Roasted Cauliflower

Another cauliflower recipe? That would be a resounding yes! But, when I say this Roasted Cauliflower isn’t just your basic roasted cauliflower, I’m going to need you to not only believe me, but trust me when I tell you that you need to make it. In numerous other recipes you’ve heard me hammer home the point that cauliflower is packed with fiber & needed nutrients, how it works as a great substitute for typical animal protein in main dishes, but is neutral enough that you can dress it up with all your favorite flavors or even sneak it into smoothies. It is still all those things, but this dish, well in this dish the star is really all the added ingredients. Mint gremolata, pistachios & date syrup!

What the heck is gremolata? Similar to a pesto or chimichurri, gremolata is a green sauce usually made from chopped parsley, garlic & lemon zest & used as a condiment in many Italian dishes. The traditional version of gremolata is wonderful, but I am sitting on an abundance of mint right now, so I made a slight alteration to the recipe and it worked wonderfully. Some of you may also be wondering what date syrup is. It’s simply that, syrup made from dates. If you haven’t tried it before I highly recommend. It can be used as a substitute to maple syrup in so many recipes & tastes amazing. This recipe works great alongside a main dish or you could simply indulge as is. Want to boost the protein & carbohydrates? Feel free to add some farro, quinoa or toss in some roasted chickpeas.

If you love this cauliflower recipe you might also like these…

Cauliflower Gyros

Cauliflower Rice Bowl

Whole Roasted Cauliflower

Roasted Cauliflower, Radish & Lentils

Print Recipe

Roasted Cauliflower

This Roasted Cauliflower with mint gremolata, pistachio & date syrup is the perfect as a side dish or simply enjoy all on its own!

Prep Time8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Course: Side Dish

Keyword: cauliflower, vegan, vegetarian

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 1 tbsp olive oil optional see notes
• 1/3 cup pistachios, shelled & chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
• 1 medium lemon see notes
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp date syrup
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400° & line a baking tray with parchment paper.
• Prepare the cauliflower by trimming down into bite size florets. Place on the baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil if using & roast for 30-35 minutes, tossing halfway through cooking time.
• While the cauliflower roasts prepare the gremolata. Finely chop the mint leaves. Mince the garlic. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the peel from the lemon, removing just the exterior peel not the white pith. Finely chop the lemon peel. Combine the mint, garlic & lemon peel with a quick squeeze of the lemon, about 1 tsp & set aside.
• Roughly chop the shelled pistachios & set aside.
• Remove the cauliflower from the oven. Plate the cauliflower, drizzle the gremolata over the top. Sprinkle in the chopped pistachios. Drizzle the date syrup over the top.

Notes

Date syrup?  Yes, date syrup.  It can be found in select stores like Whole Foods, Williams Sonoma, World Market, Target or you can order from Thrive Market or Amazon.  

Oil or oil-free?  Some vegetables I roast with olive oil & some I do not.  Cauliflower is one that I’ve found it isn’t needed.  A simple matter of preference, as some days I limited the amount of added oils in my meals.

A traditional gremolata would use simply the lemon peel.  I like to add a splash of the fresh lemon juice just to add an extra boost of freshness.  If you would like to keep it traditional, use simply the peel.  Juice the remaining lemon & store in the refrigerator for use at another time.

When choosing your pistachios, you’ll want to find the unshelled version to save time.  If not, add in the extra time to shell.  I prefer unsalted, but feel free to pick the salted version if you wish.  This may mean that you use less or no salt when preparing the gremolata.

Enjoy!!!