Love being super efficient in the kitchen? Me too.
Sometimes you get the most amazing results when you’re thinking of ways to simplify things.
Take this Whole Roast Cauli…
I love roast cauliflower but wasn’t in the mood for chopping up a whole cauliflower.
So I decided to just pop the whole thing in a super hot oven and see what happened.
The result?
Pure cauliflower alchemy.
We’re talking crispy deeply savoury crusty bits on the outside. Then melt-in-the-mouth cauli goodness in the middle.
So soft you can literally cut it with a spoon.
It’s so delicious I once ate half a large cauliflower in one sitting.
And you could say there are 2 ingredients in this recipe. But I don’t count salt 😉
- 1 whole cauliflower
- generous 3 fingered pinch of salt
- Turn your oven to 205C (480F). Trim the base of the cauliflower so it sits flat and will fit into your pot or a small roasting tray - you want the cauliflower to bit snugly so you don't loose too much water to evaporation. Discard any rough leaves but keep a few of the inner ones.
- Place in said pot. Add water to pot - enough to cover the base by about 2cm (1in). Sprinkle over the salt.
- Roast uncovered for 60 minutes until the cauliflower is deeply browned. Top up the water. Cover with the lid of your pot or foil.
- Roast covered for another 60 minutes or until the cauli is so soft you can cut into it with a spoon.
- Discard the water and serve cauli hot as a side dish. I also like to pop the leftovers in the fridge and pull them out and serve at room temperature anywhere you want some cooked veggies.
Variations & Substitutions
short on time – cut the cauli into bite sized florettes and roast in a baking tray large enough to hold them in a single layer without the water until well browned and no longer crunchy. Recipe here.Roast Cauli & Onion
different vegetables – whole celeriac (celery root) works really well with this treatment. I haven’t tried it but thinking now a whole cabbage or heads of broccoli would be delicious. Sweet potato is great as is parsnip (see here for cooking times)
Recipes to Use Your Cauliflower
- Roast Cauliflower Hummus
- Roast Cauli Soup with Bacon & Blue Cheese
- Chunky Cauli & Sausage Soup with Parsley Oil
- Cheesey Cauli & Bacon Bake
- Spiced Roast Chicken & Cauliflower Salad with Tahini Maple Dressing
- One Pot Cauliflower, Chicken & Peanut Curry
- Miso Harissa Roast Cauli
- Spiced Roast Cauliflower Salad with Labneh
- Cashew & Cauli Mash
- Roast Cauli with Meatballs & Tahini Sauce
- Abundance Bowls
Waste Avoidance Strategy
cauli (whole) – will keep in a plastic bag in the fridge for weeks. To keep for longer, chop into florettes and pop in the freezer.
Problem Solving Guide
bland – more salt!
too dry – overcooked. Next time get it out earlier. For now a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil will help.
no oven – you’ll need to cut and simmer the cauliflower in a little water until tender like this beautiful broccoli recipe.
burning – It’s important to have enough water in the base of the pan to create steam and avoid burning.
taking too long – different ovens vary in heating speed. And once you open the door to check it takes time to come back to temperature. So be patient!
Prepare Ahead
Yes! Leftovers will keep in the fridge for 1-2 weeks or can be frozen. Either warm or serve at room temp.