Roasted Cauliflower with Sea Salt
Cauliflower recipes don't get much easier than this!
Fresh cauliflower florets are tossed with olive oil and sea salt in this light vegetable dish.
A very popular vegetarian cookbook author once wrote that you can't roast cauliflower. Alas, if she had tasted this roasted cauliflower, her opinion would quickly change.
This cauliflower recipe is one of the most flavorful and satisfying ways to enjoy fresh cauliflower. And you can make a double batch and use the leftovers in cauliflower cheese soup. (Just be sure to skip the 8 minutes of cooking time for the cauliflower in the soup recipe.)
The sea salt really makes a difference in this low carb cauliflower recipe. If at all possible, I recommend Maldon sea salt or another flaked sea salt. Maldon salt is only about $6.50 a box, it lasts a long time, and adds tremendous flavor to everything from roasted vegetables to chicken noodle soup.
Although you can certainly make this recipe using an ordinary sheet pan or cookie sheet, I find my Mario Batali pizza pan produces the best results. Any cast iron pan would probably work just as well. The problem with sheet pans is they tend to buckle at this temperature, and you don't get the browning without burning. A cast iron pan like the Batali pan, is made to produce even browning at high temperatures.
Although this cauliflower recipe does get a lot of its calories from fat, it also gets a lot of flavor from the olive oil, too. Personally, if my family is going to gorge themselves on roasted cauliflower with olive oil, I think it's better than overeating at McDonald's. But if you prefer less fat, you can use less olive oil. Just watch the cauliflower carefully to make sure it doesn't burn.
Roasted Cauliflower with Sea Salt
- 3 cups cauliflower florets
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, Maldon sea salt or other artisan flaked sea salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Toss cauliflower florets with olive oil and sea salt. Spread cauliflower in an even layer on a cast iron pan, such as the Mario Batali pizza pan or a cookie sheet. Roast 10 minutes. Turn cauliflower over. Roast another 10-15 minutes, or until cauliflower is just browned and fork tender. Season with more salt if desired.
Serves 6.
Per serving: 52 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 3 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 1 g protein, 0% Vitamin A, 39% Vitamin C, 1% calcium, 1% iron
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