Roasted Cauliflower
This whole-head roasted cauliflower recipe is perfectly seasoned with simple ingredients and browned beautifully in the oven.
Servings: 4
Calories: 252kcal
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower, intact
- 4 to 5 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 to 5 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for garnish
- cracked black pepper
- ½ cup salted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Carefully remove leaves and the base stem of the cauliflower head, while keeping the head as a whole intact.
- Place cauliflower in a stockpot. Add chicken broth, 2 bay leaves, and sprigs of thyme. Bring to a boil over high heat on the stovetop. Boil 7-8 minutes or until a fork can be poked into the stems of the cauliflower with a bit of resistance.
- Lift the head of cauliflower from the pot and place stem side down in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet (an 8x8-inch square glass baking dish would also work).
- Use a ladle to scoop 2 to 3 ladles of the chicken stock, as well as the bay leaves and thyme sprigs over the cauliflower in the skillet.
- Sprinkle the cauliflower with cracked black pepper to taste and pour the melted butter over the top of the head.
- Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until a fork/knife slips easily into the stems of the cauliflower. Spoon some of the broth/butter sauce from the pan up and over the cauliflower to baste every five minutes or so.
- If additional browning is desired, turn the oven temperature up to 450°F or broil until desired level of brownenss is achieved.
- Garnish with fresh thyme leaves and serve immediately.
Notes
- Boiling and roasting times will vary according to the size of the head of cauliflower. It will cook more while in the oven, so it’s important that there is still some resistance when checking for doneness during the boiling phase.
- If you melt the butter when you are boiling the cauliflower, it will cool enough while the cauliflower boils to form a thicker, almost paste-like consistency. Then, when you pour it over the cauliflower, it primarily stays on the cauliflower florets during roasting and adds flavor before eventually blending with the broth in the skillet.
- If using unsalted butter, you may wish to add some salt to the head of cauliflower when seasoning.
Nutrition
Calories: 252kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 61mg | Sodium: 1106mg | Potassium: 631mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 764IU | Vitamin C: 87mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg