Impress your guests with this show-stopping, deliciously seasoned Whole Roasted Cauliflower recipe. And the great thing is that it only takes 5 minutes of prep and a few basic ingredients!

❤️ Why You’ll Love this Whole Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

• Load with parmesan garlic flavor
• Oven roasted until fork tender
• Takes only 5 minutes to prep
• Impressive presentation, perfect for special occasions

Roasted cauliflower is becoming increasingly popular among Keto and low carb dieters due to its unique and versatile flavor. But this whole roasted cauliflower takes things to a whole new level with a very impressive presentation.

This easy recipe involves seasoning a whole head of cauliflower, then roasting it in the covered Dutch oven or baking dish until it becomes tender and beautifully caramelized, resulting in a side dish that is both delicious and visually stunning.

A delicious and nutritious twist on the classic roasted cauliflower, this recipe is easy enough for casual dinners or is elegant enough to serve for holidays or special occasions.

Once you taste this roasted cauliflower recipe, you may be craving other roasted vegetables. These Honey Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Cheesy Roasted Asparagus are both wonderful side dishes the whole family will love.

🛒 What You’ll Need to Make a Roasted Cauliflower

• Cauliflower
• Parmesan cheese
• Olive oil
• Butter
• Garlic
• Smoked paprika
• Dried thyme
• Salt
• Ground black pepper

*Exact measurements are listed in the recipe card below.

🥣 Recommended Tools

• Dutch oven, casserole dish or large pot
• Mixing bowl
• Brush
• Whisk

🔪 How to Roast a Whole Cauliflower

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Wash your cauliflower and trim the stem and leaves.

Tip: Make sure you don’t cut too much of the stem, otherwise you will lose some florets.

Place the head of cauliflower in a dutch oven, casserole dish or large pot, stem side up.

In a small mixing bowl, add in all the remaining ingredients and whisk to combine.

Pour half the mixture on the underside and brush to get in between the florets.

Flip the cauliflower over, brush the remaining mixture all over the top and sides, making sure the entire cauliflower is coated.

Tip: No need to add any liquid to the pot because covering it will help create just enough steam to cook the cauliflower without it burning.

Cover and bake for 30 minutes.  Then remove the cover, increase the temperature to 425°F and bake for another 15 minutes or until fork tender and golden.

Tip: If your pot or casserole dish doesn’t have a lid, you can cover with aluminum foil.

Allow to cook slightly, then slice into wedges and serve.

How to Store Leftover Keto Roasted Cauliflower

Once the cauliflower cools, the texture will becoming a good bit softer. Even so, the flavors will still be immensely delicious. 

• Fridge: Place leftovers in a covered container in the fridge up to 4 days.

• Freezing: It is not recommended that you freeze roasted cauliflower. 

• Reheat: Reheat on the stovetop, in a small saucepan or skillet, over medium-low heat, until warmed through. You can also reheat the leftover cauliflower in the microwave.

How Do You Know When Cauliflower is Done Baking?

When baking a whole head of cauliflower, the best way to tell if it is nice and tender is to take a fork with long tongs, or a wooden skewer and stick it down into the thickest part of the cauliflower. You should feel just a very slight bit of resistance going in but none coming out.

Is Cauliflower OK for Keto?

You bet it is! Cauliflower is the MVP of all low carb veggies. It’s one of the most versatile of all vegetables allowing you to prepare it countless ways. It’s also very nutritious. In fact, it has just about every vitamin and mineral that you need, especially vitamin C, vitamin K and B6.

What are the Net Carbs in Cauliflower?

In a one-cup serving of raw cauliflower, there are 5.3 total carbs with 2.5 grams of fiber leaving the net carbs around 3 grams! That makes it an excellent choice when deciding on low carb sides that can really deliver on flavor.

Do You Have to Wash Cauliflower Before Roasting?

Yes, it should be washed. But you should wait to wash cauliflower right before cooking it because with all the little crevices, water can get trapped and cause it to ruin quicker.

How To Serve Whole Roasted Cauliflower

When removing the whole head from the hot pot, carefully lift it onto a cutting board. The best way to do that is with a large spatula under the bottom of the cauliflower and a long fork piercing the top to help guide it to the board.

Next, you can decide to slice it into cauliflower steaks or cut it into pieces or wedges.

What Goes with Roasted Cauliflower?

In short…everything! 😉 But if you’re needing a little inspiration, here are some popular Keto main courses that go well with the flavors in roasted cauliflower.

• Steak– Cast Iron Steak with Mushrooms, Air Fryer Steak and Grilled Steak with Compound Butter. 

• Chicken- French Onion Chicken, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs and Keto Lemon Chicken.

• Pork- Pan Fried Pork Chops, Air Fryer Pork Tenderloin and Stuffed Pork Loin.

• Seafood– Red Snapper with Compound Butter, Grilled Cajun Shrimp Skewers and Baked Salmon with Asparagus. 

Here are some great sauces to serve with it too:

• Creamy Dill Sauce
• Easy Alfredo Sauce
• Easy Cheese Sauce for Veggies
• Bang Bang Sauce
• Buffalo Cheese Sauce
• Homemade Pesto
• Buffalo Wing Sauce

Do You Have to Blanch a Head of Cauliflower Before Roasting it?

The short answer is no. However, if you need to get a jump on the cooking time, you can blanch it for a just a few minutes the night before then season and roast it the next night. Keep in mind blanching and/or boiling cauliflower will prevent the outside from caramelizing like it should when you roast it.

Why is My Roasted Cauliflower Mushy?

After washing the cauliflower, make sure to dry it well before roasting using paper towels. You want to get as much moisture out of it that you can.

Another reason cauliflower becomes mushy is over cooking it. You want it to cook just until it’s fork tender.

If you end up with super mushy cauliflower that will not hold its shape, don’t throw it out! Just place it all in your food processor and blend until smooth. It makes a wonderful roasted cauliflower mash!

More Keto Cauliflower Recipes

• Jalapeño Popper Cauliflower “Mac” and Cheese
• Mexican Cauliflower Rice
• Roasted Garlic and Rosemary Mashed Cauliflower
• Cauliflower “Potato” Salad
• Cheesy Mashed Cauliflower