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Home Meal Type Holiday
5
/5
55 minutes

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Dairy Free Dairy-Free Gluten Free Gluten Free Low Carb Low Carb Nut Free Nut Free Vegan Vegan Vegetarian Vegetarian
Jump to Recipe
By: Denise BustardLeave a Comment
Posted: 10/27/21 Updated: 10/27/21

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This curry spiced whole roasted cauliflower is roasted to tender perfection and served whole for a beautiful presentation. Simple to prepare with a spice rub, it's topped with pomegranates and a turmeric tahini sauce. Great for weeknights or as a vegan Thanksgiving or Christmas option.

Cauliflower is one of the most versatile vegetables, happens to take on flavors really well. It seems to be able to turn into almost anything we'd like: pizza crust, muffins, rice, mashed potatoes, and this delicious whole roasted cauliflower!

whole roasted cauliflower garnished with parsley and pomegranates
Jump to... show
1 Reasons You'll Love This Recipe
2 Recipe Video
3 Ingredient Notes
4 Step by Step directions
5 FAQ
6 Serve It With
7 Storage
8 More Holiday Sides
9 Whole Roasted Cauliflower

The cauliflower roasts to tender perfection, with those golden caramelized bits that you love so much from roasted cauliflower florets, but serving it whole makes for a show-stopping presentation. We've added a simple curried spice blend, and served it with pomegranates as well as a turmeric tahini sauce.

You could enjoy this as a vegan Christmas recipe, but it's also easy enough for an everyday meal. Best of all, it requires very little prep work: just brush the seasoning blend on, and toss it in the oven!

Reasons You'll Love This Recipe

  • it's tender on the inside and caramelized on the outside, with lots of flavor from the spices and tahini sauce
  • the presentation is show-stopping, yet it's so easy to prepare
  • it's vegan, gluten-free, and low carb

Recipe Video

Watch the video below to see how to make whole roasted cauliflower! You can find more of my recipe videos on my YouTube channel.

Ingredient Notes

ingredients required to make whole roasted cauliflower
  • Spice blend - we used the Indian spice blend but you could swap for one of these 7 spice blend recipes if you prefer.
  • Cauliflower - look for one that is medium - large in size; since size can vary quite a bit in cauliflowers, use the cook time as an estimate and adjust as needed.
  • Tahini- made from pureed sesame seeds, you should be able to find it with the nut butters, or in the heath foods aisle of your grocery store. While we haven't tried it, we suspect that cashew or almond butter would both work as alternatives.
  • Pomegranate- an optional garnish, the pops of sweetness pair well with the savory roasted cauliflower and curried spice blend. See how to open a pomegranate!

Step by Step directions

sauce to brush on cauliflower in white bowl with spoon

Season

Stir together the seasoning blend including the curry powder, cumin, garam masala, ground coriander, salt, and olive oil.

brushing sauce on cauliflower before roasting

Prepare Cauliflower

Heat oven to 450°. Prepare the cauliflower by removing all leaves and gently cutting the stem out. Make sure you don't cut too deep so the head of cauliflower remains intact.

Brush the seasoning all over the cauliflower.

poking whole roasted cauliflower with paring knife

Roast

Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet. Roast cauliflower in the oven, basting it with any seasoning/oil that runs off in the first 10 minutes. Bake for a total time of 45 minutes- 1 hour, or until a knife inserts easily into the cauliflower.

Tips - roasting time will depend on the size of your cauliflower. We recommend using a silicone brush for basting the cauliflower!

tahini sauce in bowl with spoon

Prepare Sauce

While cauliflower is baking, stir or shake together the turmeric tahini sauce, including the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, cumin, ground coriander, garlic powder, turmeric, and salt.

whole roasted cauliflower with a slice taken out

Garnish + serve

Serve the roasted cauliflower with pomegranate seeds, parsley, and a drizzle of turmeric tahini sauce.


drizzling tahini sauce over whole roasted cauliflower

FAQ

How can I tell my roasted whole cauliflower is cooked through?

Insert a sharp paring knife into the center. When it goes in without resistance, your cauliflower is done! If you have to push to get it in, your cauliflower needs more time in the oven.

Can I use other seasonings on it?

Absolutely! You could go Mexican with taco seasoning, you could go Greek with this Greek seasoning blend (and a squeeze of lemon), or keep it simple with some onion garlic powder and parmesan cheese.

Is the seasoning blend spicy?

No, it's not. We use a mild or medium spiced curry powder, but if you'd like to take it up a notch, opt for a spicy curry powder to include in this blend.

Can I swap the turmeric tahini sauce for something else?

