Roasted Curried Cauliflower Recipe on Food52 (2024)

Make Ahead

by: wanderash

October6,2010

4.6

8 Ratings

  • Serves 2-3

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Author Notes

This is my go-to cauliflower recipe. It is so good, I never worry if guests will eat “eeewwww, cauliflower?!” I came up with it when planning an Indian-esque dinner and was trying to make space on the stove top. I was inspired to add vinegar by the "Your Best Broccoli" runner-up. (I love that recipe!) My Roasted Curried Cauliflower was an instant classic! - wanderash —wanderash

Test Kitchen Notes

Don't let the ease of this dish fool you. It's simple to prepare, but its flavor is anything but. The combination of the curry, smoked paprika and tomato paste with the vinaigrette provides a rich, full flavor and the combination of the garbanzo beans and cauliflower provides for a very satisfying meal. This would be a delicious meatless meal with some rice and/or roti. Served as a side dish, it would provide a delicious complement to say, salmon or chicken, for as many as 4 people. We will definitely be making this regularly. I reduced the amount of olive oil slightly (and reduced the vinegar in proportion as well but kept all the spices and seasonings the same), and it still had plenty of oil to help crisp the cauliflower in the oven. Delicious! – healthierkitchen —The Editors

  • Test Kitchen-Approved

What You'll Need

Ingredients
  • 1 medium cauliflower (about 2 pounds), cut into florets
  • 1 white onion, large dice
  • 1 1/2 cupschickpeas (1 can, drained and rinsed)
  • 2/3 cupolive oil
  • 1/4 cupred wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoonsdouble-concentrated tomato paste
  • 1/2 teaspoonkosher salt
  • 2 teaspoonscurry powder
  • 1/2 teaspoonsmoked paprika
  • 1 pinch cayenne
  • 1/3 cupcilantro leaves, chopped
Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
  2. Put cauliflower florets, onion and chickpeas in large bowl.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, vinegar, tomato paste, curry powder, paprika, cayenne, and salt. Pour dressing over vegetables; toss to coat. Spread vegetables in a single layer onto a sheet pan.
  4. Roast vegetables until tender and roasty-toasty, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.
  5. Taste vegetables and add salt if needed.Mix in fresh cilantro and serve.

Tags:

  • Indian
  • Cilantro
  • Vegetable
  • Vinegar
  • Chickpea
  • Bean
  • Cauliflower
  • Curry
  • Paprika
  • Make Ahead
  • Serves a Crowd
  • Sheet Pan
Contest Entries
  • Your Best Cauliflower Recipe

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • whym

  • Pat Eckerstrom

  • Vinod

  • MT Bollerup

  • Kara Weber

My love for all things delicious lead me to the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco and three years of working in restaurants and wineries in Napa Valley. My love of travel has propelled me all over the world. After living in Honduras and Mexico for the past 5 yrs., my two children, super-hero husband, and I have just moved to the Midwest....... A new chapter is unfolding....

Popular on Food52

53 Reviews

Luce N. March 31, 2023

Roasted Cauliflower Curry is a new family favourite. Once out of the oven, in addition to the cilantro, I stirred in a cup of Green Peas. Served with slices of sautéed halloumi, and a drizzle of Harissa Paste (mixed with a little water and yoghurt.) Raita at the side. And some roti. Sort of an international mélange!

whym June 6, 2022

Yum! I just made this (added parboiled potatoes and upped the sauce quantities) and it was delicious. Served with garlic butter naan and cucumber raita. This is my new favorite way to eat cauliflower!

Pat E. January 30, 2020

This was totally yum! I used 1/2 the oil but left the rest as written. Next time I would leave the onions a larger dice and only use 1/2 the garbanzos as I thought the proportion of taste and texture was a bit off. Garbanzos a nice crunch but there were too many I thought. Will certainly make again.

Vinod May 11, 2019

Excellent, as others have mentioned. The chickpeas were a bit crunchy on one side, which I liked, but could have been avoided if I had stirred the vegetables occasionally like the recipe mentions.

