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Don’t Mess with Mother Nature: How to Roast (Technicolor) Cauliflower

September 30, 2011 By Marge Perry

When Mother Nature gives you a gift like cauliflower in these gorgeous colors, don’t try to out-do what she has done. Don’t try to get all foodie-fancy and muck around with something that is already so beautiful and inherently nutritious. Put down that cookbook and step away from your whisk: all you need is a big bowl, a shallow baking sheet pan, good olive oil, salt, pepper and your oven.

Cauliflower in these vivid colors makes a brief appearance in farmer’s markets and some grocery stores in early fall; then we have the equally delicious but not-nearly-as-pretty white cauliflower until next year. (I prepare white cauliflower in exactly the same way, although I tend to be more liberal with the black pepper).

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Roast Cauliflower

To roast and not steam the cauliflower, be sure to keep it in a single layer in the pan. Also, keep the florets fairly uniform in size to ensure they cook evenly.

You need only enough oil to lightly coat the florets. Measure the oil if you watch calories– 1 tablespoon for a small head of cauliflower does the job. If you don’t measure, I guarantee you use more…but again, that only matters if you want to limit your calories.

3 small heads cauliflower, about 12 cups of 2-inch florets

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Coat a large flat baking sheet (or two) with cooking spray.

2. Toss the cauliflower with the oil. When evenly coated, toss with the salt and pepper. Spread out in an even, uncrowded layer on the baking sheet(s) and roast until lightly browned and crisp-tender, about 15-17 minutes. To test for doneness, either poke a piece all the way through with a fork, or bite into one. (I always prefer the latter).

Yields about 8 cups

Serves 6-8

Nutritional analysis per cup: 87 calories, 3 g protein, 8 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 193 mg sodium

Filed Under: Fast and Easy, How-To, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetables

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Comments

  1. Edw Magel says

    October 3, 2011 at 5:36 am

    Great to know the color stays… unlike blanching where it fades.

  2. Bern says

    October 4, 2011 at 1:39 pm

    just bought some purple cauliflower at the farmers market this morning! can’t wait to try this!!

    • Marge says

      October 5, 2011 at 3:46 pm

      Let us know how it turns out!

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I make my living writing, teaching and speaking about food and travel. In the name of work, I (have to!) eat a lot, meet interesting people (many of whom, like me, are passionate about their work) and travel near and far to see where and how food is made, grown or raised. I am saved from a life of extreme obesity by the fact that I truly love to exercise, but I am always one forkful away from not being able to button my jeans. Mine is a sweet and savory life.

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