This easy Indian Roasted Cauliflower is a delicious and nutritious side dish with a bold flavor from warm Indian spices.
Roasting is a highly utilized method of cooking vegetables since the vegetables cook hands-free with minimal supervision making them an easy option for busy nights. Roasting vegetables simply means cooking them in the oven at high heat. In addition to being an easy cooking method, roasting actually enhances the flavor of vegetables since the sugars caramelize and the edges get charred and crispy. Check out this article to learn more about the science behind this process. This easy method of roasting vegetables works with almost any vegetable, so use whatever vegetables you have on hand and follow this recipe. Oven-roasted vegetables are a great side dish to serve for a variety of diets since they are vegetarian, vegan, paleo, Whole30, gluten-free, dairy-free, low-carb, keto, and grain-free.
Serve this Indian Roasted Cauliflower recipe with Garam Masala Chicken Thighs and either naan or basmati rice for an Indian-inspired balanced meal.
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Ingredients
Here's what you need to make Indian Roasted Cauliflower:
- large head cauliflower
- extra virgin olive oil
- turmeric
- cumin
- salt
- black pepper
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Here's how to make Indian Roasted Cauliflower:
Use a knife and cutting board to remove the stem of the cauliflower head and chop it into florets.
In a large bowl, stir together the olive oil, turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper.
Add the chopped cauliflower to the bowl, stirring to coat.
Spread the coated cauliflower onto a greased baking sheet and bake at 450 for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Serve immediately once cooked.
Hint: Not sure how to cut and core a head of cauliflower? Watch this video on how to cut a core cauliflower.
Substitutions
Want to substitute an ingredient in Indian Roasted Cauliflower? Here's how:
- Olive oil - use an equal amount of a different mild oil such as canola or avocado oil.
- The spices - use 1 teaspoon of curry powder or garam masala in place of the ground cumin and turmeric for either curry roasted cauliflower or masala roasted cauliflower.
- Cauliflower - this same method works well with potatoes and/ or carrots.
Variations
Try one of these variations of Indian Roasted Cauliflower:
- Spicy - add ½ teaspoon of red chili powder, ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes, ¼ teaspoon of garlic powder and ¼ teaspoon of ground ginger to the oil and spices before adding the cauliflower.
Or try this Roasted Cauliflower and Carrots or Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Cheese.
Equipment
This equipment comes in handy when making Indian Roasted Cauliflower:
Storage
Store cooled leftover Indian Roasted Cauliflower in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Thawed frozen roasted vegetables aren't ideal to eat on their own as the texture can change some, but they would still be delicious when added to soups, quiches or casseroles.
Top tip
To make this in the air fryer rather than the oven, set the air fryer to 425 and cook the cauliflower for 24 minutes.
FAQ
Roasted cauliflower can become soggy if the pan it's cooking in is overcrowded. Make sure to arrange cauliflower in a single layer for roasting with plenty of room for the air to flow around the florets.
Roasted cauliflower is hard when it's undercooked. This is an easy problem to fix though, simply cook the cauliflower longer until it becomes tender. Roast chopped cauliflower florets at 450 for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through, for roasted cauliflower that is neither soggy nor hard.
Related
Looking for other easy vegetable recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
Serve this Indian Roasted Cauliflower with one of these dinner recipes for a balanced meal the whole family will love:
Recipe
Indian Roasted Cauliflower
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower
- 4 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cumin
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Use a knife and cutting board to remove the stem of the cauliflower head and chop it into florets.
- In a large bowl, stir together the olive oil, turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper. Add the chopped cauliflower to the bowl, stirring to coat.
- Spread the coated cauliflower onto a greased baking sheet and bake at 450 for 30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Serve immediately once cooked.
Notes
Nutrition
Food safety
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
Shannon
My favorite way to eat cauliflower!