The oven-baked whole cauliflower is an easy recipe, nice to present, roasted and whole it remains moist and tender inside. This cooking technique is a very quick preparation while the cooking is slow and increases with the size of the cauliflower. For faster cooking, try to slice it.
Cauliflowers of all colors (orange or yellow, white, green, violet or purple) are rich in fiber, folic acid, calcium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, minerals, and vitamins. They are low in calories, a great vegetable.
SEASONALITY of white, green, purple, or Romanesco #cauliflower – from October to May depending on the variety, there are early varieties that are harvested from July.
RECIPES with cauliflower
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Portions: 4 People
- Cooking methods: Oven, Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Healthy
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter, and Spring
- Energy 209.74 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 7.67 (g) of which sugars 2.59 (g)
- Proteins 2.64 (g)
- Fat 20.38 (g) of which saturated 3.08 (g)of which unsaturated 0.16 (g)
- Fibers 3.01 (g)
- Sodium 316.08 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 80 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Oven-Baked Whole Cauliflower
- 1.1 lbs Cauliflower (of the preferred color)
- 1 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil (20 – 30 g)
- to taste Fine salt
- 1 clove Garlic (minced)
- to taste Paprika
- to taste Thyme
- to taste Nutmeg
- to taste Coriander (freshly ground)
- to taste Mustard (crush the seeds with a wooden mortar)
- to taste Curry
- to taste Turmeric powder
- to taste Chili pepper (powdered or seeds)
- 2 oz Extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar
- to taste Dried oregano
- to taste Chives (dried or fresh in pieces)
- 1 clove Garlic
- to taste Dried onion
- 1 Fine salt
- to taste Whole pepper (freshly ground)
- to taste Chili pepper (powdered or seeds)
Tools
- Knife with a smooth blade
- Casserole oven glass with lid
- ALTERNATIVELY: cook the cauliflower in an aluminum foil pouch
Oven-Baked Whole Cauliflower
Simple recipe for cooking the whole cauliflower
First of all, turn on the static oven to 428°F.
Remove the outer and tougher leaves from the cauliflower. Wash it well. Trim the stem and score a cross at its base.
Place it in a suitable oven dish (in Pyrex glass, ceramic, steel without plastic parts – alternatively use aluminum or parchment paper and cook it in foil), slightly score the top with various even cuts.
To reduce the oven cooking time for the whole cauliflower, you can pre-boil it until al dente before seasoning with the aromas.
In a cup, prepare a sauce with extra virgin olive oil and your preferred spices, mix vigorously with a fork until everything is well blended.
Then pour the mixture over the cauliflower and rub it all over, underneath and on top, with your fingertips until it is evenly coated with the spices; if there are cracks between the florets, make sure to get the seasoning in there too.
Cover it with an oven-safe lid (if unavailable, it can be covered with parchment or aluminum foil).
Bake in a static oven at 392 – 428°F for about 40 minutes or until tender, check the doneness with the tip of a sharp knife (if your cauliflower is about a kilo, cooking will probably take more than an hour).
In the last 5 minutes, you can uncover and place it on the top rack of your oven to brown until it’s golden.
Gently transfer the cooked cauliflower to a plate, if desired garnish with a handful of fresh chopped parsley and a drizzle of raw extra virgin olive oil.
To serve, simply slice the oven-baked cauliflower into 4 or 6 pieces with a sharp knife.
STORING oven-baked cauliflower
It keeps for 2 – 3 days in the refrigerator.
Slightly warm it up before serving.
