For a delicious way to prepare beautiful romanesco, look no further than this Garlic and Lemon Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower!
Photos and recipe for this Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower updated 10/12/17. Original writing remains.
You arrive late to a dinner party, eager to indulge in the delicious meal [insert family member or friend who is an amazing cook] has prepared for the evening.
Cocktail hour is almost over, but before you can stomach your first glass of Chardonnay, you must grab one of the h’ordeuvres everyone is flaunting on their itty bitty napkins.
You make your way to the appetizer table, but in an instant, your hopes are crushed. Amongst empty trays and dishes, a measly run-of-the-mill crudité tray stares back at you. And the only veggie left? Cauliflower. Party fail.
Needless to say, cauliflower gets a pretty bad rep. You know, with its bland taste and weird smell and everything.
Believe me, I used to agree with all of the criticisms against this cruciferous vegetable. Until today, that is!
Romanesco cauliflower (also known as romanesco broccoli or just romanesco) is a cruciferous veggie and member of the brassica family. This means it’s a cousin of broccoli, cauliflower, kale, and cabbage.
On first glance, you may think it’s part alien, but once you take a closer look at its intricate design, you’ll realize just how beautiful it is!
But romanesco is more than just pretty looks. Roasting this veggie brings out a flavor reminiscent of the best aspects of both broccoli and cauliflower. Roasted romanesco (especially with lemon and garlic) is an amazing addition to any meal.
Ready to try it yet?!
If you answered yes, you may be wondering where to find it! I seem to have the best luck finding romanesco at farmers markets starting at the end of September and through November. Now that you know where to look, let’s get cooking!
For some other easy vegetable side dishes, check out:
- Simple Charred Broccoli and Red Onion
- Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts
- Baked Orange Sesame Cauliflower
- Chili Sesame Sautéed Broccolini
- Mango Cucumber Salad
Garlic and Lemon Roasted Romanesco Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 2 cups romanesco florets - approximately 1 head
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic - minced
- 2 tsp lemon zest - plus a little more, to taste
- Sea salt and ground black pepper - to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Place florets on the parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil and crushed garlic. Mix everything around with a spatula.
- Grate the lemon zest over these cruciferous beauties and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.
- Bake for ~20 minutes, or until tender and browned.
- Serve warm, topped with more lemon zest to taste.
Nutrition
Mmmmm. I can’t stop eating them!
Enjoy,
Lizzie
Will the Garlic not burn at that temp?
Hi John, in my experience the garlic does not burn but does get brown. You can add it halfway through the cooking time instead of at the beginning if you’d rather it not get brown. Hope that helps.
Easy, beautiful, and delicious
So glad to hear you enjoyed it! I agree that it’s a beautiful vegetable :-).
I just received this on my Misfits box as well. I’ve been wanting to try this, so it’s time to cease the day!! I will make this today. Thank you.
I also got this in my Misfits Market box…found this recipe and I’m trying it tonight. Can’t wait!
It seems to be a popular vegetable in those boxes lately! Hope you enjoy the recipe :-).
So delicious – I couldn’t stop eating! Can you get the same results with streaming it?
Hi Maria! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe. If you steam the romanesco and then mix together the other ingredients (olive oil, garlic, and lemon zest) to pour over it, I think you’d have pretty similar results. You just won’t get that crispier texture that comes with roasting. Let me know if you try it steamed!
I’m so glad I found this recipe! I received one in my bi-weekly Misfits Market Box, and had no idea how I prepare it! This turned out beautifully!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for letting me know :-)!
Don’t you just love Misfits? I got one too and plan to try this recipe tonight!
Hope you enjoy the recipe! 🙂
What is MisFits? I am making this recipe right now! I have never bought romanesco before. This recipe sounded so good & I LOVE roasted veggies! It really is the most beautiful & artistic looking vegetable with all the tiny details! Almost too pretty to eat 🙂
In the oven as I write this. My kitchen smells heavenly!
It really does emit the best smell! Hope you enjoyed it :-)!
You’re right, I can’t stop eating! This was so easy and delicious, even greater that it’s healthy. The produce market has bins of this right now, I will definitely make it for Thanksgiving
I’m so glad to hear that, Maura! Thank you so much for rating the recipe and letting me know. It really is peak romanesco season right now, and I hope your Thanksgiving guests enjoy it :-)!
To die for! On my way to heaven now!!
Ah I’m so glad you liked it Kathi! Thanks so much for letting me know and rating the recipe! 🙂
I had no idea of how to prepare this beautiful looking vegetable… tried your recipe and loved it! It will definitely become part of my regular diet, Thank you! You made me like broccoli
Hi Alice – that’s awesome to hear! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and are now a broccoli/romanesco fan :-)! It really is a beautiful variety! Thanks for letting me know.
New veggie for us, found your recipe and made it as written. This is absolutely delicious! The lemon zest is perfect for the tender crisp Romanesque, will be making it often. Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe and used it to try a new veggie! Thanks so much for letting me know :-).
First time using this interesting looking vegetable and this recipe was just perfect! I did sub lemon juice instead of zest. I couldn’t stop eating them! I will definitely use this recipe again. Thank you!
That’s so great to hear! I’m glad you enjoyed trying romanesco and liked the recipe. I agree, they are hard to stop eating :-). Thanks for rating the recipe and letting me know!
sounds good going to add some ginger instead of garlic,
Hope you enjoy it, Chris! Ginger sounds like a great substitution.
Don’t have any parchment paper so im gonna try it without and hope for the best
I think it will still work. You may want to spray your pan with cooking oil to prevent sticking. Using aluminum foil might also work too. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Can I use lemon juice instead of the zest?
Hi there! Yes you can, but I’d recommend adding it after you take the romanesco out of the oven. It may cause some scorching or smoke if you put it on before you put the romanesco in, so drizzling it on afterwards would be best to get the flavor but avoid any issues. Hope that helps!
I was thrilled to find your fun site & yummy recipes last night. I bought a head of that crazy Romanesco cauliflower & wasn’t sure what to do with this alien looking veg! Your recipe turned out great!
Thanks,
Marcia
Hi Marcia. I’m so glad to hear the recipe worked well for you! Haha, I definitely agree that it looks alien-like! Thanks for stopping by 🙂 – Lizzie
I have to say that this is the best way to eat cauliflower! I even got my boyfriend to purchase more on his own!!
So glad you (and your boyfriend) like it! I agree, definitely the best way to get your cauliflower in! Thanks for stopping by 🙂 – Lizzie
Yum, yum. I tried this last night! Thanks for the idea. Who can go wrong with olive oil, lemon, garlic and salt?!
Thanks for the recipe idea. I used it as inspiration for tonight’s dinner and am writing it up right now at dilipdinner.blogspot.com. Thanks for your blog!