Cauliflower is our family favourite, so I try to make a variety of Indian cauliflower recipes. Roasted cauliflower was one thing I have wanted to try forever. Ever since I made this cauliflower soup, it has become a regular at our home. So we started buying cauliflower just to make that soup and never got to try the roasted cauliflower.
But finally decided to get to it and searched how to roast cauliflower and OMG! that's a lot of recipes throughout the net. So went through a couple of oven roasted cauliflower recipes and came up with a version of my own. Unlike the western recipes, I added some Indian spices, flavor to make this South Indian recipe.
Even though we are using the oven to make this, I don't prefer calling it baked cauliflower because I feel that calling it so doesn't justify how good the texture of this cauliflower is! Baked cauliflower sounds more like a baked pasta dish with cheese etc.
But if you are looking to make a crispy cauliflower recipe but without deep frying it in oil, then this oven roasted cauliflower is the way to go. The cornstarch, mixed with some oil and the roasted method of cooking does the trick and what you get is crispy cauliflower with a slightly charred effect (which I love!). Trust me when I say this, kids LOVE it! My sons can't have enough of this!
Roasting the cauliflower considerably reduces the quantity, I mean, even though you use a large cauliflower, cut it into small florets, which will look like a LOT when its raw, but when roasted it shrinks and looks very less in volume and is gone in no time. The kids gobble it like it is French fries. I'm not kidding! So these days I use two large heads to make this recipe.
I would suggest that you first try this recipe with one cauliflower because sometimes it might get soggy if you don't get the oil/cornstarch combination and baking time right. So first master it with a small cauliflower and then increase the proportions. I have used South Indian spices, but feel free to use herbs and spices of your choice. I also do a combination with tofu to make this roasted cauliflower and tofu curry.
If your kids love this oven roasted cauliflower then I'm pretty sure that they will devour this roasted chickpeas recipe too. Try it out.
If you tried this Oven Roasted Cauliflower recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
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Recipe
Oven Roasted Cauliflower Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Big Cauliflower (Cut Into Medium Size Florets)
- ¼ Cup Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Sambar Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- ¼ Teaspoon Hing
- As Per Taste Salt
- 1 Tablespoon Cornflour
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower into medium size florets and clean it by soaking in a mixture of warm water and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl combine all the other ingredients and whisk it.
- Now add the cauliflower florets little by little and toss it well to coat thoroughly with the mixture.
- Spread it evenly on a greased baking sheet.
- Preheat the oven at 425F for 15 minutes.
- Roast the cauliflower for 25 minutes, tossing it once around 15 minutes.
- To get a crispy texture, turn the oven switch to broil mode for 3-5 minutes, again tossing once in the middle. While doing this make sure that you keep the oven door open and keep your kids out of the kitchen.
My Notes
- Using the same procedure you can experiment with different flavors like garam masala, curry powder or use a variety of herbs.
PS: The recipe has been updated & republished from the 2008 archives.
Vicky says
I should have prefaced the last - and forgot blue cheese!
Buffalo Cauliflower - Topping for Roasted Cauliflower
Whisk to Combine –
1/2 cup FRANK’S RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1/3 cup butter,melted
Crumble blue cheese over Cauliflower and drizzle with sauce.
Probably a lot for a head of cauliflower. Save for next time or cut in 1/2.
Madhuram says
Thank you very much for sharing the recipes with us, Vicky.
Vicky says
It's Franks wing sauce - easy peasy!
Whisk to Combine -
1/2 cup FRANK'S RedHot® Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1/3 cup butter,melted
Probably a lot for a head of cauliflower. Save for next time or cut in 1/2.
Vicky says
This sounds delicious! Can't wait to try it!
Another version -
Buffalo cauliflower is all the rage now - just had it at a restaurant last night.
Leave out the Indian spices and make buffalo sauce out of Franks Buffalo sauce and butter. Franks website has a quick easy recipe.
Crumble blue cheese over the roasted cauliflower and drizzle Buffalo sauce over that.
Madhuram says
That sounds delicious. Thanks for sharing, Vicky.
Helen K says
Seriously, few ingredients are not in my pantry or stores, not common place in my area and I do realize the recipe is from India. I wish for other more common ingredients which would be close to these. Such as: Sambar Powder, Turmeric Powder, Hing, Cornflour
Madhuram says
This is an Indian recipe Helen and so I have used Indian ingredients. Throughout the internet I have seen a lot of western roasted cauliflower recipes and wanted to make an Indian version of it and hence my recipe. Sambar powder is a flavorful South Indian spice, something like Cajun seasoning etc. So you can use that or any other similar spice. Cornflour is cornstarch.
Jess says
You mention cornstarch in your description of the recipe, but list corn flour in the ingredients; which did you use as these two products are two completely different things?
Madhuram says
It's corn starch Jess. In India we use the term interchangeably. Sorry for the confusion.
Udaya sree says
Can one prepare the same in 250 c temperature oven
Madhuram says
425F is 220 C.
Paulette Ellis says
Great recipes and so easy to make
Madhuram says
Thanks Paulette.
Leila says
I love easy and quick recipes.
Madhuram says
Me too 🙂
Jayasree says
Great creative recipe!! Can u plz let me know if there is any water that needs to be going into the batter? Or just oil?
Madhuram says
Just oil, no water.
Deepti says
What can we substitute the corn flour with?
Madhuram says
Rice flour
virender says
It's a nice recipe. I like it.
Madhuram says
Thanks Virender.
Revathi Narasimhan says
Hi Madhu. great cooking ideas tempt me back to kitchen.Thanks for the cauliflower crispies. Love it.
Madhuram says
Thank you very much Revathi ma.
Neela says
Hi I want to try this but I don't know what is Hing can you elaborate more thanks
Madhuram says
Hi Neela, check this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asafoetida. You can very well omit it too. It's a spice powder added for its flavor and digestion.
Jan says
What is Sambar Powder and Hing?
And, where would I find it?
Madhuram says
Sambar powder is a South Indian flavoring like curry powder which is a North Indian flavoring. It's a mixture of cumin, black pepper, red chilies, turmeric and dal. Hing is also a spice used for flavoring and digestion. It's derived from a bark of a tree. Both are available in Indian grocery stores. You could used curry powder or garam masala or Italian seasoning mix too.
Hansa Vaya says
Hey Madhu,
I have coked the cauliflower recipe many times. My family loves this recipe. It turns out quite crispy and tasty.
Madhuram says
Thanks for the feedback Hansa.