Roasted Curried Cauliflower

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Simply roasted cauliflower is nutty and delicious as is, but this nutritious, cruciferous vegetable soars to new heights when tossed in this flavor-packed spice mixture. Loaded with warm, bright flavor, it takes mere minutes to prepare and can be transformed into a filling meatless meal with a few easy additions.

The only thing better than roasted cauliflower, in my humble opinion, is this curried cauliflower, which adds warm spices and bright lemon for a vegetable that everyone is always delighted to eat.

As an added bonus, the kitchen smells wonderful as soon as the mixture gets nice and toasty in the oven.

Plus it takes just minutes to prepare. The simple spice mixture can be mixed in a minute or two, and in advance if you like. Then you simply toss the chopped vegetables in the mixture, spread everything evenly over a baking sheet, and roast away.

This tasty side dish falls under the category of “I’ve made it so many times, how am I only sharing it now?!”

When I’m in a hurry, I often slice the cauliflower into thick slabs or “steaks.” This method is also a great option when you’d like to turn this into a vegan entree, as it provides a little more heft to the plate. (I mention some options, below, that will turn this side into a complete meal.)

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When slicing cauliflower into steaks, there will inevitably be lots of loose florets from the rounded edges that aren’t attached to the stem. Some recipes say to reserve these for another purpose, but I like to roast the loose pieces along with the steaks. These florets become crispier around the edges and are lovely to serve alongside the larger steaks. I even toss in the more crumb-like pieces that scatter over the cutting board while chopping, as they become caramelized bits of concentrated flavor. Delicious!

This dish is also responsible for my younger son becoming an onion fan. The roasted slivers are an unexpected treat that everyone wants more of.

I have added red pepper and broccoli to the mix, which are tasty, too. I do think my favorite is the cauliflower-onion combo, but you may certainly experiment with a variety of vegetables. As I think about it, the spice mixture may pair quite nicely with roasted potatoes, both regular and sweet.

As for pairings, I often serve the cauliflower alongside salmon or chicken. Most recently we’ve been enjoying it with a simple, incredibly tender Thai roast chicken, a recipe that I must share one of these days soon. You can’t, however, go wrong with Slow Roasted Whole Chicken (or even a shortcut rotisserie), Slow Roasted Salmon or Crispy Skin Salmon.

Leftovers, if you’re lucky enough to have them, are delicious. I often chop any remaining protein that I served alongside and fashion a quickie bowl meal with whatever other ingredients I have on hand that seem complimentary, like baby spinach, leftover rice, beans, a sprinkle of almonds, etc.

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Roasted Curried Cauliflower

Loaded with warm, bright flavor, this savory side takes mere minutes to prepare and can be transformed into a filling meatless meal with a few easy additions.

Servings: 4-6 side dish servings

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Ingredients

• 1 medium head cauliflower (about 2 pounds*), cored and cut into florets
• ½ a yellow onion, peeled and sliced, root to tip
• 3 tablespoons (42 ml) olive or avocado oil
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1½ teaspoons yellow curry powder
• ¼ teaspoon each cinnamon, garlic powder, ginger and black pepper
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F, and lightly coat a large, rimmed baking sheet with oil or line it with parchment paper.
2. In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, curry and remaining spices and salt until well combined. Tip: the curry mixture can be prepared several hours in advance and stored at room temperature.
3. Place the cauliflower florets and onion slices in a large bowl, pour the curry mixture overtop and toss to evenly coat. Spread the vegetables on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.
4. Roast for 25-30 minutes, or until just tender and lightly browned. Check a little early and toss if the bottoms are sufficiently browned but the cauliflower still needs a few more minutes to be cooked to your liking.
5. Serve immediately or at room temperature, as is, or with any of the serving options noted below.

Notes

*I recently used a 3-pound head of cauliflower and simply added 1 additional tablespoon of oil, 1 more teaspoon of lemon juice and left the amount of spices unchanged. This stretched the mixture to cover the larger batch without sacrificing flavor.

Serving options: For a sweet and savory twist, add a palmful of raisins or chopped dates before serving. For added protein and a light vegan meal, stir in some garbanzo beans. A dusting of chopped, fresh cilantro or parsley prior to serving offers complementary fresh flavor. I haven't tried, but I think these ingredients would also be delightful stirred into cooked pasta or a grain of choice that has been tossed in a drizzle of olive oil, an extra pinch or two of salt and pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Fun option: For quick cutting and unique presentation, I often slice the head of cauliflower into thick “steaks.” The end pieces do break apart, as there’s no core there to hold them together. That’s ok though; simply cook the smaller pieces with the larger slabs for added texture and interest. However, to keep the steaks as in tact as possible, I brush them with the curry mixture and then toss the loose florets and onion slices with the balance so that everything is lightly coated.

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