Easy Cumin Roasted Cauliflower

This easy roasted cauliflower with cumin seeds is a delicious, simple, and healthy side dish. Vegan and gluten-free, it's a great alternative to rice or potatoes.

The cauliflower pieces are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with the roasted cumin seeds and olive oil combining to add an aromatic flavour that's rich, nutty, and almost buttery.

The different sizes of florets ensure varying levels of crispiness, while the cauliflower leaves and stems add even more texture. If you've never tried roasting cauliflower before, you're in for a treat.

For more vegan cauliflower recipes, try out this vegan cauliflower cheese and chickpea and cauliflower curry.

Why you'll love this recipe

• It requires just five ingredients
• Roasted cauliflower has a nice mix of textures
• It's a low-calorie alternative to side such as potatoes or rice
• You'll turn what's sometimes seen as a 'boring' ingredient* into something delicious

*Call me vegan, but I don't think cauliflower is ever boring.

Recipe testing notes

• Cumin seeds: If using a small/medium cauliflower, you may want to use a little less cumin (maybe 1 to 1½ teaspoons).
• Oil amount: If you want to reduce the oil amount, just be aware that the cauliflower may not crisp up as nicely. It might also be a good idea to use greaseproof paper to prevent sticking.

Is roasted cauliflower good for you?

Cauliflower is absolutely packed full of nutrients, with high levels of vitamin C in particular.

When roasted, it offers up a delicious and low-calorie alternative to side dishes such as potatoes or rice (you also retain more of the nutrients than if you were to boil it in water, for example).

In one serving of this recipe, you'll find:

• Calories: 116 kcal
• Vitamin C: 96 mg (116% of RDA)
• Fibre: 4 grams (17% of RDA)
• Potassium: 619 mg (18% of RDA)

Can you eat cauliflower leaves and stems?

Yes, you can eat cauliflower leaves and stems! They're just as delicious and it always seems like such a waste when people throw them away.

You'll want to remove any particularly tough parts of the stem and leaves, then cook in the same way that you roast the florets. They may cook slightly more quickly, in which case you can remove them from the oven before the rest of the cauliflower pieces.

How do you cut cauliflower for roasting?

Remove the outer leaves and set aside, then cut away the bottom of the central stem. Break or cut the head into large florets and then cut these down into similar pieces, slightly larger than bite-sized.

For the leaves and any remaining parts of the stem, cut the tougher parts of these into smaller bite-sized pieces.

(See recipe process photos below)

What's the difference between cumin seeds and cumin powder?

Cumin seeds and cumin powder can both be used in cooking. Ground cumin is simply what you get when you roast the whole seeds and grind them up into a fine powder.

• Cumin seeds have a nuttier flavour than their powdered counterpart. They're often used to flavour the cooking oil at the start of Indian dishes, but can also be toasted in a dry pan or roasted (like in this recipe).
• Cumin powder has an earthy, aromatic flavour. Because it's made from ground-up roasted seeds, the flavours have already been released and so you can add it straight into dishes.

For more recipes that use cumin seeds, check out this black bean dip, Moroccan zaalouk, vegan biryani, and these kidney bean tacos.

What you'll need

For this roasted cauliflower recipe, you'll need:

• Cauliflower (trust me, it just wouldn't be the same without this)
• Cumin seeds for their nutty, warming flavour when roasted
• Extra-virgin olive oil to help crisp up the pieces
• Salt and black pepper for additional seasoning

How to make easy roasted cauliflower with cumin seeds

Preheat the oven to 220°C (425°F).

Remove the cauliflower leaves (don't discard) and cut the head into bite-sized pieces. Start by cutting off the natural florets, then cut the larger florets into several smaller pieces.

For the stem and leaves, simply remove any particularly tough parts and then trim these into bite-sized pieces as well.

Drizzle half of the olive oil over a large baking sheet, then add the cauliflower pieces. Sprinkle over the cumin seeds, salt, and pepper, followed by the remaining olive oil. Move everything around in the pan to coat the cauliflower.

Note: If your baking sheet doesn't have high sides, it may be easier to toss the ingredients together in a bowl first.

Once the cauliflower pieces are evenly coated, arrange them on the baking sheet in a single layer and roast in the oven for around 30 minutes or until golden and crispy at the edges.

Toss a couple of times during cooking, removing the leaves if these look like they're darkening quicker than the other pieces.

Once the cauliflower pieces are golden and crispy on the outside, remove from the oven and serve.

Serving suggestions

Roasted cauliflower is delicious as it is, when drizzled with cucumber raita or vegan crema, and as a low-calorie alternative to other side dishes such as potatoes or rice.

Some of my favourite recipes to pair it with include lemony butter bean stew, easy vegan chilli, sweet potato dal, spicy tofu jalfrezi, creamy chickpea lentil curry, and vegan chana masala.

Recipe FAQ

Variations and tips

• Serving size: I find that one large cauliflower head is usually enough to provide 3-4 decent servings as a side dish. It will depend on the size of the cauliflower and how big you want your portions to be.
• Greaseproof paper: If you're worried about the cauliflower sticking to the baking sheet, line it first with greaseproof paper. You can also add a little extra oil during cooking. 
• Oil type: Extra-virgin olive oil is my favourite for roasting vegetables, but you can replace this with the cooking oil of your choice.

More vegan recipe ideas

If you liked this recipe, you may also enjoy:

You can also check out my full list of vegan sides.

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