Curried Cauliflower
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My roasted curried cauliflower needs only 4 ingredients and makes a fabulous side dish. Ready in 20 minutes, it’s crispy, crunchy, and addictive!
My roasted curry cauliflower recipe was inspired by the popular hot bar dish at Whole Foods. I’m not ashamed to admit I would fill over half my takeout box with the cauliflower because it seriously tasted like candy to me.
When recreating this recipe at home, it came down to two things: using the right curry powder and adding enough oil to give each floret those gorgeous caramelized edges. I tested five curry powder blends, and ironically, the two most readily available options delivered the best flavor (Lawry’s and McCormick).
The end result is perfectly seasoned cauliflower with a crispy exterior and tender middle. Even my partner, who once claimed to be allergic to cauliflower (spoiler alert, he isn’t), can polish off a full serving on his own.
Table of Contents
Why I love this recipe
- Just 4 ingredients. All you need is cauliflower, oil, and a few spices.
- The caramelized edges. They’re my favorite part. The florets become crispy and golden on the outside while staying tender in the middle.
- Virtually hands-off. Once you toss the florets in the spices, the oven does 99% of the work, so you can focus on the main course.
- It makes cauliflower exciting. It’s the veggie side that always disappears first at my dinner table.
Key Ingredients
Here’s what goes into curried cauliflower, along with my kitchen notes. Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower. One large head of cauliflower chopped into florets.
- Olive oil. To give the cauliflower extra crispness. I prefer the flavor of olive oil, but any oil works.
- Curry powder. I keep it simple and use a store-bought spice blend, but you’re welcome to make your own spice mixture using turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon.
- Kosher salt and black pepper. To taste.
How to make roasted curried cauliflower
Step 1- Prep. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2- Season. In a large bowl, add the cauliflower florets and toss with the spices. Add olive oil and mix to coat the florets.
Step 3- Roast. Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on the sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until tender.
Arman’s recipe tips
- Cut the cauliflower evenly. I try to keep the cauliflower pieces roughly the same size so they roast at the same rate and finish cooking together.
- Start with dry cauliflower. This is especially important. After washing the cauliflower, I pat it completely dry before seasoning. Excess moisture causes the florets to steam instead of developing those crispy, caramelized edges.
- No stacking. I always spread the florets into a single layer with a little space between them. If they’re piled on top of each other, they’ll soften instead of roast.
- Roast for color, not time. Every oven is different. If the cauliflower isn’t deeply golden around the edges when the timer goes off, keep roasting for a few extra minutes.
Ways to use curry cauliflower
While curry roasted cauliflower makes a wonderful side dish, you can jazz it up in a variety of ways. Here are some ideas:
- Cauliflower curry. Add it to a chicken curry or make a curry from scratch and fold in the roasted cauliflower.
- Add it to fried rice. Finely chop the curried cauliflower and toss it through curry fried rice.
- Make cauliflower soup. Swap out the cauliflower in my roasted cauliflower soup for this curry-fied version!
- Add chickpeas (or potatoes!). Toss a can of drained chickpeas into the cauliflower before roasting it.
- Turn it into a salad. Use these roasted cauliflower florets in my cauliflower potato salad.
Storage instructions
- To store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator, covered, for up to five days.
- To freeze: Place the cooked, cooled cauliflower in an airtight container and store it in the freezer for up to 6 months.
- Reheating: I prefer reheating the cauliflower in a 350°F oven or air fryer until hot and crispy around the edges again. I avoid the microwave, as it softens the cauliflower.
Frequently asked questions
You can, but fresh cauliflower will give you the crispiest results. Frozen cauliflower releases more moisture and won’t caramelize quite as well.
Yes. It’s almost identical to my air fryer cauliflower: Add a single layer of the cauliflower in a greased air fryer basket and air fry at 200C/400F for 12 minutes, flipping halfway through.
More cauliflower recipes to try
Curried Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower chopped into bite-sized florets, 900g
- 2 tablespoons olive oil 30mL
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tablespoon curry powder 8g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200C/400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Pat the cauliflower dry, ensuring there is no moisture on it.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cauliflower and toss through the salt, pepper, and curry powder. Add the olive oil and, using your hands, mix well to ensure all florets are coated with the spices and the oil.
- Add the cauliflower in an even layer on the baking tray and cook for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through. The cauliflower should be golden brown and fork-tender.
- Remove from oven and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
Originally updated November 2022
Found just what I was looking for, this looks so easy! Thanks for sharing.
So welcome!