Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Onion Butter

Name: Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Onion Butter
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4-6
Ingredients: One whole cauliflower; Olive oil, for drizzling; Onion Butter, for seasoning cauliflower; ⅓ mayonnaise (preferably Duke’s); ¼ Panko bread crumbs; ¼ shredded Parmesan; 1 teaspoon Onion Butter seasoning

If you’re looking to coax your family into eating more vegetables–or if you’re already a proud member of the cauliflower fan club–this recipe is for you.

The simple and rustic preparation of roasting an entire head of cauliflower tends to stir up a lot of excitement. I remember the first time I was served one (nestled in an Italian newspaper, a nice touch), at a trattoria in New York’s West Village. I can’t recall anything else on the table that night (except for a bottle of Prosecco), because the rich, drenched-with-olive oil side dish stole the show.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Onion Butter

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Servings

4-6

Prep Time

5 minutes

Cook Time

45 minutes

Roasting cauliflower transforms its raw, rubbery texture into something meltingly tender and satisfying–especially when it’s perfumed with Onion Butter seasoning and topped with a slather of creamy, cheesy bread crumbs.

A cast iron skillet is ideal for roasting the entire head, but you can also use a baking dish or sheet. Before roasting, you’ll want to trim the stem just enough to allow the cauliflower to sit flat against the skillet–but keep the inner core intact so it holds the florets together during the cooking process.

Image of Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Onion Butter

Ingredients

For the cauliflower

One whole cauliflower
Olive oil, for drizzling
Onion Butter, for seasoning cauliflower

Cheesy topping

⅓ mayonnaise (preferably Duke’s)
¼ Panko bread crumbs
¼ shredded Parmesan
1 teaspoon Onion Butter seasoning

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Directions

Heat your oven to 400 F. Use your hand and a paring knife to remove outer leaves from the cauliflower, and trim the stem so that it will sit flat in a skillet. Place the cauliflower in a cast iron skillet, drizzle with enough olive oil to generously coat, and generously season with Onion Butter seasoning (about 2 teaspoons for a large head). Use your hands to coat the entire surface of cauliflower with the oil and the seasoning.
Roast the cauliflower in the oven for 30-40 minutes (depending on the size of the head), until the florets are tender when pierced with a knife, but the core still has a firm texture. While the cauliflower roasts, combine the mayo, bread crumbs, and Parmesan in a bowl.
After the initial roasting time, use an offset spatula to “frost) the top of the cauliflower with the cheesy topping. Return the skillet to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes, until the topping is golden brown. Serve immediately.