The BEST oven-roasted cauliflower and it’s so easy. The flavor and texture are perfect with just some simple seasoning, oil, and butter.
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Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
This baked cauliflower recipe is a go-to side dish like Corn on the Cob and Roasted Brussels Sprouts. It’s a dish you’ll make over and over.
This oven-roasted cauliflower is easy and excellent. The combination of butter and olive oil caramelizes the florets and they are baked to crisp-tender perfection. The best thing about this recipe is that you can customize the seasoning with what you have on hand with great results.
The Best Seasoning for Cauliflower
Cauliflower goes well with just about any seasoning. Even a simple salt and pepper seasoning works well. These are the seasonings we love most:
- Salt – we love fine sea salt
- Black Pepper – freshly cracked
- Garlic Powder – or try garlic salt
- Paprika – adds color and flavor (a little goes a long way)
Can I add cheese? we love to add cheese to cauliflower. Sprinkle cauliflower with 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese in the last 5 minutes of cooking for a parmesan roasted cauliflower.
How to Roast Cauliflower
This roasted cauliflower recipe is so easy to make and uses ingredients you most likely already have on hand
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easier cleanup.
- Slice the cauliflower into traditional florets or into flat cauliflower steaks.
- Seasoning- Add the cauliflower to the center of your baking sheet, drizzle with oil and butter, and toss to coat. Season the cauliflower and toss again then spread into a single layer.
- Bake cauliflower for 15-20 minutes, or until desired tenderness and golden at the edges. The baking time may vary depending on the size of your pieces.
How to Slice Cauliflower into Steaks: Slice the cauliflower head into 4-5 wedges. Then, cut the wedges into even 1/2″ thick steaks and break them apart into bite-sized pieces. As they are roasted, the flat sides caramelize against the baking sheet adding a depth of flavor. It also results in evenly browned pieces.
How Long to Bake Cauliflower?
The bake time for roasted cauliflower will depend on the size, thickness, and desired doneness of your pieces.
- Smaller pieces – you only need about 15-20 minutes.
- Larger florets – bake 20-25 minutes. Until the cauliflower is caramelized and golden.
Air Fryer Instructions:
Cooking cauliflower in an air fryer is quick and easy. When air frying, I skip the butter and just use 2-3 Tbsp olive oil. Air fry cauliflower at 375˚ for 10-15 minutes, flipping every 5 minutes, until golden and tender.
Make-Ahead
- Meal Prep – you can pre-chop your cauliflower a few days ahead, cover and refrigerate then add seasoning before roasting.
- Refrigerate – once cooled to room temperature, you can cover and refrigerate leftover roasted cauliflower for up to 3 days.
- Reheating – You can reheat the cauliflower on the stovetop, oven, or air fryer just until heated through.
More Side Dish Recipes
If you loved this roasted cauliflower, be sure to try these fail-proof side dish recipes:
- Easy Roasted Carrots
- Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes
- Easy Vegetable Stir Fry
- Tomato Mozzarella Salad
- Creamy Mushroom Asparagus
Oven Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower, sliced in small florets, or 1/2" thick steaks
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt, or to taste
- ¼ tsp ground paprika
- ¼ tsp ground black pepper, or to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Slice the head of cauliflower into 1/2" thick steaks, breaking up wedges into even, bite-sized pieces.
- Add the cauliflower to the center of the baking sheet. Drizzle with the oil and melted butter and toss to combine.
- In a small bowl, combine garlic powder, salt, paprika, and pepper for the seasoning. Sprinkle onto caulliflower and toss to evenly coat.
- Spread the cauliflower evenly on the baking sheet and bake at 425˚F for 15-20 minutes, until cauliflower reaches desired crispiness.
Notes
You may substitute oil instead of butter if you don’t want to use any butter.
Nutrition Per Serving
Valentina Ablaev
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
simple and delicious. I added grated romano cheese. Roasted is so much tastier than steamed!
Just tried it- I could eat this every day and probably should instead of some of the things I do eat. Added salt. pepper, melted butter and paprika..this will definitely be a staple for me- intended to save for dinner, but nibbled some and they are all gone!
Those ingredients are already in the recipe?
I love this recipe, my go-to for cauliflower side. Depending on size of cauliflower I may cut back on oil/butter combo (easy adjustment based on preferences) but it’s always delicious and simple to make.
