You'll never think of cauliflower the same way again after one bite of this Oven Roasted Cauliflower recipe with roasted garlic and fresh thyme.
Cauliflower always gets a bad rap and oven gets treated like the ugly step sister of the vegetable world. But, this Oven Roasted Cauliflower recipe hits it out of the park.
One bite of this tasty side dish and your friends and family will be begging for you to make it. You heard that right, this easy cauliflower recipe will make a regular appearance on your dinner table!
Why this recipe works
- Roasting the cauliflower mellows the taste and brings out its natural sweetness. Add some roasted garlic and fresh thyme, and you have a dynamic combination - one that even cauliflowers haters will embrace.
- You can eat this for lunch, with pasta, add it to a salad, or keep it as a traditional side.
Ingredients
No need to make an extra trip to the store with this recipe, this list is short and sweet.
Ingredient Notes:
- Use a whole head of cauliflower for this recipe instead of the precut florets. This will allow you to cut even sizes for optimal roasting and get flat sides for good browning.
- Fresh garlic cloves are a must for this recipe. They truly make a difference.
Instructions
1. Clean cauliflower and cut into sections, making sure to have some sides flat so they can get crispy on the pan.
2. In a large bowl, toss cauliflower and garlic with olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Spread cauliflower mixture on a roasting pan making sure it has enough space to cook. Flip it over half way through baking to get the other side brown.
FAQs
First remove large leaves from the base of the cauliflower head so the stem is exposed. Then cut around the stem and cut the cauliflower into even sized florets with at least one flat side.
No. Some nutrients may be lost when boiling cauliflower but roasting vegetables does not kill nutrients.
Your pan may be too small for the amount of vegetables that you are trying to cook. Make sure your tray is large enough for the vegetables to sit in a single layer. Overcrowding on the baking tray will steam the veggies instead of roasting them.
More roasted vegetables
- This Roasted Carrots recipe are sweet AND spicy with perfectly caramelized edges. There is no better way to eat carrots!
- This Roasted Delicata Squash recipe has only 5 ingredients and comes together in minutes. Bonus: NO peeling required!
- Want to spice up your brussels sprouts recipe? These Roasted Brussels Sprouts with a balsamic reduction are a decadent side to any dish.
- This Oven Roasted Tomato recipe is extremely versatile and can be used in appetizers, pasta or as a simple snack.
- Green beans don't need to be boring! These Oven Roasted Green Beans are nice and crispy.
- Check out all of our easy roasted vegetable recipes and side dish recipes!
Recipe
Oven Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower chopped into florets
- 4-6 garlic cloves peeled and smashed
- 3-4 T Olive Oil
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425.
- Clean cauliflower and cut in florets.
- In a large bowl, toss cauliflower, olive oil, garlic until well coated.
- Season with salt and pepper and gently toss again.
- Spread cauliflower mixture on a roasting pan and roast for 30 minutes turning over half way through to brown the other side.
- Toss with fresh thyme and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition info not guaranteed to be accurate.
Eat this Oven Roasted Cauliflower recipe for lunch, with pasta, add it to a salad, or keep it as a traditional side. Make cauliflower the star instead of the side show.
Delicious!
So happy you liked it! Thanks for the great feedback!
Love your roasted sweet potato recipe! Absolutely-Delicious!! I’m new to oven-cooking. I cannot believe what I’ve been missing out on!!
Wondering about the correct ingredients for the roasted cauliflower-I’m a bit confused. Sorry!
*ingredient list includes: cauliflower, garlic,salt,pepper,olive oil,(fresh thyme-garnish).
But in your...
*instructions step 2. In a large bowl, toss sliced onion, thyme, sprigs, and garlic with olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
step 3. Spread cauliflower mixture on a roasting pan making sure it has enough space to cook.
Which ingredients should I use...I don’t want to ruin your roasted cauliflower recipe!
Can’t wait to try:)
Thank you!
Ahhh, thank you so much for catching that! The post has been updated! Good luck with these, it's a forgiving recipe that is easy to tailor to personal tastes! Let us know how it turns out!
I'm going to use scallions, I don't like regular onions - yuk.
Glad you found a substitution that works for you! 🙂
I used to make this often but lost my recipes in Katrina and forgot all about this fab method! Returning it to the recipe box today! Thanks!
How awful you lost all of your recipes! I'm glad I could help a little bit. Enjoy!
