Do you need to line the pan with parchment paper to roast cauliflower?

No, it’s better for the cauliflower to brown and caramelize if it makes direct contact with the metal of the pan, so do not line it. As long as you toss the cauliflower in oil or a marinade with oil, it won’t stick.

Why did my roasted cauliflower turn out mushy?

Allow enough space on the sheet pan, even if that means you need to use 2 pans. If the cauliflower is overlapping, it will steam rather than roast and turn out soft.

What flavors and spices go with cauliflower?

Cardamom, dried chilies, coriander, cumin, curry powder, garlic, ginger, lemon, mustard seed, paprika, tarragon, thyme and turmeric all pair well with cauliflower.

Tahini Roasted Curried Cauliflower

Name: Tahini Roasted Curried Cauliflower
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: PT-468353H29M50S
Total time: PT-468353H29M50S
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 head cauliflower, leaves removed, bottom stem trimmed; 1/4 cup tahini; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 teaspoon curry powder; 1/2 teaspoon cumin; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; Chopped fresh parsley for serving

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Roasting cauliflower is a simple way to cook a nutritious vegetable. Loaded with vitamins, high in fiber, low in calories and keto-friendly, it’s no surprise that cauliflower is a superfood. With a sheet pan, olive oil and seasonings, it is easy to roast.

Cauliflower is a blank canvas. And that’s a compliment. You can add all sorts of spices to it. In this recipe I make a marinade with tahini and curry powder that is wonderful with roasted and caramelized flavors.

It is a versatile side dish that is great for leftovers too. This roasted cauliflower has a lot of personality. You can serve it warm or cold and combine it with greens or cooked grains like rice or barley.

The Ingredients

Ingredients including cauliflower, tahini, olive oil and spices

This is what you need:

Cauliflower: When you’re picking out a head of cauliflower, it should feel heavy for its size. Also, there shouldn’t be any dark spots. You can use any color you want including white, orange, purple or green cauliflower.
Tahini is made with sesame seeds that are ground into a paste. It adds nutty flavor to go with the curry and dried seasonings. It is also a main ingredient in hummus.
Curry powder has beautiful saturated golden orange color. It is a mixture of spices with turmeric as the main ingredient plus cumin, ginger, cinnamon, garlic, mustard seed, fennel seed and black pepper. The amounts vary depending on the spice maker/brand.
Cumin: I still include cumin even if there is some in the curry powder. That’s because I love its earthy flavor.
Salt & pepper give the marinade a base level of seasonings that bring out the flavors of the overall dish.
Olive oil: Use extra-virgin olive oil.
Parsley: I garnish the roasted cauliflower with chopped fresh herbs. You can use parsley or cilantro.

How To Make Roasted Curried Cauliflower

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

1. Prep the cauliflower. Instead of cutting the head into florets, just slice it. Those flat sides maximize contact with the pan and browning. Don’t worry if some of the pieces break apart. It’s good to have the cauliflower in a variety of sizes. Some will caramelize more than others.

2. Make the marinade. Stir together the tahini, olive oil, curry powder, cumin, salt and pepper in a big bowl.

Sliced cauliflower on a cutting board. Tahini marinade in a bowl.

3. Coat the cauliflower in the marinade. Put it into the bowl and stir it as best as you can. I like to use my hands to toss it around.

4. Put the cauliflower on a baking sheet. Each piece should be directly on the pan. Avoid any overlapping. This will help with roasting.

Cauliflower stirred into marinade in a bowl and then arranged on a sheet pan.

4. Roast the cauliflower, flipping halfway through roasting. It will take about 20-25 minutes to brown and caramelize.

5. Garnish with chopped parsley before serving.

Roasted cauliflower on a baking sheet and on a rectangular plate.

What to Serve with Curried Cauliflower

This curried cauliflower is best served warm or at room temperature. Curry has a strong flavor, but this side dish goes with more than you think. Don’t limit it to meals with other Middle Eastern or Mediterranean main dishes. Even for holidays like Thanksgiving where the food is very traditional, add curry and tahini to roasted vegetables for something more interesting.

Try serving it with:

Dry Rubbed Turkey
Root Vegetable Tagine
Chickpea Spinach Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Tofu Vegetable Stir-Fry
Red Lentil Soup
Vegan Chickpea Soup

Leftovers & Storage

You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days. Then warm them in a 350-degree F oven. Or eat them cold in a salad with kale, spinach or chopped romaine. Roasted cauliflower can also be combined with pasta, quinoa, farro or barley.

Recipe Tips

Start with a head of cauliflower and slice it instead of breaking it into florets. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to have those flat sides on the pan, so the cauliflower browns all over.

Don’t forget to flip over the cauliflower halfway through roasting. You want to make sure to brown it evenly on both sides.

Always roast cauliflower at a high temperature. For this recipe, I preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Don’t crowd the pan. This is good advice for roasting any vegetable. To make sure the veggies roast and don’t steam, they should not be on top of each other. The need a little space around them, so they can be roasted by the hot air.

Roasted Curried Cauliflower