Roasted cauliflower has been the darling of the veggie world for a while. But this version goes beyond with jalapeño peppers, capers, lemon zest, and parsley. Think of it as roasted cauliflower 2.0.
Adapted from Athena Calderone | Cook Beautiful | Abrams, 2017
You probably already know that cauliflower, simply roasted with olive oil, salt, and pepper, makes for a pretty darn good side dish. But we betcha didn’t know that the simple act of tossing in some lemon zest, parsley, capers, and jalapeño turns that reliable vegetable into something truly and respectfully spectacular. So much so that kids are even raving about this vegetable side dish. Swear.–Angie Zoobkoff
WHY IS MY ROASTED CAULIFLOWER MUSHY?
If you find that your florets don’t fit easily in a single layer on one baking sheet, use 2 baking sheets so you can keep the cauliflower in a loose single layer. Trust us. A heap of cauliflower will end up steamed and soggy rather than beautifully browned and caramelized.
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Roasted Cauliflower with Jalapeño and Capers
Ingredients
- 1 head (1 1/2 lbs) cauliflower quartered, cored, and cut into bite-size florets
- 3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus extra for drizzling
- Coarse sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 lemon preferably organic
- 1 handful fresh parsley roughly chopped
- 1 tablespoon capers drained
- 1 jalapeño seeded and thinly sliced
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Scatter the cauliflower florets on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer. Drizzle the cauliflower with the oil, season generously with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast the cauliflower, tossing the florets halfway through, until deeply golden and crisp, 30 to 35 minutes total.
- While the cauliflower is roasting, use a microplane to zest some of the lemon or use a vegetable peeler to peel 3 strips of zest and cut each strip crosswise into very thin slices. Cut the lemon in half, reserving 1/2 for this recipe and reserving the other half for another use.
- Dump the roasted cauliflower into a serving bowl. Top it with the parsley, capers, jalapeño, and sliced lemon zest. Squeeze the mixture with the lemon half and drizzle it with more oil. Gently toss to coat everything with the oil and lemon and sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt.
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If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Recipe Testers' Reviews
I'm always looking for ways to jazz up roasted cauliflower and this was really unique. For sure a little bit more effort than simply roasting it with salt, pepper, and olive oil, but so worth it.
This was lovely at room temperature and also worked well as leftovers served slightly chilled. Roasted cauliflower with jalapeño and capers would be easy to make a big batch of and serve with a whole variety of dishes through the week. A definite addition to the roasted vegetable roster in our house!
This roasted cauliflower with jalapeño and capers has wonderful flavors and gorgeous presentation with very little effort and time to prepare!
Originally published September 7, 2018
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
If you make this recipe, snap a photo and hashtag it #LeitesCulinaria. We'd love to see your creations on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
Crazy delicious.
Thanks, Stephanie! We’re delighted that you loved it.
I really liked this recipe. My husband who strongly dislikes cauliflower had seconds and my normally vegetable-averse 8-year-old declared it delicious. This is simple enough for a weeknight dinner but elegant enough for a dinner party. The flavors are really nicely balanced—salty capers, spicy peppers, sour/sweet lemons and fresh parsley worked together to make each bite sing. If you think you don’t like cauliflower, try this!
Well, I guess we’re on to something if your husband asked for seconds, Betsy!