Whole Roasted Cauliflower is one of my favourite dishes to serve at a family or friends dinner. Seasoning it with herbs for delicious flavour and roasting it whole makes it feel like the main dish you can “carve” and serve – perfect for a dinner party or holiday meal.
Cauliflower isn’t known as the most popular veggie around. Most healthy methods of cooking (steaming or boiling) leave it flavorless and mushy. Roasting or sautéing it gives it good texture and taste.
Why eat cauliflower?
- low calories, low carbs
- cholesterol free
- super high in vitamin C (antioxidant)
- high in vitamin K (anti-inflammatory)
- high in folate and fibre
I like to serve this dish with mashed or baked sweet potatoes and sautéed kale or spinach. Try it with some of your fav healthy veggie sides.
Enjoy!
Ingredients
serves 4 – 6 depending on the size of the cauliflower
- 1 head of cauliflower, washed
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tsp chopped fresh or dried thyme
- 1 tsp dijon mustard
- Fresh ground pepper and sea salt
Tips & Nutrition
Choose a larger cauliflower for a big group or double the recipe and make two.
The garlic in this recipe works best if it is minced very small – larger pieces tend to fall off the cauliflower after cooking. If they do fall off – simply spread them back on with a knife after “carving”.
Leftovers? Cut it up into small pieces and saute it with sweet potatoes and black beans for a morning hash!
Method
Pre-heat the oven to 425.
Whisk together the olive oil, garlic, mustard, thyme and a few grinds of sea salt and pepper. It will be more of a thicker rub than a sauce.
Remove any large leaves around the cauliflower and then slice the bottom of it off with a large knife so that it is flush and will sit flat. Place it in a casserole or roasting dish.
Brush or rub the olive oil mixture evenly around the cauliflower.
Bake in the oven covered loosely with foil for about an hour – until it is tender when you stick a knife in the middle, and then cook for an additional 10 minutes uncovered for a golden brown roasted top.
