My family has always had a problem finishing food. We have a knack for leaving behind a few spoonfuls of baked beans in the saucepan, and the last chocolate chip cookie always sits forlornly in the container for much longer than any of the others. Surprisingly, this is not a problem when we have roasted cauliflower. No matter what the rest of the meal is, the cauliflower is always devoured without the slightest hesitation. It’s an extremely easy side to make with grilled chicken or steak and adds texture to plain pasta dishes. Cut the cauliflower pieces slightly smaller if you plan to mix it with pasta to make for more manageable forkfuls. If you don’t have sea salt on hand, table salt will work just as well, and cooking spray can be substituted for the olive oil.
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 25-30 minutes Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 2-3
Ingredients: 1 head of cauliflower 3-4 cloves of garlic Sea salt Black pepper Olive oil
Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 400°F. 2. Cut cauliflower into small pieces. 3. Lay cauliflower out on a baking sheet so that the pieces don’t overlap. 4. Chop garlic into large chunks and sprinkle over the cauliflower. Tip: Don’t mince the garlic into tiny pieces or it will burn.
Photo by Justin Shannin
5. Drizzle olive oil over the top and flip the cauliflower and garlic with a spatula or fork until all the pieces are evenly coated. 6. Generously sprinkle sea salt and pepper.
Photo by Justin Shannin
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until you can easily pierce through the cauliflower with a fork. Flip the cauliflower twice while cooking to make sure the pieces cook evenly. 8. Sprinkle additional salt and pepper to taste, and serve warm.
Photo by Justin Shannin