This spicy roasted cauliflower will assault your tastebuds like a flaming ninja. No joke. We are going to make cauliflower with three different chilis bringing the spice. Of course the spice can always be tamped down, but every once and a while it's totally worth the burn.
This Spicy Roasted Cauliflower recipe is: Low Carb, Gluten Free, Paleo, Vegetarian
SPICY ROASTED CAULIFLOWER RECIPE
My original thought with this recipe was to make it more of a roasted Mexican cauliflower side dish. To be completely honest, that is really what I wanted to call this recipe too... but nobody is searching for a recipe like that.
Not sure that there is a whole lot of cauliflower used in Mexican cuisine, which would make it completely logical that nobody is searching for it.
Now, just because cauliflower isn't traditionally used in Mexican cuisine doesn't mean that it should be used. I have to say that this is now one of my FAVORITE side dishes.
I love the mixture of cauliflower, red onions and garlic along with some traditional Mexican spices. Topping it with some Cotija, cilantro and maybe some sour cream really takes this spicy roasted cauliflower recipe to the next level.
CALMING THE SPICE LEVEL
As with any of my spicy recipes, you can control the level of heat pretty easily.
If you're looking to reduce the spiciness of this dish, start by adding in less of the chipotle pepper and completely omit the cayenne. Most cayenne is REALLY spicy.
If you want to add in the dried red chilis, keep in mind that they DO add in some heat, but if you keep them whole they are easy to remove from the dish.
The remaining ingredients will all work together for a really tasty side dish.
If all else fails, add on some sour cream for a cooling effect!
WHAT SPICES GO WITH ROASTED CAULIFLOWER?
There are a lot of different spices which work really well with cauliflower. Here are a few:
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder or Fresh Garlic
- Onion Powder or Red Onions
- Oregano
- Thyme
- Tarragon
- Basil
- Chili Powder
- Coriander
- Paprika
Cauliflower also loves acids like fresh lemon or lime juice or a spray of balsamic vinegar to really brighten up the flavors!
TRY SOME OTHER AWESOME SIDE DISH RECIPES
Love the sound of my spicy roasted cauliflower but want some other low carb side dish ideas? Here are a few to whet your whistle:
Spicy Roasted Broccolini
Roasted Patty Pan Squash with Parmesan
Sweet & Spicy Roasted Carrots
Oven Roasted Asparagus
Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
If you're living the low carb lifestyle, side dishes can really make the difference to keep things interesting!
Spicy Roasted Cauliflower
WOW! There's some heat in this recipe! But don't worry too much, you can control the heat by how much spice you add. It is a delicious and healthy side dish that fits into the low carb, keto and gluten free lifestyles.
Ingredients
- 1 Head Cauliflower
- 1 Clove Garlic, Minced
- ¼ Cup Red Onion, Sliced Thin
- 1 Tablespoon Chipotle Powder
- 4 Dried Red Chili Peppers, Chopped
- 1 Teaspoon Coarse Salt
- ½ Teaspoon Ground Cumin
- ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper
- ⅛ Teaspoon Cayenne Powder
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Cilantro, Chopped
- ¼ Cup Cotija, Optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F.
- Remove the leaves and stem from the cauliflower. Cut each floret into quarters.
- In a small bowl, mix together all the dried spices and the chopped chili peppers.
- Add the cauliflower, onion and garlic to a large bowl. Top with the mixed spices.
- Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower mixture and coat well.
- Evenly distribute the cauliflower mixture on a rimmed baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes and then remove from the oven. Use a spatula to rotate the ingredients. Add the cotija if using now.
- Remove from the oven after 35-40 minutes of roasting. Transfer carefully to a bowl and top with cilantro and a squirt of lime juice.
Notes
FOR THE BEST RESULTS:
Make sure that the cauliflower has the CUT side down on the baking sheet. This is the side that will really nice and caramelized, adding to the overall flavor. If the floret side is down, just the side that is touching will caramelize.
Adding fresh lime or lemon juice after cooking really makes the flavors pop.
SUBSTITUTION AND ALTERNATE FLAVOR IDEAS:
So this recipe can run a little hot. It's got chipotle powder, cayenne and dried red peppers. To make it less hot, cut the chipotle to 1 Teaspoon, omit the cayenne and reduce the number of dried red chilis.
HOW TO SERVE AND STORE:
The best way to serve this recipe is piping hot, direct from the oven. We simply serve right from the baking sheet, but you could add it to a bowl.
If you have leftovers remaining, make sure that they are at room temperature before refrigerating. Add to an airtight container and refrigerate for a couple days.
If you make this and have leftovers, my suggestion is to REMOVE the dried red chilis before storing. My face almost melted off the next day when I reheated this without removing the chilis.
To reheat this dish, add the leftovers to an appropriately sized skillet. Add in a couple tablespoons of water and cover with a lid. Heat over high heat until warm throughout.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
gAmount Per Serving Calories 121Total Fat 9gSaturated Fat 2gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 7gCholesterol 5mgSodium 479mgCarbohydrates 9gNet Carbohydrates 6gFiber 3gSugar 4gProtein 4g
This website provides approximate nutrition data and information for convenience and as a courtesy only.
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