Whole Roasted Cauliflower

This healthy whole roasted cauliflower makes a beautiful main or side dish that will wow your guests. With whipped feta cheese and a zingy herb sauce, this is one of those cauliflower dishes you’ll come back to again and again, just like our General Tso’s Baked Cauliflower.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

I have a vegetarian food blog, which means as autumn starts to sneak up on us each year, I have to consider possible turkey/ham/large-meat-centerpiece alternatives when it comes to our big fall-time meals. And until recently, I thought the dreaded tofurkey was the only real substitute. But then I discovered whole roasted cauliflower. Now I’m not saying this whole roasted cauliflower tastes at all like turkey or ham, but it’s seriously such a gorgeous centerpiece that it could easily take their place!

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To make this Whole Roasted Cauliflower, you’ll need:

• 1 head of cauliflower (2 to 3 lbs)
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 oz room temperature feta cheese
• 3 oz room temperature cream cheese
• ½ cup packed fresh parsley (can replace half with cilantro)
• ½ cup olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 Jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Pine nuts

Kitchen tools you’ll find useful:

• Chef knife
• Roasting pan or cast iron skillet
• Aluminum foil
• Food processor (if you like using your FP, try these food processor recipes!)

So what’s so great about a whole roasted cauliflower? Well roasting gives the cauliflower a really gorgeous golden color on the outside, and makes it super tender on the inside. Slice it into big steaks to expose the pretty white interior, then douse it in two magical sauces for added yum.

The Sauces

Let’s talk about those sauces for a second. Our first sauce is a simple whipped feta spread. If you’ve never tried whipping feta cheese, my goodness you’re in for a treat! Imagine the tangy deliciousness of feta cheese without the crumby mess. Our second sauce is a slightly spicy, super herby parsley compote that whips up in seconds and brings so much freshness to our cauliflower.

In total, this is a healthy, creamy, zingy dish that’s bound to be a favorite at your next big dinner!

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More side dishes you might like:

1. Potatoes Au Gratin have been a favorite in many households. Add bacon and leeks and you have a delicious side dish that everyone will love!
2. Speaking of potatoes, these potatoes are roasted in a cast iron skillet in a savory broth that makes them irresistible.
3. We usually only think of stuffing, some call it dressing, at Thanksgiving. But really it can be enjoyed with poultry any time of year. Try my stuffing with parsley, sage, rosemary & thyme (anyone remember the song?) next time you make it.
4. If you’re looking to add some southwestern flair to your dinner, this Spanish rice with black beans and corn is a great side dish.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

This healthy whole roasted cauliflower makes a beautiful main or side dish that will wow your guests. With whipped feta cheese and a zingy herb sauce, this is a cauliflower dish you’ll come back to again and again.

5 from 2 votes

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Course: Sides

Servings: 6

1 hour hr 40 minutes mins

Author: Amanda Davis

Ingredients

Cauliflower

• ▢ 1 head of cauliflower 2 to 3 lbs
• ▢ ½ cup olive oil
• ▢ 1 tsp salt

Whipped Feta

• ▢ 8 oz room temperature feta cheese
• ▢ 3 oz room temperature cream cheese

Herb Sauce

• ▢ ½ cup packed fresh parsley can replace half with cilantro
• ▢ ½ cup olive oil
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic
• ▢ 1 Jalapeno pepper seeds removed
• ▢ 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• ▢ ¼ tsp salt

Garnish

• ▢ Pine nuts

Instructions

• Trim the leaves and tough core from the cauliflower, being sure to leave the head intact. Rub olive oil all over the top and bottom of the cauliflower, using your hands to work it into the small grooves. Sprinkle top and bottom with salt then set in a large rimmed pan or cast iron skillet. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake cauliflower at 375 degrees F for 30 minutes, then remove aluminum foil. Increase temperature to 400 degrees and continue baking for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until outside is lightly browned.
• While cauliflower cooks, add feta and cream cheese to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. Transfer to a small serving bowl and set aside.
• Rinse out food processor then add all of the “herb sauce” ingredients. Blend until smooth, and transfer to a small serving bowl.
• Place cauliflower on a serving tray. You can either spread on the sauce now and sprinkle with a handful of pine nuts, or spread and garnish each individual serving as you slice it up.

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