Take your baked cauliflower up a notch with this easy recipe, which coats big cauliflower pieces with a spicy, garlic and citrus harissa sauce then roasts them to perfection. Serve the spicy baked cauliflower as a healthy side to your favorite protein or a flavorful vegan main!
I made this baked cauliflower recipe when I was trying to cram as many veggies on my plate as possible. I’d been on the road for weeks promoting my book, and after many nights of dining out, I really missed a healthy home-cooked meal!
When I got home I made this spicy cauliflower as a vegan main along with freekeh, a grain from my childhood with a smoky flavor that perfectly matches the citrusy, smoky harissa. It was satisfying in the best way!
There are two key elements to this recipe. The first is absolutely the garlic-harissa rub. It’s more of a thick sauce made of garlic, harissa paste (I like our Kartago Harissa for this which is spicy and deep with a smoky flavor), fresh parsley, a dash of cumin, and lime juice. The balance of warm, zippy, and vibrant flavors is absolutely mouthwatering.
The second is learning how to bake cauliflower so it’s perfectly caramelized and tender. The secret is to baste or drizzle the vegetable with olive oil about every 15 minutes. Rather than drying out, the garlic-harissa rub turns into a beautifully golden glaze.
I always say we should let cauliflower be cauliflower. Forget trying to make it into pizza crust and instead celebrate this hearty vegetable in all its glory! Serve with your favorite protein or as a satisfying vegan main.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need to Make Spicy Baked Cauliflower
Though this baked cauliflower recipe boasts big flavor, you only need a few Mediterranean pantry staples.
- Cauliflower: Makes a perfectly hearty base to layer on bold Mediterranean flavor.
- Garlic: Cauliflower is rather plain on its own, so it can handle a lot of flavor. I add 10 whole garlic cloves to the harissa glaze, and no one has ever complained about it.
- Parsley: Adds lemony freshness to the glaze and a pop of color just before serving.
- Ground cumin: Adds a warming note.
- Harissa adds a citrusy, spicy, smoky flavor. See Ingredient Spotlight below for more.
- Tomato paste brings a rich umami flavor.
- Limes: Add a layer of fresh acidity.
- Extra virgin olive oil: Encourages the delicious golden transformation that happens to vegetables as they roast, carmelizing and concentrating their flavors. I’m often asked about cooking with olive oil to which I reply, in short, that it’s the healthiest oil, but if you’d like to read more about selecting and cooking with olive oil, head over to our guide: Cooking with Olive Oil: Everything You Need to Know!
- Kosher salt and black pepper perk up the other flavors.
Ingredient Spotlight
Harissa is a spicy, citrusy, smoky North African paste or sauce that varies greatly in terms of flavor. For this recipe, I wanted a healthy vegetarian main that reminded me of a holiday roast, so I went for our Tunisian harissa. It’s extra spicy, smoky, and rich, adding almost a char-grilled element to the cauliflower and a bold amount of red chili flavor.
- LEARN MORE AND MAKE IT: Homemade Harissa Recipe
- TRY IT: Find Tunisian Harissa at our shop (or try our Moroccan Harissa for a slightly milder option).
Swaps and Substitutions
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t like one or more of this recipe’s flavor-makers. Here are some easy swaps:
- Lime: Lemon (even other citrus like a tart orange could work for this recipe).
- Parsley: Cilantro or mint.
- Tomato paste: Red pepper paste.
- Ground cumin: Ground coriander or turmeric.
How to Bake Cauliflower
Cauliflower will soak up the sauce like a sponge. The key to getting it meltingly tender and yet charred and caramelized is to baste it, almost like you’re making a turkey. It’s similar to roasting eggplant, where you may need to add more oil as you go if it starts to look dry. Here are the steps:
Prep the Cauliflower
- Get ready. Fill a large pot with water about 3/4 of the way with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Line a large plate with paper towels and set near your stove. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Coat a large sheet pan or two with a thin layer of olive oil.
- Prep your veggies. Cut 2 heads of cauliflower into wedges from top to bottom, leaving the leaves intact. Peel 10 garlic cloves and measure 1 packed cup of parsley leaves and tender stems.
