Roasted Cauliflower With Orange-Balsamic Drizzle

Roasted cauliflower with orange-balsamic drizzle is an easy, jazzed-up side dish with a touch of rich, earthy tangy-sweetness. Yum!

Honestly, roasted cauliflower is so good on its own that you don’t even need the drizzle, but I have to say, the balsamic orange reduction does add a unique flavor combination that makes this dish just a little bit special.

Roasted Cauliflower With Orange-Balsamic Drizzle - a wonderful easy. jazzed up crowd pleasing side dish

I got the idea of blasting it in a hot 500F oven from Chef J. Kenji López in a recent Food and Wine Magazine. Not only is the roasting time cut down, but the caramelization on the cauliflower looks and tastes great. The roasted cauliflower makes a great side for Cedar Planked Grilled Whole Chicken.

The dish takes less than 30 minutes to make and only has 7 ingredients so it’s simple to prep and make. If you want an even simpler version with just 4 ingredients, just roast the cauliflower and forget the drizzle.

Tailor To Your Taste

  • Instead of the orange-balsamic drizzle:
    • add a teaspoon of curry powder to the oil before roasting, then garnish the finished dish with chopped cilantro, or
    • sprinkle the cauliflower with 1/2-3/4 cup grated Parmesan and lemon zest before roasting.  Garnish with chopped parsley
  • Omit the sesame oil

Make Ahead Roasted Cauliflower With Orange-Balsamic Drizzle

  • Roast the cauliflower ahead of time (a minute or two less on each side).  When ready to serve, warm it in the oven at about 350F for 4-5 minutes then drizzle on the orange-balsamic reduction just before serving.

Roasted cauliflower with orange-balsamic drizzle on plate served over spinach

Roasted Cauliflower With Orange-Balsamic Drizzle - a wonderful easy. jazzed up crowd pleasing side dish
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5 from 14 votes

Roasted Cauliflower With Orange-Balsamic Glaze

Roasted cauliflower with orange-balsamic drizzle is an easy, jazzed-up side dish with a touch of rich, earthy tangy-sweetness. Yum!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Vegetarian
Servings: 4

Ingredients

  • 1 large head of cauliflower
  • 3 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
  • salt and pepper, to taste

Orange-Balsamic Drizzle

  • juice of 1 large orange
  • 1/2-1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 500F
  • PREPARE CAULIFLOWER: Cut cauliflower in half. Rinse well and pat dry with paper towels. Remove green leaves and the bottom part of the core/stem. Cutting from the core side, cut each half into 4 wedges. Lay wedges on a pan lined with foil and sprayed with oil. Mix olive and sesame in a small cup and brush wedges on all sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
  • ROAST: Roast cauliflower for 10 minutes on one one side, gently flip over with tongs or spatula, then roast for another 10 minutes on other side.
  • MAKE DRIZZLE: While cauliflower is roasting, add all orange-balsamic drizzle ingredients to a small saucepan. Heat to medium high and cook for about 3 minutes or until reduced and slightly thickened (enough to coat back of a spoon).
  • FINISH AND SERVE: Transfer cauliflower to a plate, drizzle with balsamic-orange reduction and serve.

Recipe Notes

Nutrition values are estimates. 

Nutrition

Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Sodium: 407mg | Potassium: 464mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 33IU | Vitamin C: 78mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
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5 from 14 votes (14 ratings without comment)

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