Turn a head of cauliflower into delicious roasted cauliflower florets tossed in olive oil and seasoned with fresh lemon zest, paprika, and thyme. This easy lemon roasted cauliflower recipe is the perfect side dish for everyday dinners and holiday meals!
Try my sweet and sticky cauliflower bites and these veggie-packed cauliflower tots next.
Since cauliflower often comes in pairs at our supermarket, I’ll chop up one head to make my air fryer Buffalo cauliflower, and the next usually becomes some sort of tasty side dish later in the week. Today, it’s this oven roasted cauliflower with zesty lemon seasoning.
Like roasted mushrooms, roasting cauliflower in a hot oven brings out a delicious, caramelized texture. Not to mention, the toasty flavor that pairs perfectly with a simple blend of olive oil, paprika, lemon zest, and thyme.
This Roasted Cauliflower Recipe Is…
- 5 minutes to prep. Chop your cauliflower, toss it with seasonings, and roast.
- Great for any meal. I make lemon roasted cauliflower for weeknight dinners, and it also makes a wonderfully simple holiday side dish that’s loaded with flavor.
- Easy to customize. Change the seasonings, or try drizzling your roasted cauliflower with spicy zhoug sauce or chimichurri for even more flavor!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this lemon roasted cauliflower. Scroll to the recipe card for the printable recipe with amounts and step-by-step instructions.
- Seasoning – Sweet or smoked paprika, salt, freshly ground pepper, and thyme. If you’re using fresh herbs, you’ll need 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme for every 1 teaspoon of dried.
- Lemon – Zest one fresh lemon using a microplane or the small holes on a box grater.
- Cauliflower – Choose cauliflower heads that are creamy white and firm, without any blemishes.
- Olive Oil – Or your choice of oil for roasting.
- Parsley – Freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley for garnish.
More Seasoning Options
The beauty of this roasted cauliflower recipe is that you can easily switch up the spices to create a veggie side dish that suits you. If you love the zestiness of lemon, keep the lemon zest and olive oil and swap the paprika and thyme for your favorite herbs and spices. Try garlic powder, Italian seasoning, Cajun spice, or fajita seasoning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure to spread the cauliflower in an even layer on the baking sheet, with enough space in between. This ensures that the cauliflower doesn’t steam.
Not necessary for this recipe! In fact, I find that parboiling can make cauliflower less flavorful. If you’d like to pre-cook it, I suggest steaming the cauliflower in a steamer basket instead.
How Long to Roast Cauliflower
Whether you’re preparing this cauliflower as florets or steaks, you can expect to roast it in a hot 450ºF oven for about 20-30 minutes. The exact baking time depends on the size of the cauliflower pieces. See below and refer to the recipe card for details.
Cauliflower is cooked when it turns dark golden brown and a fork passes easily through it. If your cauliflower is fork-tender but still creamy white, keep roasting! The darker color means it’s thoroughly caramelized and crispy. Undercooked cauliflower will still be hard and not so pleasant to eat.
What to Serve With Lemon Roasted Cauliflower
Coming from a family of cauliflower naysayers, I’ve made it a personal mission to find delicious ways to prepare and serve this humble veggie!
This lemony roasted cauliflower is a great way to balance out rich, hearty dishes like savory Swiss steak and Cracker Barrel meatloaf. Add a side of mashed potatoes or green beans and tomatoes. I also love serving roasted cauliflower with artichoke chicken or stuffed chicken breasts.
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Prep. Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
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Mix the seasonings. In a small mixing bowl, combine the paprika, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and pepper; mix until thoroughly incorporated.
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Season the cauliflower. In a large mixing bowl, toss the cauliflower with the olive oil and add the paprika seasoning; mix until everything is well combined.
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Fill the baking sheet. Transfer the cauliflower to a baking sheet and arrange the florets in one layer.
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Roast. Roast for 10 minutes, stir; continue to cook for 10 more minutes, or until tender and browned on the edges.
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Serve. Remove from oven. Transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve.
Calories: 103kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 10mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 1g | Vitamin A: 660IU | Vitamin C: 15.6mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.8mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Roast Cauliflower
One of the most common mistakes is roasting cauliflower at too low a temperature. If the oven isn’t hot enough, the cauliflower won’t caramelize. For the best results, you need a very hot oven, so get yours preheating to 450ºF or as close to it as it can get.
- Mix the seasoning. Combine paprika, thyme, lemon zest, salt, and freshly cracked pepper.
- Season the cauliflower. Toss the cauliflower with olive oil, then add the seasonings and toss again to coat.
- Roast. Spread the cauliflower out onto a baking sheet in a single layer. Roast at 450ºF for 20 minutes, stirring the florets halfway through. When the cauliflower is tender and browned at the edges, transfer it to a plate, garnish with parsley, and serve.
Try Roasted Cauliflower Steaks Instead
I’ll sometimes chop the cauliflower into florets, as you see here, and other times I’ll cut it into cauliflower steaks and roast it that way. Cut into 1” thick steaks, the roasting time stays mostly the same at 450ºF.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
- Refrigerate. You can keep any leftover roasted cauliflower in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. I love to blend leftovers into cauliflower cheese soup!
- Reheat. Warm the cauliflower in the oven or microwave, or you can enjoy leftovers cold in a salad.
