This Curry Roasted Cauliflower is a super easy gluten-free and vegan side dish to add to your weekly dinner routine.  It’s ready in just 30 minutes and the curry adds that flavorful boost that makes you want to eat all your vegetables!

a bowl of curry roasted cauliflower and a black plate with a serving on it.

I originally shared this recipe on November 9, 2011. I have updated the images and some of the text today.

Why We Love This Recipe For Curry Roasted Cauliflower

Roasting is one of the best ways to transform almost any vegetable quickly and easily into a decadent dish that everyone will love. And all it takes is a few ingredients (extra virgin olive oil, salt, pepper and maybe your favorite spices, herbs, cheese or nuts if you’re feeling really fancy) and high heat.

I always feel like a rock star when I pull roasted veggies out of my oven. My family goes crazy. They can hardly wait for them to hit their plates. I always have to remind them not to burn their little fingers as they try to grab the roasted nuggets right off the baking sheet!

Cauliflower is great because it’s kind of like a blank canvas and takes really well to many different flavor combinations. And curry is like a super-spice because it’s a mix of cumin, coriander, turmeric, pepper, mustard, ginger, clove, cardamom, bay leaf and fenugreek. It’s a little earthy and a little sweet and a lot yummy! So of course, curry and cauliflower are a match made in heaven!

The curry powder gets in all of the nooks and crannies of the cauliflower and turns it a beautiful yellow and the flavors really deepen and develop as it roasts. Look at all those gorgeous brown bits. That’s flavor baby! Then because I can never let things just be good enough I finished it off with a flourish of lemon juice and cilantro. The brightness from the juice and the freshness of the cilantro works so well with the earthy caramelized cauliflower. Seriously, this is soooooo good! Like eat it straight off the baking sheet good!

Ingredients For This Recipe

  • 1 head of cauliflower, about 2 pounds
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, or to taste

Step-By-Step Instructions To Make This Curry Cauliflower Recipe

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Remove outer leaves from the cauliflower. Cut it in half and cut out and discard the core. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces.
  3. Toss the cauliflower in a large bowl with the olive oil to coat. Sprinkle on curry powder and salt and toss to coat.
  4. Spread out in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven.
  5. Roast the cauliflower until the bottom is beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Turn over and continue roasting until tender, 5 to 7 minutes more. Return to the bowl and toss with lemon juice and cilantro.

Frequently Asked Questions & Tips for Making Roasted Cauliflower

Is this recipe gluten-free and/or vegan?

Yes! This recipe is both gluten-free and vegan.

Do I have to wash cauliflower before roasting?

Most cauliflower is pre-washed and comes wrapped in plastic to keep it clean (and prevent the leaves and florets from wilting.) It doesn’t need to be washed unless it is visibly soiled. If purchased unwrapped it should be washed and then dried before continuing with this recipe as water will prevent the cauliflower from browning.

Why is my roasted cauliflower mushy?

The cauliflower is likely overcooked. It may have softened too much before it had a chance to brown. To prevent that, make sure that your oven is hot, and the pan is not overcrowded. You want hot air to circulate around the pan and cauliflower easily so that it will brown before it softens too much.

What do you eat with roasted cauliflower?

Roasted cauliflower is great served with crispy baked chicken, lentils and sauteed kale. We also add it to power salads with tempeh and add it to buddha bowls.

How do I reheat my roasted cauliflower?

The easiest way to reheat roasted cauliflower is to place it in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with parchment and then microwave it on high for 1 to 2 minutes until it is steaming hot.
It can be reheated in the oven, but this will cause the cauliflower to soften more. To reheat it in the oven, place the cauliflower in a small oven-proof casserole dish. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees, stirring once or twice, until the cauliflower is steaming hot, about 20 minutes.

a baking sheet with curry cauliflower on it and lemon wedges

Reasons To Love Making Roasted Cauliflower and Other Vegetables

  • It’s Healthy! You only need just enough extra virgin olive oil to lightly coat the veggies. Most recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, vegan and primal-friendly.
  • It’s Yummy! I can throw almost any vegetable into my oven on high heat and my family will devour them.
  • It’s Easy! You don’t need a culinary degree to roast vegetables. It’s one of the easiest things to do and requires less than a hand full of ingredients.
  • It’s Fast! You can roast most veggies in about 30 minutes.
  • It’s Creative! With just a dash of your favorite spice, a sprinkle of fresh herbs or a squirt of citrus juice you can amp up those roasted veggies even more. Feel free to get creative!
  • One Pan! Clean up is a breeze because all you have to deal with is one pan.
A dish of cauliflower with lemon from overhead

More Roasted Vegetable Recipes

I love roasting my veggies! As you can probably tell by all of the yummy roasted vegetable recipes I’ve shared with you over the years. Like Roasted Broccoli with Asiago, Garlic and Almonds , Roasted Asparagus, Roasted Beets, Roasted Eggplant with Pomegranate Molasses Feta and Mint, Sesame Roasted Asparagus Salad  and Roasted Root Vegetables with Spring Herbs just to name a few. Here are some more of my all-time favorite roasted veggies:

Want more ideas for cauliflower? Don’t miss this Air Fryer Cauliflower, Our collection of Cauliflower Recipes and the Ultimate Guide to Cauliflower!

Thanks so much for reading. If you are new here, you may want to sign up for my free weekly email newsletter where I share weeknight meal plans delivered right to your inbox. Or follow me on Instagram. If you make this recipe, please come back and leave a star rating and review! It is very appreciated. Happy Cooking! ~Katie

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Curry Roasted Cauliflower

Delicious, Vegan, Gluten-Free Curry Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

  • Author: Katie Webster
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Category: side dish
  • Method: roasting
  • Cuisine: American

★★★★★

4.9 from 9 reviews
Print Recipe

Description

This Curry Roasted Cauliflower is an awesome gluten-free and vegan side dish to add to your weekly dinner routine. It’s ready in just 30 minutes and the curry adds that flavorful boost that makes you want to eat all your vegetables!

Scale

Ingredients

  • 1 head of cauliflower, about 2 pounds
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, or to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Remove outer leaves from the cauliflower. Cut it in half and cut out and discard the core. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces.
  3. Toss the cauliflower in a large bowl with the olive oil to coat. Sprinkle on curry powder and salt and toss to coat.
  4. Spread out in an even layer on a large rimmed baking sheet and transfer to the oven.
  5. Roast the cauliflower until the bottom is beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Turn over and continue roasting until tender, 5 to 7 minutes more. Return to the bowl and toss with lemon juice and cilantro.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 110
  • Sugar: 3 g
  • Sodium: 627 mg
  • Fat: 8 g
  • Saturated Fat: 1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 8 g
  • Fiber: 3 g
  • Protein: 3 g