09 Jun Whole Roasted Cauliflower (gf, low fat)
I recently made (and posted) The Best Vegan ‘Cheese’ (Cashew-free) recipe created by Minimalist Baker both on my site and on my Instagram, and it turned out to be a huge hit! The recipe is cashew, soy, dairy, and gluten-free and is way lighter in fat than nut and dairy-based cheese sauce, and SO. FREAKING. GOOD!
The only problem was that I had made so much of it AND ran out of things to dip into it. I headed to my fridge to grab the cauliflower and chop it up to use as a “chip” as I had the jicama and broccoli, but then, a big lightbulb appeared in my head! I could slather on the cheese and roast the cauliflower, WHOLE! I was introduces to the idea by My New Roots, but never tried it as her marinade was not vegan. I knew that I could come up with a marinade that would be delicious for the recipe someday, but the idea eventually left my mind and I never got around to it. Well, with the help of Dana, I finally had what I needed.
I have to admit that the look of this kind of left me uneasy. I love me some cauliflower, don’t get me wrong, but this cauliflower reminded me, all brown and full of grooves, of a brain! A little freaky if I do say so myself, but the first taste of it was able to wipe the idea from my mind completely. Plus, once I cut into it, it no longer looked brain-y.
You can serve this up however you’d like: as an entree, atop a salad, as a side dish to your main meal, you choose! You can also serve it up with a dipping sauce if you desire. I cut it up like a cake as I felt it would be most presentable in that way (for pictures), but you can cut and chop however you please.
I hope this recipe inspires you to try out cauliflower if you have not already, and I hope it brings a whole new light on how you all cook it up! 
Whole Roasted Cauliflower
- Prep Time: 8 hours 45 mins
- Cook Time: 45 mins
- Total Time: 9 hours 30 minutes
- Yield: 2-4
- Category: Entree
- Cuisine: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 head of cauliflower
- The Best Vegan Cheese:
- Half of a medium eggplant
- Olive oil and sea salt if desired
- 1.5-2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk
- 2-3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
- 1/4 tsp finely minced fresh garlic
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp guar gum
- 1/8 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 cup chunky salsa, slightly drained
- Smoked paprika and hot sauce for added color and flavor to top upon serving
Instructions
- For full instructions for the ‘cheese’, visit simplevegan.com/2014/05/25/the-best-vegan-cheese-cashew-free/ 🙂
- Place the cauliflower on a large plate or in a large bowl (make sure its wider than the cauliflower to its easier to maneuver).
- Cover the cauliflower with the “cheese” cause until fully coated, making sure you cover the bottom as well. I didn’t smear a thick layer, but rather coated it enough so that no white is visible.
- Place your cauliflower in your fridge, covered, for a minimum of 1 hour, max about 12. I left mine overnight, for about 8 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. On a prepared baking sheet, place your cauliflower and roast for 40-50 mins or until tender. Be sure that you baking sheet has a lip, and this will release some juices that you don’t want to have to clean up later!
- Remove from the oven and allow it to cool for about 15 mins before serving.
- Slice, and enjoy!
20 Inspiring Vegan Food Blogs to Follow (Part 2)
Posted at 05:57h, 23 June[…] just that, sweet, simple and well, vegan. I’m totally in love with her Fully Raw Fruit Pizza, Whole Roasted Cauliflower (brilliant!) and pretty much every other post on her beautiful blog. Head over to her site if you […]