Best Way To Roast Cauliflower In One Pan With Barely Any Effort

Emily Abrams

When you leave a cauliflower whole, it looks like a work of art once it’s roasted. For a one-pan dish that’ll be an impressive centerpiece on any dinner table, roast a whole cauliflower in a cast iron skillet.

No more excuses, it’s time to get that cast iron. It doesn’t have to be anything expensive. You can buy a cast iron pan for the same price as a movie ticket or a couple of beers. It’s not a huge investment and it’ll make your roasting game strong.

A cast iron pan will give the cauliflower a golden and caramelized look, while adding sweetness and texture to the vegetable at the same time. Here’s our favorite recipe for roasting a cauliflower whole. You’ll be pretty impressed with yourself, we promise.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Lemon, Butter And Thyme

Emily Abrams

Ingredients (serves five)

1 head cauliflower, trimmed (remove the green leaves from base)
1/4 cup melted butter
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
4 thyme sprigs
Sea salt and black pepper
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
Extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

Before you get started, make sure your oven is preheated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Pour a little bit of extra virgin olive oil in the bottom of a cast iron pan and place the head of cauliflower right in the pan.

In a small bowl, mix together the melted butter, garlic, lemon zest, thyme and red pepper flakes. Either brush or drizzle the butter mixture over the top of the cauliflower. Sprinkle a pinch or two of salt and pepper on top. Place a layer of foil over the head of cauliflower and slide it into the oven. Let the cauliflower roast for about 30 minutes.

After about a half hour, remove the foil and roast uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes. When the cauliflower looks tender, slightly golden brown and crisp, remove it from the oven. Drizzle a little extra butter on top with any extra seasoning you think the cauliflower might need.

If your oven has a broiler (most of them do) you could turn the broiler to medium and slide the cauliflower in the oven for a few more minutes until it reaches perfect caramelization. Remove the cast iron from the oven with a potholder (the handle will be extremely hot) and let it cool for a few minutes. Your cauliflower is ready to serve!

Don’t be surprised if everyone wants to take pictures. This is an edible centerpiece that you’ll want to incorporate into your weekly dinner routine.

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