Flip a head of cauliflower into scrumptious roasted cauliflower florets tossed in olive oil and seasoned with contemporary lemon zest, paprika, and thyme. This simple lemon roasted cauliflower recipe is the right facet dish for on a regular basis dinners and vacation meals!
Attempt my candy and sticky cauliflower bites and these veggie-packed cauliflower tots subsequent.


Since cauliflower usually is available in pairs at our grocery store, I’ll chop up one head to make my air fryer Buffalo cauliflower, and the following normally turns into some type of tasty facet dish later within the week. In the present day, it’s this oven roasted cauliflower with zesty lemon seasoning.
Like roasted mushrooms, roasting cauliflower in a sizzling oven brings out a scrumptious, caramelized texture. To not point out, the toasty taste that pairs completely with a easy mix of olive oil, paprika, lemon zest, and thyme.
This Roasted Cauliflower Recipe Is…
- 5 minutes to prep. Chop your cauliflower, toss it with seasonings, and roast.
- Nice for any meal. I make lemon roasted cauliflower for weeknight dinners, and it additionally makes a splendidly easy vacation facet dish that’s loaded with taste.
- Simple to customise. Change the seasonings, or strive drizzling your roasted cauliflower with spicy zhoug sauce or chimichurri for much more taste!


Elements You’ll Want
Right here’s what you’ll have to make this lemon roasted cauliflower. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable recipe with quantities and step-by-step directions.
- Seasoning – Candy or smoked paprika, salt, freshly floor pepper, and thyme. Should you’re utilizing contemporary herbs, you’ll want 1 tablespoon of contemporary thyme for each 1 teaspoon of dried.
- Lemon – Zest one contemporary lemon utilizing a microplane or the small holes on a field grater.
- Cauliflower – Select cauliflower heads which are creamy white and agency, with none blemishes.
- Olive Oil – Or your alternative of oil for roasting.
- Parsley – Freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish.
Extra Seasoning Choices
The great thing about this roasted cauliflower recipe is that you could simply swap up the spices to create a veggie facet dish that fits you. Should you love the zestiness of lemon, preserve the lemon zest and olive oil and swap the paprika and thyme to your favourite herbs and spices. Attempt garlic powder, Italian seasoning, Cajun spice, or fajita seasoning.
Regularly Requested Questions
Make sure that to unfold the cauliflower in an excellent layer on the baking sheet, with sufficient house in between. This ensures that the cauliflower doesn’t steam.
Not vital for this recipe! In reality, I discover that parboiling could make cauliflower much less flavorful. Should you’d wish to pre-cook it, I recommend steaming the cauliflower in a steamer basket as a substitute.


How Lengthy to Roast Cauliflower
Whether or not you’re making ready this cauliflower as florets or steaks, you possibly can anticipate to roast it in a sizzling 450ºF oven for about 20-Half-hour. The precise baking time is dependent upon the scale of the cauliflower items. See beneath and seek advice from the recipe card for particulars.
Cauliflower is cooked when it turns darkish golden brown and a fork passes simply by means of it. In case your cauliflower is fork-tender however nonetheless creamy white, preserve roasting! The darker colour means it’s completely caramelized and crispy. Undercooked cauliflower will nonetheless be onerous and never so nice to eat.
What to Serve With Lemon Roasted Cauliflower
Coming from a household of cauliflower naysayers, I’ve made it a private mission to seek out scrumptious methods to arrange and serve this humble veggie!
This lemony roasted cauliflower is a good way to steadiness out wealthy, hearty dishes like savory Swiss steak and Cracker Barrel meatloaf. Add a facet of mashed potatoes or inexperienced beans and tomatoes. I additionally love serving roasted cauliflower with artichoke rooster or stuffed rooster breasts.
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Prep. Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
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Combine the seasonings. In a small mixing bowl, mix the paprika, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper; combine till completely included.
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Season the cauliflower. In a big mixing bowl, toss the cauliflower with the olive oil and add the paprika seasoning; combine till all the pieces is effectively mixed.
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Fill the baking sheet. Switch the cauliflower to a baking sheet and prepare the florets in a single layer.
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Roast. Roast for 10 minutes, stir; proceed to cook dinner for 10 extra minutes, or till tender and browned on the sides.
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Serve. Take away from oven. Switch to a serving plate. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Energy: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Fats: 10g | Saturated Fats: 1g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 660IU | Vitamin C: 15.6mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.8mg
Dietary data is an estimate and offered as courtesy. Values could fluctuate in keeping with the components and instruments used. Please use your most well-liked dietary calculator for extra detailed data.
Find out how to Roast Cauliflower
One of the vital frequent errors is roasting cauliflower at too low a temperature. If the oven isn’t sizzling sufficient, the cauliflower gained’t caramelize. For the most effective outcomes, you want a extremely popular oven, so get yours preheating to 450ºF or as near it as it may possibly get.
- Combine the seasoning. Mix paprika, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and freshly cracked pepper.
- Season the cauliflower. Toss the cauliflower with olive oil, then add the seasonings and toss once more to coat.
- Roast. Unfold the cauliflower out onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast at 450ºF for 20 minutes, stirring the florets midway by means of. When the cauliflower is tender and browned on the edges, switch it to a plate, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Attempt Roasted Cauliflower Steaks As a substitute
I’ll typically chop the cauliflower into florets, as you see right here, and different instances I’ll minimize it into cauliflower steaks and roast it that method. Lower into 1” thick steaks, the roasting time stays principally the identical at 450ºF.




Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. You’ll be able to preserve any leftover roasted cauliflower in an hermetic container within the fridge for as much as 4 days. I like to mix leftovers into cauliflower cheese soup!
- Reheat. Heat the cauliflower within the oven or microwave, or you possibly can get pleasure from leftovers chilly in a salad.