- Parboil the cauliflower. Salt the boiling water generously, then add the cauliflower wedges. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, or so just until the cauliflower begins to soften (it helps to add a plate on top of the cauliflower to keep it submerged in the water). Use tongs to transfer the cauliflower to the prepared plate to drain.
Make the Sauce
- Make the garlic-harissa sauce. To the bowl of a large food processor fitted with the S-blade, add the garlic, parsley, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa, 1/4 cup tomato paste, and a drizzle of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons). Squeeze in the juice of 2 limes and season with salt and pepper (about 3/4 to 1 teaspoon each). Blend until you have a homogeneous thick mixture.
- Coat the cauliflower with the garlic-harissa rub. Pat the cauliflower dry, then arrange the wedges on top of the oiled sheet pan. Now generously coat the wedges all over with the garlic-harissa mixture. (Make sure you cover all of the cauliflower, this is important for flavor.) Drizzle generously with olive oil.
Bake and Baste the Cauliflower
- Bake. Bake the cauliflower on the middle rack of the heated oven. Every 15 minutes or so, drizzle the cauliflower with more olive oil and/or baste with the pan juices. Do this until the cauliflower is charred in many parts (so important for flavor), about 45 minutes in total.
- Finish and serve. Remove from the oven, garnish with a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley, and serve.
Ways to Mix it Up
Though this baked cauliflower recipe is decidedly bold, it works surprisingly well with other Mediterranean flavor-makers. Make it on repeat, adding your own spin to keep things interesting. Some ideas:
- Add a creamy sauce: Like tangy Whipped Feta, or Tahini Sauce for a dairy-free option. Let the cauliflower cool slightly so the sauce doesn’t get to runny, and drizzle on top just before serving.
- Add fresh spice: If you can’t get enough heat, add a spoonful of Zhoug (a spicy cilantro jalapeno sauce) or Chermoula (a bright and herby Moroccan condiment) just before serving.
What to Serve with Baked Cauliflower
You can certainly serve cauliflower as a side to your favorite protein and a simple green salad. I love them even more, however, as the main event!
Add a protein-packed vegetarian salad and dinner is served. This Lentil Salad with Feta and Pomegranate has a fresh, zippy flavor that will complement the savory spicy cauliflower. You can also really lean into the smoky flavors as I did with freekeh, a lesser-known Egyptian grain I absolutely adore (it’s harder to find, but we carry it in our shop).
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Baked Cauliflower with Garlic and Harissa
Ingredients
- 2 heads cauliflower, leaves intact, cut into wedges
- 10 medium garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cup packed parsley leaves and tender stems, plus more chopped parsley for garnish
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 to 2 tablespoons harissa
- 1/4 cup tomato paste
- 2 limes, juiced
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Get ready. Fill a large pot with water about 3/4 of the way with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Line a large plate with paper towels and set near your stove. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Coat a large sheet pan or two with a thin layer of olive oil.
- Parboil the cauliflower. When the water is boiling, salt generously and add the cauliflower wedges. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, or so just until the cauliflower begins to soften (it helps to add a plate on top of the cauliflower to keep it submerged in the water). Use tongs to transfer the cauliflower to the prepared plate to drain.
- Make the garlic-harissa rub/sauce. To the bowl of a large food processor fitted with a blade, add the garlic cloves, parsley, cumin, harissa, tomato paste, lime juice, and a drizzle of olive oil (about 2 tablespoons). Season with salt and pepper (about 3/4 to 1 teaspoon each). Blend until you have a homogeneous thick mixture.
- Coat the cauliflower with the garlic-harissa rub. Pat the cauliflower dry, then arrange the wedges on top of the oiled sheet pan. Now generously coat the wedges all over with the garlic-harissa mixture. (Make sure you cover all of the cauliflower, this is important for flavor.) Drizzle generously with olive oil.
- Bake. Bake the cauliflower on the middle rack of the heated oven. Every 15 minutes or so, drizzle the cauliflower with more olive oil and/or baste with the pan juices. Do this until the cauliflower is charred in many parts (so important for flavor), about 45 minutes in total.
- Finish and serve. Remove from the oven, garnish with a sprinkle of finely chopped parsley, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
The Mediterranean Dish: Simply Dinner
125 Easy Mediterranean Diet-Inspired Recipes to Eat Well and Live Joyfully from New York Times Bestselling Author Suzy Karadsheh
