Roasted Cauliflower with Lime Dressing

Learn how to make the easiest and best-roasted cauliflower with only a few steps. Light, crisp,  and caramelized, it makes for a delicious vegetarian side dish to any meal.

Cauliflower is my favorite vegetable. Not only is super versatile in ways to be prepared, but it is readily available from June to November.

Economical and versatile, it is the crown jewel of my side dishes.

This roasted cauliflower recipe is a winner in my book. Easy to prepare, less than 30 minutes.

It can be made the day before a big gathering, freeing you to enjoy your company. How fantastic is that?

I enjoy roasting vegetables, and cauliflower is one of my favorite dishes. Easy to work with and foolproof, there are so many seasonings.

An open canvas.

Our local market had beautiful cauliflower assortments and decided to change things a bit, meaning straying from the usual white and cooking with an orange one this time.

It’s the same flavor, just a different color. I guess it’s more festive for me.

In this Article

Step by step on how to Roast Cauliflower

The success of this super easy dish is in a hot oven. At 400 degrees F. creating a beautiful golden brown and crispy florets.

I do use the core and greens. Slice the core into rounds and roast them alongside the florets. You can always use them in soup later by freezing them.

Start with the hard of cauliflower:

• Wash your head of cauliflower and dry it thoroughly. This step will help accelerate the crisping process.

• I like to take each floret and either quarter them or halve them. Whichever direction you choose to cut them, ensure they are all the same size.

You can season them on a cookie sheet by drizzling olive oil over them, or if you prefer, in a bowl. 

• I add lime or lemon juice for two reasons. Once, to keep them moist. The second is that the lemon and/or lime will remove some of the smell appropriate to the cauliflower. Smell that is not particularly liked.

Once ready, place them in the hot oven:

• Leave space in between the florets and do not overcrowd them or they will not brown and crisp around the edges.

• Roast in the preheated oven and turn over once.

Meanwhile, prepare the lime salad dressing:

• Grate the garlic in a bowl and add the lime, mustard, mayonnaise, and olive oil. Stir well and taste. Adjust seasoning to your liking by adding more olive oil if need be.

• Your dressing can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Assembling your dish:

• Once your florets are golden brown and perfectly crispy, add them to your bowl with the salad dressing. Add fresh tarragon, optional, and serve.

Lime Dressing

You can enjoy this wonderfully tasty lime dressing with roasted vegetables: Carrots, broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, fennel, and tomatoes.

It will store well in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Roasted Cauliflower Variations

• Spice things up with cumin, coriander, turmeric, capers, and pine nuts.
• Some lemon zest with fresh tarragon, as I have it here, which you can substitute with fresh parsley, fresh thyme, or minced fresh rosemary.
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese is sprinkled over the florets for the last 5 minutes of baking or until the cheese is melted.

Storing your oven-roasted cauliflower

This recipe stores well in an airtight container in the fridge for several days.

Please bring it back to room temperature and enjoy.

You can enjoy your roasted cauliflower with:

You can have so much fun with this side dish and enjoy it alongside:

Roasted Chicken as a refreshing and light side.

Pork Chops with Sweet Sour Sauce

Shrimp Marinda in Tequila with Prosciutto and Basil

Creamy Chicken Piccata