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Roasted Purple Cauliflower

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This delicious roasted purple cauliflower recipe is an excellent side dish! You can also add the roasted cauliflower to a salad or grain bowl.

This recipe is as tasty as it is pretty! Purple cauliflower, which grows naturally, tastes the same as regular cauliflower but it's higher in antioxidants.

You're going to love this easy side dish with its vibrant colors and rich flavors.

Roasted purple cauliflower on a large serving platter.

Purple cauliflower, like white and orange cauliflower, has a mild grassy flavor with some slight nuttiness. But I think it's one of the prettiest veggies found in mother nature!

It roasts easily and develops some lovely crunchy ends and deeper flavors.

Purple cauliflower is technically available year-round but I usually only find it at the grocery store (usually at Whole Foods) or farmer’s market in the fall and winter.

This easy recipe will be your favorite way to make cauliflower!

If you want to make the roasted cauliflower into a soup, you can blend it in a food processor with a few cups of vegetable stock for a creamy, hearty cauliflower soup.

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Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this roasted cauliflower recipe!

Ingredients for roasted purple cauliflower.
  • Purple Cauliflower 
  • Olive Oil (does not need to be extra virgin olive oil)
  • Salt
  • Garlic Powder
  • Onion Powder
  • Red Pepper Flakes
  • Dried Rosemary
  • Paprika 
  • optional toppings - chopped parsley, chives, fresh lemon juice, or lemon zest

See the recipe card for quantities.

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 

Line a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. 

Cut the head of cauliflower into bite-size pieces with a sharp knife.

Cutting a head of purple cauliflower on a cutting board.

Place the cauliflower florets onto the sheet pan.

Pieces of cauliflower on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Drizzle the cauliflower with olive oil. Then sprinkle on the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, rosemary, and paprika. Toss to coat the cauliflower. 

Pieces of purple cauliflower topped with olive oil and spices on a baking sheet.

Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping the cauliflower halfway through, so both sides get browned.

Remove the cauliflower from the oven and serve immediately. Top with optional chopped fresh herbs.

Roasted purple cauliflower on a baking sheet.

More Great Veggie Sides

If you love making fresh, seasonal vegetable side dishes, I've got some great options for you!

Substitutions & Variations

If you need or want to make some substitutions for this recipe, here are other options that will work.

  • Oil - you can swap the olive oil for avocado oil, vegetable oil, or another high smoke point oil.
  • Spices - if you don't like spicy flavors, leave out the crushed red pepper flakes. If you want to add a bit more heat, add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne.
  • Herbs - feel free to add other dried herbs to the seasoning blend. Dried thyme, oregano, and fennel all pair well with cauliflower. Or top the roasted cauliflower with your favorite fresh herbs.

What to Serve with Cauliflower

Cauliflower pairs well with many main courses - here are some of my favorite pairings.

  • Baked Parmesan Panko Cod Recipe - a delicious, tender fish recipe with a crispy topping. Pair it with the roasted cauliflower and some chopped cucumbers and tomatoes for a healthy dinner.
  • Grilled Flank Steak - juicy, marinated steak grilled to perfection. Pair it with the cauliflower, a green salad, and red wine for a delicious meal.
  • Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs - zesty and flavorful chicken thighs. Serve it with a sparkling white wine for a date night meal.

Storage

If you don't eat the whole cauliflower immediately, you can save it for up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.

Tips for Making this Recipe

Links on some posts are affiliate links and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Cooking Tips - If the cauliflower is crowded on your baking sheet, consider using two sheet pans. The cauliflower should be in a single layer and have a little space in between each piece. This helps the florets get crispy.

Recommended Tools - I like using parchment paper that's the same size as my sheet pans - this is the ready-to-use parchment paper I like and here are the sheet pans I use.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Connect with us on Instagram and share your photos or leave us a rating.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Roasted Purple Cauliflower

Roasted purple cauliflower on a parchment lined baking sheet.

This fabulous roasted purple cauliflower is an excellent side dish or you add it to a salad or grain bowl! It's as tasty as it is beautiful.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 head of purple cauliflower
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon Salt
  • ½ teaspoon Garlic powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Onion powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon Rosemary
  • ¼ teaspoon Paprika

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. 
  2. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. 
  3. Cut the cauliflower into smaller pieces and place the pieces in the center of the sheet pan. 
  4. Drizzle the cauliflower with olive oil. Then sprinkle on the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, red pepper flakes, rosemary, and paprika. Toss to coat the cauliflower. 
  5. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, flipping the cauliflower halfway through, so both sides get browned.
  6. Remove the cauliflower from the oven and serve immediately. Top with optional chopped fresh herbs.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 95Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 286mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 3gSugar: 3gProtein: 3g

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