Oven roasting is a great way to prepare vegetables. The oven browns the vegetables, bringing out their natural sweetness.
It is also a simple, hands off way to make a side dish. I use my cast iron skillet as my roasting pan, and as my prep bowl. Pour the vegetables into the pan, drizzle with olive oil, and toss with salt and pepper - they're ready to go. Slide the skillet into the oven, and in a half an hour or so, they will be tender, browned, and delicious.2
Cauliflower is perfect for oven roasting in a cast iron pan. Roasting adds sweet notes to its mild flavor. Cauliflower is tasty with a simple coating of olive oil, salt, and pepper, but I sprinkle it with my favorite spice combo - a blend of Spanish smoked paprika and coriander. (I picked up this trick from an Indian friend's lunch - so if you want to substitute a curry powder, that would work as well.)
Recipe: Cast Iron Roasted Cauliflower
Equipment
- Large (10 or 12 inch) cast iron skillet
Cast Iron Roasted Cauliflower
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4-6
Description
Cast Iron Roasted Cauliflower recipe - cauliflower florets spice rubbed and roasted in the oven in a cast iron pan.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt (or Diamond Crystal kosher salt)
- ½ teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
Instructions
- Toss the cauliflower with the oil and spices: Set the oven to 400°F. Peel the leaves off of the cauliflower, cut out the core, and discard. Cut the cauliflower florets into bite sized pieces. Put the cauliflower pieces in the cast iron pan. Drizzle the cauliflower with the olive oil, sprinkle with the salt, paprika, coriander, and black pepper, and toss until evenly coated.
- Roast the cauliflower: Slide the skillet into the oven. Roast the cauliflower until browned and crispy around the edges and tender all the way through when poked with a paring knife, about 35 minutes. (If you can, toss the cauliflower every 10 to 15 minutes to even out the browning.)
Notes
If you are using the oven, even if it isn't 400°F, add the cauliflower. This technique is flexible enough to work anywhere between 350°F and 450°F. Just adjust the timing - it will take about 45 minutes at 350°F, but only 30 minutes at 450°F.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Side Dish
- Cuisine: American
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What do you think?
Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below.
Related Posts
Cast Iron Roasted Butterflied Chicken
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Cast Iron Brussels Sprouts Saute
My other Cast Iron Recipes
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Juli says
I love using my cast iron pan. This was so easy and delicious. Even my husband, who isn't a fan of cauliflower, said it was awesome and had seconds. I plan on incorporating the ideas from Rita and Amy above.
Covered in olive oil, then covered the cauliflower and chopped onion in parm. cheese, salt-free McCormick Garlic and Herb, and smoked paprika. I added a can of Del Monte Southwest Corn, it has a sweet and spicy punch. Baked for 35 at 400, then broiled for 4 minutes. It was great. Definitely doing again.
Brigette says
As versatile as cauliflower is, sometimes on busy nights you need a fast way to prepare it. This has been a staple recipe in my house for over a year and I thought I ought to leave a good review finally. Just love this recipe.
Amy says
This was so awesome! I had a small head of cauliflower, so I chopped up some sweet potatoes into 1 inch chunks and cooked them, along with the cauliflower, smoked paprika, ground coriander, salt and pepper at 450 for 30 minutes. It was delicious and I would definitely make again!
Rita says
I'll be buying the largest head of cauliflower I can find so that I will have leftovers to toss with a lemon vinaigrette for a salad in another meal, to stir into adult mac 'n cheese (or chop it small to put one over on reluctant veggie eaters), or add to a leafy green salad with a sprinkling of garbanzos. Omelets, quiche, soup....the list goes on.
Rita says
Forgot to add, Mike - it's great that you mention the wide range of roasting temperatures and the timings that work for roasting the cauliflower. So flexible.
Sarah says
Delicious! I heated my cast iron skillet before I filled with cauliflower. So glad I found this recipe! Thanks….
Mike Vrobel says
You’re welcome!
Paula Nalley says
Thanks you for being the first to realize a dish like this can be a one pot wonder. You don't need multiple prep bowls. Those chefs that do you multiple bowls must have a paid dishwasher