I added cayenne pepper to the recipe and had to go a little longer than the 20 minutes but all in all it turned out great. Thanks for this.
You’re welcome, Johnny! Great idea.
My family doesn’t love cauliflower, but this one was a huge hit with everyone! Thank you!
That’s so great to hear, Melissa!
After reading the mouth watering review I just couldn’t pass on the Oven Roated Califlower. OLD SCHOOL cooking when it came time to have Califlower tor Dinner, either Steam or Skillet. Time for some NEW SCHOOL COOKING. I based the 5 STARS ON ingredients and prep time, right up my alley! 👍🏻
My attempt was way too salty. I used garlic salt and didn’t add any plain salt. Maybe this was the cause. It didn’t have enough flavour either.
That could be the cause because we’re not sure how salty your garlic salt is. You can adjust it next time.
I used shy of the 4T of fat and it was still drowning in grease. It was so soggy. A medium head does not need 4T of fat. I’ll make it again with less
HI Rebecca, we haven’t found this to get soggy unless the pan is crowded. If you use a smaller pan, that might be the culprit. That said, you can cut the butter and the recipe would still work to reduce the calories in the recipe.
Yummy! Turned out perfect.
I use grape seed oil. It’s less expensive and has a higher smoking point. Olive oil is for salad dressings and other times I want the flavour.
I am confused. This is Natasha’s recipe? But authored by Valentine Ablaev? Can you explain this to me?
I have a couple of friends who are bloggers that occasionally guest post their best recipes on our blog. The Author box at the bottom of the post is how you can tell if it is a guest post recipe. Several of her recipes have become reader favorites on our blog and I know her recipes to be really good. Thank you for the feedback and for checking in on that.
Valentina, your oven must have a much better heating element than mine. After 20 min the cauliflower was nowhere near roasted. I switched it to 400 with convection and roasted it quite a bit longer than your recipe suggested, about 30 or so.
I find it challenging to determine the right roast. I don’t want it dried out, but I also don’t want it nicely done on the outside and underdone on the inside. I’m wondering if a longer roast at a lower temp would get me there.
Hi John, I wonder if your oven isn’t preheating properly. After I got an in-oven thermometer (very inexpensive, but helpful tool), I realized my oven said preheated but was 25 degrees under so I have to let it preheat longer. I hope that helps!
Amazing. I could have ate the whole head. Lol 😋 😋 😋
So good and so simple!! I highly recommend trying this, it doesn’t even need a sauce. It’s amazing!
Thanks for the recipe! The cauliflower was a hit with the hubby! It was delicious 😋.
I’m so glad to hear that, Denise!
I cooked this last night. It’s 2p and my teenage son is begging me to cook some right now. Sharing the recipe with him to cook himself 😆
I am the type that looks up recipes, executes them, and then moves on with life. This recipe was phenomenal. So simple, yet it made cauliflower, which I have always thought I detested, taste amazing! I simply had to add a little positive comment about this recipe. If you think you hate cauliflower: you don’t. You’ve just never made it right. I am keeping this one bookmarked for next time. OMG!
I wasn’t reading carefully/completely (was working on other recipes alongside), so did things a little differently than described– with excellent results!
I mixed all the non-cauliflower ingredients together in a large bowl (and added about 1/3 cup shredded parmesan). After breaking the cauliflower up into florets, i dropped them into the bowl and gently tossed until they were a coated as they would get. I baked 15 minutes, at which point they looked ready, but then moved them to the bottom rack while i broiled another dish for about 15 minutes more. They were so delicious!
Mine did not get as browned, caramelized or crispy. What did I do wrong? Also, were the seasonings for an entire head of cauliflower, it didn’t seem enough. Any advice is appreciated!
Hi Patricia! The size of the cauliflower could slightly change the baking time and amount of seasoning you need to use. Mine was medium sized. Also- be sure to fully preheat your oven before hand.
CAN THIS BE DONE IN A FRYING PAN –I DON’T WANT TO HEAT THE HOUSE IN THE SUMMER
Hi Raymond, you could cook cauliflower in a skillet – it’s just a different process.
Natasha, I would like to try this recipe, but I don’t usually use my oven. Any suggestions on making this in an air fryer?
Hi David, yes you can cook this in the air fryer. I have provided the Air Fryer instructions in the recipe too.
This was SO good! Made as written and it was perfect. Probably the best cauliflower I have ever eaten!