Whole Roasted Curry Cauliflower

This Whole Roasted Curry Cauliflower will be a veggie star on your table. Serve it as a side or a vegetarian main – everyone will love it!

I love making vegetables that are super flavorful and yummy, and this Whole Roasted Curry Cauliflower does not disappoint! Why not show your veggies a little extra love and make something that says, WOW?

This curry cauliflower is first boiled, then smothered in delicious spices and roasted whole until the outside is crispy and the inside is perfectly tender. It’s served with a creamy labneh that’s seasoned with lemon, tahini, and a little bit of honey. Finally, it’s topped with an amazing gremolata that’s made with toasted buttery pine nuts, briny green olives, and fresh herbs. Drizzle with good quality extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with flaky sea salt, and you’re in for a treat.

Serve this Curry Cauliflower with my Chicken Skewers or Lamb Skewers, and Sesame Sumac Green Beans!

Recipe Tips:

• Keep an eye on the size of your cauliflower. Since the since of produce ranges, so will the cooking time. If the head of cauliflower is on the larger side, you’ll need to boil for 7 minutes, or else the interior won’t be tender enough when you sit down to eat.
• Get that curry mixture all over. I like to use a pastry brush to ensure the mixture gets in all the nook and crannies of the cauliflower.
• Finely chop the olives. I just think it looks and tastes better.

Ingredient Notes:

• Kosher Salt – Any measured amount I use in any recipe is based on me using my favorite salt for cooking, Diamond Crystal. Buy it here!
• Cauliflower – The larger the head, the longer you should boil it.
• Ghee – If you’d like to make it dairy free, you can use beef tallow or coconut oil.
• Curry Powder – I love this brand.
• Garlic Powder – This brand is my absolute favorite.
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil – I love this brand.
• Flaky Sea Salt – I always have Maldon in my kitchen.
• Labneh – It’s a thicker Greek yogurt, since it’s been strained. Most grocery stores should have it, but if you can’t find it, you can use full-fat Greek Yogurt. If you’d the dish to be dairy-free, make the tahini sauce recipe here, instead.
• Tahini – Make sure to mix the tahini before using, to get the thicker paste at the bottom.
• Pine Nuts – You can also use blanched slivered almonds. Just give them a rough chop quickly so they’re a bit smaller. If allergic to nuts, pumpkin seeds could be a nice alternative for the crunch.
• Castelvetrano Olives – Definitely my first choice here for this curry cauliflower dish. These days, you should be able to find them anywhere. If not, green pitted olives will do.
• Dill and Chives – I like the combination of both here, but if you only have one herb, that’s fine too. You can also use parsley.

Whole Roasted Curry Cauliflower

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Course Veggie Side

Cuisine Fusion, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern

Servings 4

Equipment

• 1 Sheet Pan
• Parchment Paper
• 1 Large Pot
• Paper Towels
• 3 Medium Bowls
• Whisk
• 1 Medium Pan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

For the Cauliflower:

• Kosher salt
• 1 medium head of cauliflower stem trimmed slightly, and leaves kept intact
• ¼ cup ghee
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• Tahini Labneh recipe below
• Olive Pine Nut Gremolata recipe below
• Extra-Virgin Olive Oil to taste
• Flaky Sea Salt to taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper to taste

For the Tahini Labneh:

• ¾ cup labneh
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon tahini
• Juice from ½ lemon
• Kosher salt I used a little more than ½ teaspoon

For the Olive Pine Nut Gremolata:

• ½ cup pine nuts
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 24 pitted Castelvetrano olives minced
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced dill
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives

Instructions

 

For the Cauliflower:

• Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 450°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the cauliflower head, florets down, and cover the pot. Cook for 5-7 minutes (depending on the size of your cauliflower). Remove from water and drain on paper towels, florets facing up. Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place ghee in a medium bowl and microwave for 15 seconds to melt. Add curry powder, garlic powder, cayenne, and ¾ teaspoon Kosher salt (double this amount if doubling the recipe) and stir to combine.
• Transfer cauliflower to parchment lined sheet pan. Flip upside down and pour a third of the curry mixture into the cauliflower from under the florets, brushing or rubbing the stem and the bottom of the cauliflower with the curry mixture. Flip cauliflower over again so the florets are facing up. Pour the remaining curry mixture on top of the cauliflower and brush or rub all over, covering all sides.
• Roast in the oven until golden brown and crispy on the outside, 35-45 minutes.
• Spread the tahini labneh onto a serving platter. Place the roasted head of cauliflower onto the labneh and top with the olive pine nut gremolata. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle with flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

For the Tahini Labneh:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together the labneh, honey, tahini, and lemon. Season with Kosher salt, to taste.

For the Olive Pine Nut Gremolata:

• Heat a medium dry pan over medium heat. Add pine nuts and toast, stirring occasionally, for 2-4 minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a medium bowl.
• To the bowl with the pine nuts, add garlic, olives, lemon juice, olive oil, and a pinch of Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine, adding more Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if needed. Once cooled, stir in dill and chives.

Notes

After cauliflower has been boiled and before roasting, it can be stored in the refrigerator wrapped in plastic wrap overnight. Let come to room temperature before roasting.

Whole roasted curry cauliflower can be stored in the refrigerator, covered in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days. Reheat in the oven until warmed through. 

Tahini Labneh can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Olive Pine Nut Gremolata is best made the day it is served. However, ingredients can be prepped separately ahead of time and combined right before serving. 

Keyword filling, labneh, Tahini, Vegetarian, warm, yogurt sauce

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