Easy Roasted Cauliflower Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

Beyond roasting vegetables, you'll use this versatile pan for a variety of cooking tasks from sheet pan dinners to baked bacon. Wash and dry cauliflower. Rinse cauliflower with water, cut it into small florets as close to the same size as possible, and dry thoroughly. I give the florets a spin in my salad spinner.

When it comes to nutrition, cauliflower is a superstar. It's high in vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate, which supports cell growth and is essential during pregnancy. Cauliflower is fat-free and cholesterol-free. And it's low in sodium.

Crowding the cauliflower on the pan could make them cook up mushy and a bit soggy. Leave some space between the florets. Be sure not to use too much olive oil to cook them.

Helps retain color: Cauliflower can sometimes turn brown or lose its vibrant white color when cooked. However, the acid in lemon juice can help prevent discoloration and maintain the cauliflower's white appearance.

You can keep cauliflower's white color and enhance its sweetness by adding 1 cup of milk when cooking it. Add a cup of milk to the cooking water and bring it to a boil. Add the cauliflower pieces and allow the water to return to a boil; gently boil for 3 to 5 minutes.

It's best to steam vegetables. If you have a pot that is large enough to steam whole cauliflower or cut up in small pieces. If you boil in water. You will waste vitamins, and flavor.

To avoid cauliflower smell while cooking, add a few drops of white vinegar - it kills the smell.

Cauliflower Benefits

Fiber helps maintain healthy digestion, reducing your risk of digestive disorders. It also promotes the growth of good bacteria in your gut. A healthy balance of gut bacteria helps lower inflammation in your body and reduces your risk of heart disease, dementia, and obesity.

In 1 cup of chopped cauliflower, you'll get 5.3 g of total carbs, 3.2 g of net carbs, 0.3 g of fat, and 2.1 g of protein, per the USDA. Not to mention, you get 320 mg of potassium, making this vegetable a good source of the nutrient.

Is cauliflower an anti-inflammatory food? ›

May Help Reduce Inflammation

If you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), you know firsthand what it feels like to have inflammation in your gut. Because it's loaded with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, cauliflower can reduce that inflammation, Andrews says.

When your cauliflower is roasting, it will give off steam – if there isn't enough space for air flow, the steam will end up making your cauliflower mushy. Leaving enough space around each piece ensures they will caramelize and crisp up.

You don't need much—a tablespoon of starch per pound of veg should do it. Spread the vegetables on a parchment- or foil-lined baking sheet and roast as usual for extra-crisp results—with maybe thirty seconds of extra work.

The salt and vinegar mixture will suck out all the dirt and bugs hidden inside the crevices of the cauliflower and leave you with a clean vegetable that is safe for eating. Once you toss the mucky water out, chop your cauliflower and rinse it in clean water before you get down to cooking it.

The key to nonmushy cauliflower lies in how you cut it: Break apart the large head into smaller florets. Now take your knife, and starting at the stem end of the floret, slice about halfway down and snap apart.

The whole point of brining is to season something big (i.e., your turkey) from the inside out, which is a smart idea for a big vegetable, too. Because cauliflower is so porous, soaking it in a brine — which is just a combination of water and salt with optional seasonings — imparts tons of flavor without a lot of work.

Transfer the riced cauliflower to the center of a clean dish towel. Arrange the towel filled with cauliflower over a small bowl, then squeeze as much liquid as you can out of the cooked cauliflower. It might not feel like there's excess moisture at first, but you may be surprised by how much liquid is released!