If you’re looking for another lame side dish recipe, this isn’t the post for you. My spicy roasted cauliflower will assault your tastebuds like a flaming ninja. This delicious side dish is no joke 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
So spicy… but so good. We can never stop eating this awesome spicy roasted cauliflower!
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.
As with any of my spicy recipes, you can control the level of heat pretty easily. If you’re not into much heat, follow some of the notes in the recipe below to cut it back. The remaining ingredients will all work together for a really tasty side dish.
If you want to tame the heat in this spicy roasted cauliflower, simply omit the dried red peppers.
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!
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
It looks so innocent sitting in its little bowl… but don’t be fooled. Inside sleeps a fiery monster.
WOW! There's some heat in here! 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!
- 1 Head Cauliflower
- 1 Clove Garlic Minced
- 1/4 Cup Red Onion Sliced Thin
- 1 Tablespoon Chipotle Powder
- 4 Dried Red Chili Peppers Chopped
- 1 Teaspoon Coarse Salt
- 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
- 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1/8 Teaspoon Cayenne Powder
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 2 Tablespoons Cilantro Chopped
- 1/4 Cup Cotija Optional
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.
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.
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.
PLEASE NOTE: The nutritional data is provided by NutriFox and may not be 100% accurate.
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