Modern · Side · All year
Roasted Cauliflower
4.5 · community
10m
Prep
25m
Cook
Beginner
Level
130
Energy
Cauliflower, in fat florets, cut-side down, roasted hot until the edges brown and the sugars concentrate — finished with tahini thinned with lemon, drizzled. Best beside anything Middle Eastern, or standing alone as lunch.
What you need
Ingredients
Servings
4
Before you start
Mise en place
Equipment
Sheet pan
Chef's knife
Prep checklist
Cauliflower — in fat florets, cut-side down
Whole Black Peppercorns — cracked
4 steps
Method
1
Heat the oven to 220°C with the empty sheet pan inside — a preheated pan sears the first side on contact.
Why this works
The hot-pan start is the difference between roasted and merely baked.
2
Toss the cauliflower with oil, salt, and pepper; spread on the hot pan in one layer with space between pieces. Crowding steams; space browns.
3
Roast 21–29 minutes, turning once at halftime, until deeply browned at the edges and tender at a knife's touch.
25 min — timer available in cooking mode
4
Finish: tahini thinned with lemon, drizzled. Taste for salt while hot — vegetables drink seasoning as they cool.
From the pass
Chef's notes
Taste before serving and adjust salt and acid — the last 30 seconds of seasoning matter more than any single ingredient.
Afterwards
Keep, reheat & pair
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Freezing
Depends on the vegetable — roasted things reheat better than they freeze.
Reheating
Roasted vegetables re-crisp in a 200°C oven for 6–8 minutes; mashes loosen with a splash of warm milk over low heat.
Make ahead
Blanch or par-roast ahead, then finish with high heat just before serving.
Wine pairing
Follows the main.
Beer pairing
Follows the main.
On the plate
Serve it with
Sides
This is the side — pick a main.
Garnish
Fresh herbs
A knob of butter
Toasted nuts or seeds
Taste map
Flavour profile
Sweet
2
Salty
3
Sour
1
Bitter
1
Umami
2
Heat
0
Per serving
Nutrition
130
kcal
4g
protein
18g
carbs
9g
fat
3g
fiber
520mg
sodium
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Your notes
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