MT B. January 31, 2019

Flat-out delicious. My cauliflower was smallish, so I added a handful of Brussels sprouts and, at the 20 minute mark, the last of some really good green beans. Regular tomato paste worked fine. Served it over jasmine rice. We loved it!!!

Kara W. December 3, 2017

This is the single recipe most likely to convert me to vegetarianism. It is mildly spicy, warm, crunchy, savory, filling and generally just delicious. I change not a thing and it's a huge hit every time.

katie October 13, 2016

I love this recipe! Make it all the time. I usually double the dressing and add in a bunch of other veggies like thinly sliced potatoes, chopped red peppers, tomatoes, even broccoli. Turns out great every time. You can reduce the amount of oil a bit - 2/3rds cup (or more if doubling) is a lot.

SCL January 18, 2016

We intended to have this as a side, but changed our minds and made it our main course over brown rice. We added some plain, low fat yogurt on the side which was a wonderful, cooling contrast to the curried spices. The delightful surprise was the slight crunch to the roasted chick peas. We can't wait to make it again (with regular tomato paste which is all we had). When we do, I plan to increase the onion (in amount and size of cuts) which gets really caramelized and sweet.

Chaiwalla February 4, 2015

Super yum! No chickpeas, so I parboiled bite sized potato chunks first, no tomato paste so I cooked down two chopped tomatoes....everything else the same. Definitely rocks with the potatoes!

JenGnsbrg August 11, 2014

Do you think you could grill this recipe?

marymary June 29, 2014

This was awesome! Made today for our special Sunday lunch along with Caroline Wright's Roasted Salmon https://food52.com/recipes/25840-roasted-salmon-with-sunchoke-galettes-and-parsley-vinaigrette and a side salad. I didn't think my husband would like the balsamic sweetness, but we were all pleasantly surprised. He loved this dish. Definitely a favorite. Thanks!

rachaelmr May 29, 2014

Yes! This was a big hit last nite. Whipped it up with some Saag Paneer, got my hands on some Israeli/Naan like bread and had a feast. Thank you for an easy but super delicious addition to my Indian-style dinners!

MsMegha April 19, 2014

I have made this so many times. I have yet to get my hands on double concentrate tomato paste, but have done things like add a little extra OR add a little brown sugar to the sauce. Regardless, the vegetables roast beautifully and flavors are out of this world. Like many of the folks who left a comment - I was nervous about the amount of red wine vinegar, BUT was pleasantly surprised. I'm actually making a batch now and caramelizing the onions separately on the stove top and adding them as a garnish on top. Really lovely -- can't say enough good things about this dish.

Tracey P. March 14, 2013

Perfect!! Made tonight! We ate the heck out of it. I thinly sliced the cauliflower and, please don't be mad, added about two teaspoons of sugar to help the caramelizing. Other than this recipe was exactly as you directed. It would have been perfect without my tiny change. The textures, the flavor...brilliant recipe!! I will make again and again. Thank you so very much!!!

GreenMom March 9, 2013

We just made this tonight and it is FANTASTIC! I only used 1/4 cup olive oil and no cayene, but we love it! This is a definite keeper. I agree with some of the others that posted, I really like the texture of the chick peas after roasting for 45 minutes. Thanks for the recipe.

thomasc October 7, 2012

I usually jot down some notes in my cookbooks, but this will have to do. really enjoyed this - used a sweet onion, served with a little baba ganoush on the side and few drops of shiracha on some the larger cauliflower florets. I love the color of curry powder, paprika vel. sim. on pale colored veggies. cooking time was perfect, great texture on the garbanzos. Thanks a lot, a great dinner and lunch tomrrow.

juliunruly October 4, 2012

I love this recipe. Made a few alterations: I kept the garbanzo beans out until the 2nd half of roasting, because I was afraid they'd dry out. I also added currants towards the end, and some crushed almonds after I took it out of the oven. It was really delicious. Next time I may add sweet potatoes or butternut squash into the mix, too. This is a serious keeper!

