Whole Roasted Cauliflower

If you’re looking for a vegetarian dinner centerpiece, then you can’t beat a whole roasted cauliflower. Gorgeously browned outside and meltingly tender in the middle, its stunningly simple goodness can’t be topped at any vegetarian Thanksgiving dinner.

The whole roasted cauliflower trend began in 2016 when Eyal Shani, an Israeli chef who went viral for putting one on his restaurant menu. Since then, it’s been riffed on by everyone from social media influencers and food bloggers to celebrated chef and author Yotam Ottolenghi to Neal Harden, chef at abcV in NYC.

As a former line cook at abcV who plated many a stunning head of cauliflower bathed in tahini sauce and topped with masses of herbs, I set out to create a whole roasted cauliflower that was the exact opposite in many ways—unadorned except for a simple garlicky oil and a sprinkle of Parm and parsley—but still captured the same melting richness that I loved so much.

How To Make Whole Roasted Cauliflower

INGREDIENTS

• Cauliflower: A standard-sized head of cauliflower should work well for this recipe. In testing, mine were typically around 2 lb.
• Olive Oil: Go for a good quality extra-virgin olive oil. In a simple, pared-back recipe like this, the quality of the ingredients can make a big difference!
• Garlic: Fresh garlic is a must for this recipe. For the most potent flavor, grate it on a microplane rather than finely chopping. That said, if you don’t have a microplane, you can use your knife to mince it until it becomes basically a paste.
• Kosher Salt: I test all my recipes with Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you’re using table salt or Morton kosher, I recommend using half the amount called for in the recipe.
• Parmesan: Always use freshly grated Parmesan, and NEVER from a can.
• Parsley: Finely chop fresh parsley just to add a finishing herbaceous note.

STEP-BY-STEP INSTRUCTIONS

Start by preheating the oven to 400° with the rack in the middle position. In the meantime, add olive oil and grated garlic to a small pot (I typically grate the garlic directly into the pot to save clean-up!) and place over medium heat. Once the garlic starts to simmer, cook for 30 seconds more, then turn off the heat and set garlic oil aside to cool slightly and continue to infuse.

Trim the stem of the cauliflower, if necessary, so the cauliflower will sit flat on the cutting board. Transfer to a cast-iron skillet and rub with a light layer of olive oil. Pat all over with 1 tsp. kosher salt. (This might feel like a lot, but trust me: It’s the right amount to ensure your cauliflower is seasoned through.)

Brush seasoned cauliflower with about half of the garlicky olive oil. Try to avoid the actual garlic pieces at this point, as they might burn while the cauliflower roasts.

Cover the cauliflower loosely with foil and roast until it’s tender in the center, 35 to 40 minutes. Uncover the cauliflower and brush with the remaining garlicky olive oil, including all those garlic bits. Return the cauliflower to the oven and roast until browned, about 10 minutes more.

Remove the cauliflower from the oven and sprinkle top of the cauliflower with Parmesan cheese, then return it to the oven to bake until the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes more.

Just before serving, sprinkle with a little finely chopped parsley.

The full list of ingredients and instructions can be found in the recipe below.

Recipe Tips

• The best way to roast cauliflower: To achieve a golden brown cauliflower that’s just slightly crisp on the outside and totally tender on the inside, a two-step cooking process is necessary. Roasting the cauliflower covered traps the moisture that the cauliflower releases as it cooks, effectively allowing it to steam itself. Once the cauliflower is tender, roasting it uncovered gives it that gorgeous golden brown color and slightly crisp exterior.
• How do I tell when it's done? My favorite tool for testing the cauliflower’s tenderness is a metal cake tester. If you don’t have one, a thin paring knife would work as well.
• The skillet: My pan of choice for roasting cauliflower is a cast-iron pan. It heats up more gradually than a regular metal pan in the oven, slowing the cauliflower’s cooking time and resulting in a more meltingly tender texture (and an amazingly browned underside!) That said, if you don’t have cast iron, you can use a metal skillet: just be aware that the cooking time might be shorter.

Storage

Any leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can reheat in the microwave in a covered container if you want to warm the leftovers—but honestly, the cauliflower is really good cold as well.