for sure how I enjoyed them in my other blog posts..
Within this big pool though, I really appreciate the simplest and easiest methods the most. Like roasting, steaming, frying with some seasoning and a dip or sauce. These simple methods bring out the real flavor of this vegetable and let you enjoy the natural, earthy, sweetness of it.
Whole roasted cauliflower is one of my favorites as it requires minimum prep time, it’s so tender and tastes delicious. it’s also very easy to customize with your main dish, just by switching between different spices and herbs.
Do you want to hear more about it? So let’s start with a Sweet and Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower now.
Sweet and Spicy Whole Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp Maple Syrup
- 2 Tbsp Sriracha or Hot Sauce or Sambal Oelek Chili Paste
- 1 Tbsp Soy Sauce or Tamari or Coconut Aminos
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- 1/2 inch ginger, grated
- 1.5 Tbsp butter or Ghee
Directions
- Step 1 Before you start tending your cauliflower preheat your oven to 400° Fahrenheit
- Step 2 Trim the bottom of the cauliflower, remove the leaves and cut some but not all of the stalk. Give your cauliflower a good wash than pat dry
- Step 3 Put your cauliflower in a baking dish, florets facing up
- Step 4 Mix olive oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Using your hands or a basting brush spread the mixture over the whole head
- Step 5 Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil. A good alternative for aluminum foil is using a deep baking dish with a lid
- Step 6
- Step 7 Well, than tuck it into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes
- Step 8 While your cauliflower is baking prepare your main seasoning. Mix maple syrup, sriracha/hot sauce/chili paste and soy sauce/tamari/coconut aminos, garlic and ginger in a small bow
- Step 9 Take your baking dish out. Just as you did before the first roasting spread the half of the mixture evenly on the whole head. Put butter or ghee in small pieces over the head too. Bake for 20 minutes more, uncovered. You will be using the other half as a sauce over your cauliflower
- Step 10 Take it out of the oven and enjoy.
Step 8 is where you try different spice and herb mixtures to customize with your main dish or just because you prefer that way. Although we tried the sweet and spicy one today, you don’t have to. You can just go with some butter and parsley as the simplest way or try some of the following alternatives
| MEDITERRANEAN HERBS | CHIVES & CHEESE | THAI COCONUT | INDIAN CURRY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Tbsp olive oil | 2 Tbsp olive oil | 2 tsp curry paste | 1 Tbsp Curry powder |
| 1 tsp of Italian seasoning or herbes de provence or thyme | 2 Tbsp chopped chives | 1 1/2 Tbsp Coconut Oil | 1/2 tsp turmeric |
| 1 tsp garlic powder | 1/4 cup of finely grated Parmesan or Asiago Cheese | 1 tsp sesame oil | 1 tsp garlic powder |
| 1 Tbsp lime juice | 1/4 tsp sumac | ||
| 2 Tbsp Soy Sauce or Coconut Aminos or Tamari | 1 tsp lemon zest | ||
| Chopped Cilantro | 1/3 cup olive oil |
Enjoy…
It looks delicious. I will definitely give it a try.
Thanks for sharing.
It’s my pleasure. Enjoy Aysha