Modified: by Jasmin Hackmann · This post may contain affiliate links*. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Introducing a Vegan Roasted Cauliflower Recipe: A healthy and delicious alternative to the classic Thanksgiving roast. Marinated with herbs and spices for a burst of flavor, this low-carb and low calorie dish is sure to impress your guests.
Not just for vegans, this whole roasted cauliflower is a favorite amongst meat eaters too! Easy to make and visually stunning, it serves as the perfect centerpiece for your holiday table.
Made with whole foods and free from oil, this cauliflower dish fits perfectly into a whole food plant-based diet. Take your Thanksgiving dinner to the next level with this nutritious and mouthwatering option.
If you're someone who loves incorporating vegetables into your meal plans, don't miss out on trying this incredible whole roasted cauliflower recipe.
This recipe pairs well with my vegan gravy recipe and my creamy vegan mashed potatoes.
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Jump to:
- Ingredients
- Substitutions
- Variations
- Instructions
- Leftovers
- Serving Suggestions
-
- Storage
- Top Tips
- 📖 Recipe
Ingredients
A quick list of the simple ingredients you will need to make this whole roasted cauliflower head.
You can find the ingredients with quantities and the recipe to print out on the recipe card below.
- entire head of cauliflower, medium-sized
- Vegetable broth
- Tahini
- Soy sauce, less sodium
- Lemon juice
- lemon zest
- Garlic cloves
- Ginger powder
- Black Pepper, ground
- Paprika powder
- Nutritional yeast
- Sage, dried
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Celery seed
- Tarragon, dried
- Tomato paste
When buying cauliflower, please be sure to take a medium-sized cauliflower instead of a large cauliflower.
Why is that so important? We want the cauliflower to completely cook through in the oven, and the bigger the cauliflower is, the harder it gets.
It may then happen that the outside of the cauliflower is soft and, in the middle of the cauliflower, it is still very firm.
Substitutions
- Tahini: Instead of tahini, you can also use cashew cream or almond butter.
- Herbs and Spices: Instead of using the single spices you can use my vegan chicken broth powder instead and just mix it with the tomato paste, tahini, veggie broth and soy sauce.
- Soy Sauce: If you want a soy free and gluten-free whole roasted cauliflower, you can use coconut aminos.
- Dried Herbs: You can also use fresh herbs instead. Sometimes I use fresh, especially when I have them in my garden ready.
Variations
- Spicy: You want some kick to your cauliflower, add some red pepper flakes or chili powder to the marinade.
- Cheesy: Top the cauliflower in the last 10 minutes with vegan Parmesan cheese.
Instructions
First, remove the green leaves (tougher outer leaves) of the cauliflower.
Please make sure you do not remove the stem. This keeps the entire cauliflower head together. Now you can cut the stem crosswise.
And a few times with a knife in the cauliflower, the cauliflower softens.
Now prepare the marinade by simply mixing all the ingredients in a small bowl together until a creamy tahini sauce.
If you taste the marinade, it should have a strong taste. This is important that the cauliflower later has all the flavors we want.
Now brush the whole cauliflower head with the marinade. You can take your fingers or take a pastry brush.
Place cauliflower in a cast iron skillet and preheat the oven to 400 Fahrenheit (200 °C).
Bake the cauliflower for 40 minutes in the preheated oven. Every 10 minutes, brush some more marinade on the oven-roasted cauliflower to get a lovely golden brown color.
Serve it on a serving platter with some roasted veggies around it.
Hint:How long does the cauliflower have to be roasted or baked? Basically around 40-60 minutes. Of course, it can be a little more or less. However, this also depends on your oven, as some ovens can hold temperatures better than others. I would just pierce the cauliflower with a knife or a fork and feel how soft this is. We want it to be fork tender. Some like the cauliflower a bit softer and others a little firmer. I start at around 30 minutes. If the cauliflower gets too dark, just cover it with some aluminum foil.
Make this recipe, try some easy cauliflower recipes. These are some of my favorite ways to enjoy that vegetable.Buffalo Cauliflower Wings, Cauliflower soup, Thai Red Curry, Tikka Masala, Yellow Curry
Prep in Advance
Just marinade the whole cauliflower and leave it in the fridge in an airtight container overnight for a quick weeknight dinner. The next day, you just put in the heated oven, just minutes of prep for a busy day. While it is roasting, you can do other things.
Leftovers
You can cut the cauliflower into small pieces and roast crispy in a pan or oven.
Furthermore, you can cut the cauliflower into cauliflower steak and serve as a sandwich.
Serving Suggestions
Perfect side dish to add to the following recipes.
- My vegetables stuffing with Brussels sprouts, sweet potato, cranberries
- Glazed carrots
- Green bean casserole
- Gravy
- Mashed potatoes
- Balsamico Brussel Sprouts
Storage
Leftover cauliflower can be stored in an airtight container for about 5 days. I usually cut mine into pieces to store it easier in a container. In the freezer, you can store it for 1 month.
Top Tips
- To get this cauliflower roasted evenly, it is important that the cauliflower is not too large.
- Have you ever tried your cauliflower with the green parts on it. Try it out. I do this when I buy a fresh good quality cauliflower where the greens are still looking good. The greens are getting crispy. You will see how amazing it will be. Add some extra crunch to your roasted cauliflower.
- You are in a hurry, you can blanch the cauliflower head in boiling water for about 5 minutes. This will make the roasting quicker.
📖 Recipe
Whole roasted cauliflower
Yield: 10
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Impress your guests this holiday season with a delicious and healthy whole roasted cauliflower dish, marinated in tarragon, sage, paprika, and ginger. This vegan alternative to the classic Thanksgiving turkey will be a hit at any festive gathering.
Ingredients
- 1 medium Cauliflower
Marinade
- ½ cups (120ml) water
- 2 tablespoon (30ml) veggie broth
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 2tbsp (30ml) low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon + 2 teaspoon (40ml) lemon juice
- lemon zest of a quarter lemon
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ¼ teaspoons ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper, ground
- 1 teaspoon paprika powder
- 2 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon sage. dried
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon celery seeds
- ¼ teaspoon tarragon, dried
- 1 teaspoon tomato paste
Instructions
First, remove the green leaves of the cauliflower. Please make sure you do not remove the stem. This keeps the cauliflower together. Now you can cut the stem crosswise. And a few times with a knife in the cauliflower.
Now prepare the marinade by simply mixing all the ingredients together until very creamy. If you taste the marinade, it should taste very strong. This is important so that the cauliflower gets the proper taste.
Now coat the cauliflower with the marinade. Let the cauliflower rest and preheat the oven to 400 F (200 ° C).
Put the cauliflower into the oven and bake for 40–60 minutes. You can brush the cauliflower with the rest of the marinade every 10-15 min.
Notes
Additional Information and more Tips in the Post above!
Nutrition Information
Yield 10Serving Size 1
Amount Per ServingCalories 84Total Fat 3gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 2gCholesterol 1mgSodium 197mgCarbohydrates 12gNet Carbohydrates 0gFiber 2gSugar 8gSugar Alcohols 0gProtein 4g
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