Sure! You could swap the tahini sauce for chimichurri sauce for a low carb option.


Serve It With

This whole roasted cauliflower would work well as a main course vegan Christmas recipe, but it's easy enough for an everyday meal!

Here are some vegan-friendly recipes I would serve with this whole roasted cauliflower recipe:

  • this shaved brussels sprouts salad with pomegranates
  • this butternut squash soup recipe
  • Instant Pot wild rice pilaf or cranberry almond rice pilaf
  • this roasted butternut squash
  • our staple kale salad or this autumn apple farro salad (just leave out the cheese for vegan)

Storage

  • Fridge - let cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store tahini sauce separately in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge. Let tahini sauce come to room temperature before serving.
  • Reheat - reheat until steaming hot in the microwave. Enjoy with tahini sauce.
  • Freezer - we have not tested whether this recipe freeze/thaws well. If you try, leave us a comment below to let us know how it went for you!
Multi-colored honey roasted carrots on a white plate

More Holiday Sides

  • Rosemary roasted root vegetables 
  • Honey roasted carrots
  • Stuffed acorn squash with mushrooms & cranberries 
  • Maple roasted butternut squash
  • Cauliflower gratin

Did you make this? Tag me on social @sweetpeasandsaffron and be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe!

whole roasted cauliflower on gray plate with parsley and pomegranate seeds

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

5 from 2 votes
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 55 mins
Print Rate
This curry spiced whole roasted cauliflower is roasted to tender perfection and served whole for a beautiful presentation. Simple to prepare with a spice rub, it's topped with pomegranates and a turmeric tahini sauce. Great for weeknights or as a vegan Thanksgiving or Christmas option.
6 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 head cauliflower medium - large; see note 1

Seasoning

  • 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons cumin
  • ¾ teaspoon garam masala
  • ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup olive oil

Turmeric Tahini Sauce

  • ¼ cup tahini
  • 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 ½ tablespoons maple syrup
  • 2 tablespoons water or more to thin out
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin
  • ¼ teaspoon ground coriander
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt

Other toppings

  • ¼ cup pomegranate seeds
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Instructions 

  • Season - Stir together the seasoning blend including the curry powder, cumin, garam masala, ground coriander, salt, and olive oil.
    sauce to brush on cauliflower in white bowl with spoon
  • Prepare Cauliflower - Heat oven to 450°. Prepare the cauliflower by removing all leaves and gently cutting the stem out. Make sure you don't cut too deep so the head of cauliflower remains intact.
    Pace the cauliflower on a sturdy baking sheet (note 2), and brush the seasoning all over the cauliflower.
    brushing sauce on cauliflower before roasting
  • Roast - Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet. Roast cauliflower in the oven, basting it with any seasoning/oil that runs off in the first 10 minutes. Bake for a total time of 45 minutes- 1 hour, or until a knife inserts easily into the cauliflower.
    poking whole roasted cauliflower with paring knife
  • Mix Sauce - While cauliflower is baking, shake together the turmeric tahini sauce, including the tahini, lemon juice, maple syrup, cumin, ground coriander, garlic powder, turmeric, and salt.
    tahini sauce in bowl with spoon
  • Serve - Serve the roasted cauliflower with pomegranate seeds, parsley, and a drizzle of turmeric tahini sauce.
    whole roasted cauliflower garnished with parsley and pomegranates

Tips:

  1. since cauliflower sizes can vary greatly, use the cook time as an estimate and adjust as needed
  2. line the baking sheet with foil or parchment for easy clean up
 
Storage
  • Fridge - let cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Store tahini sauce separately in an airtight container for up to 1 week in the fridge; let the sauce come to room temp before serving.
  • Reheat - reheat until steaming hot in the microwave. Enjoy with tahini sauce.
  • Freezer - we have not tested whether this recipe can be frozen or not.
 

Video

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1/6 of batch, Calories: 190kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 15g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 0mg, Sodium: 181mg, Potassium: 389mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 120IU, Vitamin C: 50.6mg, Calcium: 52mg, Iron: 1.7mg
Author: Denise Bustard
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American

© Sweet Peas & Saffron - Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.

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Meet Denise Bustard

Denise Bustard is the creator of Sweet Peas and Saffron, a meal prep-focussed food blog. With a PhD in biochemistry, Denise takes a scientific approach to perfecting her recipes. You can find Denise's work featured on Huffington Post, MSN, Self and more.

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Hi, I'm Denise

Meal prep took me from feeling constantly stressed out about meals to cool, collected and in control. I want to share this amazing and transformational habit with you, so you can feel in control, too! Read more ...

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