My family and I love this recipe. I make it all the time now. Tonight my son wanted broccoli too, so when it was time to flip the cauliflower, I added broccoli that was tossed in EVOO and salt and pepper. It turned out perfect. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
How cool is it that your son asked for broccoli? I will have to try it. Thanks for your note!
Thank you SO much! I just found this and made it for dinner, as basically the only thing my fridge had in it was a head of cauliflower and some turkey smoked sausage, so I made your recipe and the chopped up sausage in the pan too, with a sprinkle of chili powder. It was delicious and SO filling, I'm definitely making it again. Thank you 🙂
Hi Emma-Jane, Thanks so much for your note! What a great idea to add the turkey-sausage right to the pan! Sounds wonderful!
Thank you so much! I'm a new blogger as well as a newly wed so my skills in the kitchen are VERY minimal! This was the tastiest recipe ever!! I hope I did it correctly as I tried re-posting on my blog with the correct attributes so my friends/family can have it too! If there is something I should add please let me know so you get credit (this is so new to me lol I'm sorry).
Made it last night, and my husband who hates vegetables, ATE SOME! Still in shock....Thank you!
Hi Ashley- Thanks so much! I'm glad you were able to get your husband to eat some of it. Mine isn't a fan of cauliflower either 🙂
I've been looking for a good cauliflower recipe. Thank you for this. Can't go wrong when it's got parmesan cheese and garlic.
Agreed! Parmesan and garlic make everything better!
I've never really liked cauliflower, but I'm growing some in my garden right now. I find if I don't like a veggie, like zucchini, if I grow it myself, I like it because it tastes so much better. Your recipe looks great, so I'll give it a try. Thanks!
i tried this a few days ago and it was so delicious! i couldn't stop eating it! 🙂 loved it! i usually make mashed cauliflower and this was nice for a change. i really enjoyed this recipe.
Thanks, Alicia! I start picking at it as soon as it comes out of the oven-so good. Thanks for your note! Have a great weekend. 🙂
Ok, I just have to say that you two are adorable! I love your about me page and I can totally relate to everything you wrote. I love wearing my lulu lemon pants everywhere besides the gym as well. I also love the Wednesday night wine drinking excuse. I started my blog about a little over a year ago for the same reasons you both did, to share recipes that my family and I loved with friends! My hubby was born and raised in Wayzata which is just outside of MPLS. I also lived in Mpls for 3 years before I got married. I love that place and I miss Lake of the Isles and Lake Harriet. I use to rollerblade around those lakes all the time.
We have many friends and family in the Twin Cities, so I will pass on your blog to them, who knows, you might even know some of them.
I love your recipes as they are totally what we eat as well. I can't wait to check out more on your site.
BTW, your blog is beautiful and so easy to follow. I have been wanting to upgrade my recipe page with photos, do you mind telling me who designed your recipe page? My email is [email protected].
I'm rambling here, but I feel like you two are my Minnesota blogging sisters. Have a great night!
xoxo, Jackie
Hi Jackie,
Thanks for your nice note! Love the Minnesota connections! The Lakes are great aren't they? SO fun to sepnd time around them during the summer! Wayzata is about 25 min from us, we are on the other side of the metro but know it well! I found your blog today through foodgawker and can't wait to spend more time on it! So glad we connected!
I love roasted veggies! Cauliflower is one of my favorites, this looks wonderful!
Thanks, Erin!
I'm sold! I feel bad now for always passing right by the cauliflower. I've really gotten into roasting vegetables this winter and have expanded what we've been eating (parsnips, sweet potatoes, etc.)--time to stop ignoring the poor cauliflower! Thanks for the inspiration!
I know, I used to do the same thing. But no more, this is in my regular rotation! Yum!
I saw this in bon appetit and wanted to try it! I love cauliflower and this sounds like a great way to feature it!
Hi Liz, That is where I saw it too. Definitely worth trying out-my new favorite way to eat cauliflower!
Hi Lindsay- It was a fun one for photos! Thanks for visiting our blog and your great feedback!
Love the photos! 🙂
Roasted veggies are my favorite! I make them pretty much every week, so I'm always interested in new recipes. LOVE your idea of roasting up cauliflower with parmesan! This is such a beautiful and healthy dish!
Hi Julia, Roasting vegetables adds so much flavor- doesn't it? Such a fabulous way to eat them. Thanks for stopping by our site!
I love roasted cauliflower!
I do too, Arthur! So delicious!
I think roasting cauliflower is the best. It really brings the sweet flavors out. It is also a great way to get the little ones to eat something healthy.
I agree, Julia! Amazing what the kids will eat when it is prepared in different ways!