A simple side dish with tons of flavor, balsamic roasted cauliflower is easy to prep and cooks up beautifully in the oven! Caramelized cauliflower florets are coated with balsamic vinegar and fresh thyme for maximum deliciousness. This recipe is vegan, vegetarian, gluten free, and dairy free.
Cauliflower was one of the first vegetables I roasted over a decade ago when I started to get interested in healthy eating. I vividly remember receiving a few beautiful heads in my mom’s CSA share and roasting them in her oven. We loved the flavor so much that we ate it right off the sheet pan with our fingers!
Years later, this cruciferous veggie is still a favorite of mine! I love quickly pulling the heads apart into florets and tossing them on a sheet pan to serve as a go-to side dish when I need something easy and nutritious.
Over the years, I’ve experimented with tons of flavor combinations and I’m sharing one of the absolute BEST with you here. Balsamic roasted cauliflower is a 10 outta 10. It’s literally made with five ingredients, most of which you probably have right now in your pantry. It takes almost no time to prep, and it’s bursting at the seams with flavor. I hope you love it as much as we do!
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Main Ingredients and Substitutions
- Cauliflower: Look for fresh heads that are firm to the touch and free of bruises or blemishes on the white florets. You can buy bagged pre-cut florets to save time if needed. Fresh works best when making balsamic roasted cauliflower. If you only have frozen, check out my Roasted Frozen Cauliflower instead.
- Extra virgin olive oil: I love using Partanna olive oil. You can also use avocado oil if that’s what you prefer.
- Balsamic vinegar: This is the main ingredient, so I don’t recommend any subs. BUT if you only have balsamic glaze/reduction and not the vinegar, you can follow the instructions for roasting the cauliflower and then just finish it with a drizzle of balsamic glaze to get the intended flavors.
- Thyme: Use fresh if you have it, but dried works too. Remember, about 1 teaspoon of dried thyme is equal to 1 tablespoon fresh. Sub another fresh herb, such as oregano, parsley, dill, or basil, but keep in mind that they will contribute different flavors.
Instructions
The full recipe card for balsamic roasted cauliflower is at the bottom of the page. Here’s a preview of the steps with photos and expert tips for making perfectly crispy cauliflower!
Prep the cauliflower by trimming off the stem. Then cut into quarters. Remove the core from each quarter. Pull apart the florets.
Toss the florets in olive oil and spread out on a sheet pan. Sprinkle with salt
Roast until browned, about 25 to 30 minutes at 425 degrees F/220 degrees C (the best roasted cauliflower temperature).
Push the cauliflowers closer together into the middle of the sheet pan. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with thyme. Stir gently to coat and spread the florets back out. Back until caramelized, another 5 to 10 minutes.
Roasting Equipment and Tips
If you’re wondering how to bake cauliflower so that it turns out perfectly browned but not burnt, consider these tips:
- Don’t line the sheet pan. Forego a liner on your pan so that it doesn’t add an extra layer between the heat and the cauliflower. This promotes more even cooking and browning. I use an aluminum half sheet pan for vegetables, since it heats up quickly and evenly. I recommend tossing the florets in oil when making balsamic roasted cauliflower, so you don’t have to worry about sticking. Plus, cauliflower doesn’t have a high starch content like some vegetables (i.e. potatoes), so it typically does not stick to the pan that much.
- Spread out the florets. Vegetables that are too close together will steam each other instead of getting crispy and brown.
- Turn once during roasting. It can be a time-consuming step, but turning the florets once about halfway through the roasting time is a great way to ensure both sides get browned. If you forget, don’t worry! They’re still going to be delicious.
Storage and Reheating
Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave in 1-minute intervals until warmed through. Alternatively, for better results, spread the florets out on a baking sheet and reheat at 350 degrees F/177 degrees C for 10 to 15 minutes.
More Cauliflower Recipes
Love balsamic roasted cauliflower? Check out these other recipes while you’re here:
📖 Recipe
Balsamic Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower - about 2 pounds, yielding 5 to 6 cups florets
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt - more to taste
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉/220℃.
- Prepare the caulflower florets. Remove the leaves and stem. Cut the head into quarters, then slice off the core from each quarter. Pull apart the florets.
- Toss the florets in olive oil and salt on the sheet pan. Spread out in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pan to avoid the veggies steaming each other and not getting crispy.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until browned. Flip the florets over halfway through baking time if you want to get them evenly browned.
- Remove the pan from the oven. Push the cauliflower florets together in the center of the pan (using a spatula or turner). Drizzle the balsamic over them and sprinkle with thyme. Stir to coat, then spread the florets back out on the pan.
- Roast for another 5 to 10 minutes until the balsamic has evaporated and the florets are nicely caramelized. Enjoy warm!
- Leave a rating or review by tapping the stars on this recipe card (above) or in the comments section (at the end of the post)!
Notes
- I like to use aluminum half sheet pans since they heat up quickly and evenly, leading to perfectly browned vegetables.
- Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 to 3 days. While you can reheat them in the microwave until warmed through, they taste best if you spread them out on a pan and reheat in the oven at 350 degrees F for 10 to 15 minutes.
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