Dr.Insomnia November 30, 2012

Next time I would leave the garbanzos in. They don't dry out - they get crispy, and are one of the best parts of this dish since it results in a true roast chickpea flavor, something we don't get out of dishes in the West very often. I love roasted cauliflower, yet I am torn between which bites of the dish I prefer with how good the beans come out. This dish is a staple n our house and I may try the sliced almonds with it next time, though I will say that the roasted chickpeas if left in for the full time sort of provide a similar texture and flavor on their own

juliunruly February 21, 2013

I did as you suggested, and you're right! It's even better when they're in for the full cooking time (but I still added the almonds and currants).

Anne K. May 26, 2012

I made this tonight in an effort to find a cauliflower recipe that I like, and it was delicious! I was worried it would be too sour with that amount of vinegar, but no. It was perfect. The one change I did make was that I reduced the amount of oil in it and I took it out of the oven about 5 minutes earlier than indicated. Thank you!

Phrynosoma April 25, 2012

The deliciousness and simplicity of this recipe have made it a go-to for me. I love the flavor and the roasty-toasty texture of the cauliflower and chickpeas. I use half (or less) of the oil that the recipe calls for, and find that this still works well. This could be an excellent side dish, but I typically eat it as a meal by itself since it is so tasty and filling. I love that it is so versatile, and that with the addition of greens or squash you get something slightly different and equally flavorful.

ntt2 March 21, 2012

This recipe is tagged as "can be made ahead" but I don't see any mention of that in the recipe or comments -- any thoughts? thanks, nt

Roasted Curried Cauliflower Recipe on Food52 (2024)

FAQs

Why is my roasted cauliflower tough? ›

Undercooking It. Overcooking is bad, but undercooking cauliflower is an equally off-putting problem. "When making cauliflower steaks or roasting florets, if you don't roast it in the oven long enough it will be warm but still hard and unenjoyable to eat," says Michalczyk.

Why is my roasted cauliflower not crispy? ›

If the florets are too crowded on the pan, they'll steam—not caramelize—in the oven.

What brings out the Flavour of cauliflower? ›

There are two really simple techniques that bring out the best in cauliflower: grilling and pickling. Dumping cauliflower florets in a mixture of salt and lemon juice for 45 minutes to an hour turns them into spiky little flavor bombs, delivering high-pitched squeaks in salads, sandwiches or the stew recipe here.

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

This process – which should last 10-20 minutes - destroys several microbes and large parasites. As cauliflower is highly susceptible to microbial attacks, it should be washed once again. This time, boil some water and put the cauliflower florets in it. Keep for five minutes and remove from the hot water.

How healthy is roasted cauliflower? ›

When it comes to nutrition, cauliflower is a superstar. It's high in vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate, which supports cell growth and is essential during pregnancy. Cauliflower is fat-free and cholesterol-free. And it's low in sodium.

Why is my cauliflower not firm? ›

Other telltale signs of spoilage for cauliflower include mold, off-smells, slimy texture, or soft spots. Per Does it Go Bad?, cauliflower is supposed to be firm to the touch. Once you see soft spots or examples of slimy texture, the cauliflower should definitely be thrown out.

How do you know if cauliflower is overcooked? ›

Like all brassicas, cauliflower smells very unpleasant if overcooked, so brief cooking is essential.

Can cauliflower be overcooked? ›

Overcooking cauliflower is easy, so less is better! Overcooked cauliflower has a strong odor and yellowish color due to sulfur compounds that are released. Cook cauliflower rapidly to preserve color and flavor.

Why is my roasted cauliflower soft? ›

QUICK COOKING TIP: Be careful how much olive oil you use when roasting cauliflower. The cauliflower florets tend to absorb a lot of the oil when you pour it over them and I have seen so many people add way too much oil. If there is too much, the cauliflower tends to turn mushy. Nobody likes mushy roasted cauliflower.

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