Whole Roasted Cauliflower

May 27, 2024

A stunning main or side dish, this whole roasted cauliflower is tender, delicious, and simple to make. A quick harissa sauce adds bold flavor.

vegetarian / dinner — Jump to recipe

Whole roasted cauliflower

Let’s make a whole roasted cauliflower! This veggie “roast” might be my all-time favorite dish to make for a dinner party or a holiday meal. It’s simple (the oven does most of the work for you!), it can pass as a main dish for some folks and as a side for others, and it looks so impressive at the center of the table.

And this whole roasted cauliflower recipe doesn’t disappoint on taste either. Thanks to a long, two-part roast, it’s beautifully browned on the outside and meltingly tender to its core. I’ve included instructions for roasting it plain in the recipe card below, but you also have the option of dressing it up with the vibrant, harissa-based sauce pictured here. This sauce is quick and easy to stir together, and it adds rich, earthy, smoky flavor to the whole roasted cauliflower. I think you’ll love it!

Whole Roasted Cauliflower Recipe Ingredients

First thing’s first: to make this whole roasted cauliflower recipe, you’ll need a cauliflower! Choose a medium-sized one weighing about 2 pounds. A slightly smaller or larger cauliflower head will also work fine, but note that you’ll need to adjust the baking time accordingly.

If you want to roast it plain, you’ll need olive oil to help it soften and brown in the oven and salt and pepper for seasoning it.

If you’re making the sauce, you’ll also need these ingredients:

Mild harissa – I like the Mina harissa brand.
Ground cumin – For earthy, savory flavor.
Smoked paprika – For smokiness.
Dried thyme – It adds fresh, woodsy, citrusy flavor.
And red pepper flakes – For heat.

Either way, you’ll want lemon wedges and fresh cilantro for serving.

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make a Whole Roasted Cauliflower

You can find the complete recipe with measurements below, but here’s a quick overview of the process:

First, make the sauce. It’s super simple to stir together! Skip this step if you’re making the plain version.
Next, prepare the cauliflower. Remove any tough outer leaves, and use a sharp knife to carefully cut off the bottom of the stem so that the cauliflower sits flat. Place it in a cast-iron skillet and brush with 1/3 of the sauce. If you’re making the plain version, rub the cauliflower with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Now for roast part 1. Cover the skillet with foil and roast at 425°F for 30 minutes.
And roast part 2. Remove the foil from the skillet. If you’re making the plain version, drizzle the cauliflower with more olive oil at this point. Either way, roast for another 30 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender in the middle.
Season and serve. If you’re making the sauce version, remove the cauliflower from the oven and brush it with half the remaining sauce. Cut into wedges and serve with squeezes of lemon juice, fresh herbs, and the remaining sauce. If you made the plain version, serve the roasted cauliflower head with a sauce of your choice! Find some suggestions in the tips below.

That’s it!

Whole Roasted Cauliflower Recipe Tips and Variations

Use a two-part roast. This technique is key for getting the roasted whole cauliflower tender inside and browned on the outside. Roast it for 30 minutes covered, then uncover it and roast until the center is tender, for about another 30 minutes. Note that the exact timing will vary depending on your oven and the size of your cauliflower.
Add more sauce after baking. It gives the cauliflower a gorgeous glossy look and adds bold flavor. Serve with more sauce on the side!
Experiment with a different flavor profile. I love the harissa sauce I recommend here, but you can take this whole roasted cauliflower in plenty of other directions. Make the plain recipe, and serve slices with drizzles of turmeric tahini sauce or dollops of romesco sauce, fresh parsley, and toasted almonds. It’d be excellent with pesto, roasted tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts too.
Make it a meal. If you’re serving this whole roasted cauliflower at Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner, you’ll likely have plenty of side dishes to round out the meal. But you can also make this whole roasted cauliflower a satisfying vegan main dish on its own. Plate wedges over herb-flecked farro and top them off with roasted chickpeas, or serve them on top of a swoosh of hummus or white bean dip. These bean-based spreads will add delicious creamy texture and a boost of protein to this plant-based recipe. Enjoy!

More Veggie Main Dish Recipes

If you love roasting an entire head of cauliflower(!), try one of these veggie entrees next:

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

rate this recipe:5 from 5 votesPrep Time: 15 Cook Time: 1 Total Time: 1 15 Serves 4Save Recipe Print RecipeThis whole roasted cauliflower recipe is a delicious plant-based main or side dish! I offer two variations here. You can roast the cauliflower in a flavorful harissa sauce, or you can roast it plain (see the notes below). For either option, find serving suggestions in the post above.

Ingredients

1 medium cauliflower, about 2 pounds, tough outer leaves removed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges, for squeezing
Fresh cilantro, for garnish

Sauce

¾ cup mild harissa, we like Mina Harissa Mild
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
¾ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
¾ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon sea salt
Heaping ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Make the sauce: In a small bowl, mix together the harissa, olive oil, cumin, paprika, thyme, salt, and red pepper flakes.
Slice the bottom of the core off the cauliflower so that it sits flat. Place the cauliflower in a cast iron skillet and brush the cauliflower with ⅓ of the sauce. Cover the skillet with foil and roast for 30 minutes. Uncover and roast for 30 more minutes, or until the cauliflower is fork-tender in the middle.
Remove from the oven and brush with half the remaining sauce. Season with salt and pepper and squeeze with lemon juice. Garnish with cilantro, slice into quarters, and serve with the remaining sauce on the side.

Notes

**For the version with no sauce, slice the bottom of the core off the cauliflower so that it sits flat. Place the cauliflower in a cast iron skillet. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon sea salt. Use your hands to coat. Cover the skillet with foil and roast for 30 minutes. Uncover, drizzle with another 2 tablespoons olive oil, and roast for 30 more minutes, or until the cauliflower is golden brown on the outside and fork-tender in the middle.

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