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This is inspired by one of the most popular dishes in my Dad’s restaurant called “Coliflor Oliva” but I obviously made it my own. This recipe for a Whole Roasted Cauliflower Head is covered in the absolute tastiest creamy sauce you’ve ever had! Trust me… you’ll never, ever go back to plain cauli!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love Whole Roasted Cauliflower
This gorgeous Whole Roasted Cauliflower head is bold, it is layered with flavor and then topped with a spoon-worthy Miso Tahini Sauce that will have you wiping your plate to get every last bit!
Prep Like a Pro
Freshly grate your garlic – grated garlic can oxidize and lose it’s punch so make sure your garlic is freshly grated if you’re looking for the signature flavor
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper – You will not regret this step when it comes to clean-up time!
Zest only the yellow – When zesting, make sure you are only getting the very top of the lemon. The white part is bitter and can throw off the balance of the sauce.
Thin out your sauce just right – Add your water a little bit by little bit to make sure you don’t overdo it. You want it to coat the cauliflower and not slide right off of it.
Make a day ahead – You can boil and dry the cauliflower and prep all the sauces up to a day ahead! Just make sure you roast and add the toppings right before servings so it has optimal crispiness.
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🔥Chef Nadia’s Tip🔥
Make sure you dry the cauliflower well after boiling. You want to roast it – not steam it.
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitutions
- Skyr and Greek Yogurt → Use sour cream labneh or dairy-free yogurt if you’d prefer that instead.
- White Miso → You can use yellow miso with a splash of soy sauce.
- Salsa Macha → If you don’t have this or chili crisps, you can just use your favorite hot sauce or omit completely.
- White Wine → Use vegetable broth instead if you don’t want to use alcohol while boiling the whole cauliflower.
- Variations
- Add Crunch → Sprinkle a little panko, crushed pistachios or crispy shallots for some extra crunch.
- Mini Version → Roast florets or cauliflower steaks. Make sure you adjust the cooking time because they will roast faster.
- Make it Vegan → Swap the butter, chicken bouillon and the skyr for plant-based options and you should have a vegan meal! Make sure to always check your labels though.
The Perfect Pairings
Drink 🍹 Prickly Pear Cocktail – This drink has a lovely balance of sweet, tangy and it is also sooo fresh it will pair perfectly with this Whole Roasted Cauliflower recipe.
Main 🍽️ Scallops Meuniére is such a fresh and light dish. These scallops are buttery, the capers and parsley bring those earthy and herby notes to this epic dish.
Side 🥗 Arugula Fennel Salad is my go-to salad. It pairs really well with these dishes because it’s light and refreshing. It’s really simple to make also!
Dessert 🍨 Melon Dessert – A light, easy and refreshing dessert that will finish your night out epically.
Drinks
Prickly Pear Cocktail
Mains
Scallops Meunière
Appetizers
Garlic Potato Gratin
Sweets
Melon Dessert 🍨
Whole Roasted Cauliflower: Questions Answered
You start by trimming the leaves and stem so that the cauliflower can sit flat, make sure you leave enough of the stem that you keep the head intact. Then you’re going to rinse the entire head.
You want the cauliflower head to have golden edges and a knife should pierce it easily.
You can either slice it like a roast or cut it into wedges. It’s actually very easy to and serving the whole head is such a showstopper.
Whole Roasted Cauliflower with a Creamy Sauce
Equipment
- Large Pot
- steam basket, or rack
- small bowl
- baking sheet
- parchment paper
- Basting Brush
Ingredients
- 1 cauliflower head
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 tbsp salt, for water
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 lemon, zest only
- 1 tsp knorr chicken bouillon
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp agave
- 1 ½ tbsp chipotle adobo, or 1 tsp powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Miso Tahini Sauce:
- ¼ cup skyr or greek yogurt
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp white miso
- 1 ½ tsp agave
- 1 ½ tsp salsa macha or chili crisp, salsa macha recipe or chili crisp
- Squeeze of lemon, to taste
- Water, to thin it out
Toppings:
- Sesame seeds, to taste
- Salsa macha, salsa macha recipe or chili crisp
- chives, diced, to taste
Instructions
- Start by trimming the leaves and stem so that the cauliflower can sit flat, make sure you leave enough of the stem that you keep the head intact. Then you're going to rinse the entire head.
- Fill a large pot with water and bring to a rolling boil, add wine and salt. Add the cauliflower and boil covered for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, preheat your oven to 425℉.
- Remove the cauliflower from the pot and let it sit on a steam basket for 3-5 minutes to dry it out.
- In a small bowl, mix the olive oil, grated garlic, lemon zest, chicken bouillon, melted butter, paprika, agave, chipotle adobo and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the cauliflower on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush ¾ of the spiced oil/butter mixture all over the cauliflower head.
- Roast at 425°F for 20 minutes. Brush remaining oil/spice mixture and return to the oven for another 10-15 minutes.
- In another bowl, mix the skyr, tahini, white miso, agave, salsa macha and a small squeeze of lemon. Add a small amount of water to thin it out to desired consistency and then adjust the salt and lemon to taste.
- Drizzle sauce over the cauli, add sesame seeds, chives and more salsa macha.
Kitchen Cam
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Beautiful and delicious. Whole family loved it. Added some chili crisp when serving.
Hey Wayne, That’s awesome to hear! I’m a sucker for chili crisps and that a great idea!