If you’ve been using my books since way back (like early days with The Everyday Vegan and Vive le Vegan), you’ll know I haven’t always loved all my veggies. In fact, I once declared that you would not find cauliflower in my cookbooks!
Times have changed and now I’m eating my words (and the cruciferous)… because Let Them Eat Vegan has a selection of recipes with cauliflower, including this Almond Roasted Cauliflower.
When I created this recipe I had no idea how much of it I could eat.. or our girls. Normally our girls won’t dig into cauliflower, but when I make this roasted cauliflower I double the batch so we all get some!
And, we’re not the only cauliflower-converts. I’ve heard from dozens of people that have tried this recipe and then e-mail saying “I now like cauliflower“!
While I’m still not a fan of raw cauliflower (or raw broccoli… or cabbage), I never thought I’d love eating raw greens like kale and chopping copious amounts of parsley for my lunch salads! It is so true that over time our palates adjust. Our taste buds evolve and we become “open” to more diverse flavors and nuances in foods.
Eating vegan did just that for me. Before becoming vegan I relied on cheese to make foods taste good. I learned there are far more options that taste better – and feel better.
Do you feel this way about eating vegan? What foods do you now love that you didn’t before?
Enjoy the roasted cauliflower! x Dreena
Almond Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 4 - 4 1/2 cups cauliflower flowerets about 1 medium cauliflower, with bite-sized flowerets cut and used
- 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil can reduce, or omit, see note
- 1/8 tsp rounded sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper optional if making for kids
- 2 tbsp almond meal try tiger nut flour for nut-free version
- 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet or 8 by 12-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil and sea salt (and pepper, if using). Transfer to the prepared pan. Bake for 20 minutes, tossing once or twice. At the 20-minute mark, check the doneness and color of the cauliflower. If it has started to soften, turning a golden color, add the almond meal and nutritional yeast and toss again. If, at 20 minutes, it isn’t at this stage, let it bake for another 10 minutes and then add the almond meal and nutritional yeast. Bake for another 10 to 15 minutes or more, tossing again once, until the cauliflower is golden brown and fully softened. Remove from the oven and season with additional salt and pepper, if desired. Serve warm! Serves 2 to 3... or maybe just 1!
Chez says
This recipe turned my husband around on cauliflower! I’ve always enjoyed it, but he’s been a cauli-skeptic. 🙂 Now he’s fully on board! Thanks for the fab/simple recipe!!
Dreena says
hurrah, hurrah!!! Awesome, Chez… it did the same for our kiddos. Great stuff, thanks for the note!
Brandie says
This recipe is a keeper!!! Thank you 🙂
Gretchen @ SaltyVegan says
I love this recipe! I have had roasted cauliflower before, but the addition of almond meal and nutritional yeast makes these unbelieveably good.
Since going vegan many years ago I have become a much more adventurous eater. There were lots of styles of food I would never touch before that I can’t imagine not eating now (Thai, Ethiopian, Indian come to mind). I have a weak stomach and was always worried about the meats used in cuisines I was less familiar with. I feel much more confident just eating the vegetables…not such a mystery 🙂
Dreena says
Wonderful!! Thank you Gretchen… and what a good point – vegetables have much less fear factor!
Erica says
YUM! Do you think I could sub almond butter in place of the almond meal and oil?
Dreena says
Erica, if you do, I’d use a raw almond butter, b/c the roasted has a different flavor (most almond butters are roasted unless specifically stated as ‘raw’). It might be tricky to coat the cauli tho, b/c the equivalent compared to almond meal will be just a tsp or two… so might take a little time to work it through… but worth a try!
Lydia says
Hi, love your sight. This recipe sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try it.
Lydia