“As far as vegetables go, there are probably none as versatile as cauliflower, and I love the drama of carving into a whole cauliflower at the table,” writes registered dietician and food author Desiree Nielsen in her newest cookbook, Plant Magic: A Celebration of Plant-Based Cooking for Everyone. Like all of Nielsen’s recipes, this one is vegan – and delightfully simple. “Dredged in an earthy, smoky paprika-spiked rub and topped with a bright and acidic dressing, this is a beautiful dish for a weekend meal with friends.”
Whole Roasted Cauliflower With Green Olive Dressing
Desiree Nielsen's vegan recipe for whole roasted cauliflower with a paprika rub and green olive dressing.
Ingredients
Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- 2 lbs (900 g) head cauliflower leaves removed and stem ends trimmed
- 2 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp salt
Green Olive Dressing
- ½ cup pitted Castelvetrano olives
- ½ cup lightly packed fresh curly parsley leaves and tender stems
- ¼ medium shallot roughly chopped
- 1 clove garlic
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive or avocado oil
- ½ tsp salt
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
- red chili flakes to taste
Instructions
- Roast the cauliflower: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the avocado oil, smoked paprika, garlic powder, coriander, cumin and salt. Using your hands or a silicone brush, rub the oil mixture all over the exterior of the cauliflower. Transfer to the oven and roast until the cauliflower is fork-tender but not falling apart, 50 to 55 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the green olive dressing: (It’s ideal to make the dressing right after you have popped the cauliflower in the oven, so the flavours have time to meld.) In a small food processor, combine the olives, parsley, shallot and garlic. Pulse until finely chopped. Scrape the mixture into a small bowl.
- Whisk the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper and chili flakes into the olive mixture. The flavour of the shallot will mellow as the dressing sits until ready to use. Taste before serving; if you need to balance out an overly strong shallot, just add a pinch of sugar.
- Remove the roasted cauliflower from the oven and let rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Serve the cauliflower whole or cut into wedges on a medium platter, drizzled with the green olive dressing. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
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