Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (2025)

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (1)

By: Becky Hardin

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Roasted Cauliflower is one of the best side dishes, because it’s healthy, simple, and versatile. This oven roasted cauliflower recipe with homemade Chimichurri sauce is one of my new favorite ways to eat my veggies! You get the crispy garlic cauliflower covered in amazing chimichurri. One of the best cauliflower side dishes to pair with a steak, chicken, or pork.

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (2)

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Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri

Roasted Cauliflower is the best side dish, and this garlic cauliflower with chimichurri sauce is absolutely perfect with steak or chicken.

This roasted cauliflower recipe with chimichurri sauce is a new favorite! I’m always looking for more vegetable side dish recipes to pair with my favorite meat dishes so I have something healthy AND flavorful to complete the meal.

Oven roasted cauliflower is definitely one of the simplest yet most versatile dishes. You can add in any flavors, spices, or herbs to create something new and tasty. I cooked it with plenty of garlic, onion, and thyme to get the best flavor, and then topped it with my homemade chimichurri recipe to make it EVEN BETTER.

I love serving this healthy cauliflower side dish with steak or grilled chicken!

Roasted Cauliflower with Chimichurri Sauce is a simple, healthy, and delicious side dish. Serve it with steak, chicken, or any meal you like!

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (3)

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (4)

How to Roast Cauliflower

Oven roasted Cauliflower is really easy to make. It’s one of those simple side dishes you can just throw in the oven while you’re focusing on cooking your main dish. Let it get crispy and flavorful without worrying too much about it, and then it’s ready to go! I like to roast cauliflower with chunks of garlic, onion, and lots of herbs so it can soak up all the flavors.

How to Roast Cauliflower:

  1. Preheat oven to 425°F & cover baking sheet with aluminum foil
  2. Place cauliflower florets on baking sheet along with garlic & onion
  3. Drizzle olive oil over everything, sprinkle with red pepper, thyme, salt, & black pepper
  4. Roast for 35-45 minutes

You can use different spices, herbs, and seasonings if you prefer, but this is the basic process for making roasted cauliflower to follow every time. It comes out nice and crispy and full of flavor.

Homemade Chimichurri Sauce

The homemade chimichurri sauce is my favorite part of this recipe! Roasted cauliflower is SO GOOD, and the chimichurri really brings it to the next level. I created my own chimichurri recipe based on the traditional Argentinian sauce. While it’s generally used on grilled meats as a marinade, I love the garlicy flavor so much that I wanted to use it on other stuff too! I think it is just perfect on this roasted cauliflower recipe and really makes an amazing cauliflower side dish.

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (5)

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (6)

Delicious Cauliflower Side Dish Recipe

I’m always on the hunt for easy, healthy, and delicious side dishes to cook up for dinner. Once I have a great meat dish in mind, I need the perfect thing to pair with it. This amazing roasted cauliflower side dish recipe goes well with just about everything! I love crispy and flavorful it is, especially topped with the chimichurri verde.

Serving Suggestions

I’d love to pair this with a Chimichurri Steak so I can use the sauce on both dishes! But I also love it with salmon, brined chicken breast, pork tenderloin, chicken roll ups, or even as a healthy french fry replacement with a turkey burger.

Here are some other favorite dinners to serve this chimichurri cauliflower with:

  • Yogurt Marinated Chicken Thighs
  • Chicken Tikka Masala
  • Butter Baked Chicken
  • Breaded Baked Pork Chops

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (7)

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (8)

How long do you roast cauliflower at 425°?

To get it nice and crispy, roast cauliflower at 425°F for about 35-45 minutes.

What are the benefits of eating cauliflower?

Cauliflower is really great vegetable with lots of health benefits. It’s considered to be a “cancer-fighting” vegetable; it’s anti-inflammatory and rich in anti-oxidants; and it’s filled with tons of important nutrients like vitamin K, riboflavin, fiber, folate, potassium, and more.

How long can you keep cauliflower in the refrigerator?

A fresh head of cauliflower (uncooked) should usually last in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. It tends to hold up better than a lot of other produce.

This roasted cauliflower recipe can be stored in the refrigerator after cooking if you have leftovers. Store the cauliflower and the sauce separately. The cauliflower should keep for up to 1 week, while the sauce can last for 2 or 3 weeks.

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (9)

I absolutely love this oven roasted cauliflower side dish recipe! It goes with everything, it’s easy to make, and it’s just so darn delicious slathered in that tasty chimichurri sauce. And if you love this sauce, try these grilled potato wedges with chimichurri too!

See the recipe card below for details on how to make this roasted cauliflower recipe. Enjoy!

Try these other healthy side dish recipes too:

  • Cauliflower Steaks
  • Garlic Mashed Cauliflower
  • Grilled Lemon Asparagus
  • Caprese Farro Salad
  • Baked Tomatoes with Mozzarella
  • Brussels Sprouts recipe

Recipe

Roasted Cauliflower with Chimichurri Sauce

4.43 from 7 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

Prep: 10 minutes minutes

Cook: 40 minutes minutes

Total: 50 minutes minutes

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (10)

Serves4

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Roasted Cauliflower is one of the best side dishes, because it's healthy, simple, and versatile. This oven roasted cauliflower recipe with homemade Chimichurri sauce is one of my new favorite ways to eat my veggies! You get the crispy garlic cauliflower covered in amazing chimichurri. One of the best cauliflower side dishes to pair with a steak, chicken, or pork.

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (11)

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Ingredients

For the Chimichurri Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup Chimichurri Sauce store bought or click for recipe

For the Cauliflower:

  • 1 head cauliflower cut into florets
  • 1 medium sweet onion thick-sliced
  • 4 garlic cloves peeled
  • ¼ cup olive oil divided
  • 4-6 thyme sprigs
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

For the Chimichurri Sauce:

  • Make or set aside while cauliflower roasts. Click above for homemade recipe or purchase store-bought.

For the Cauliflower:

  • Heat oven to 425°F and cover a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Lightly spray the foil with nonstick spray.

  • Place the cauliflower on the prepared baking sheet and add the onion and garlic cloves. Drizzle with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and gently toss the cauliflower and aromatics to coat.

  • Sprinkle with the thyme, red pepper, salt and black pepper and drizzle the remaining tablespoon of oil over all.

  • Roast all for 35-45 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden and tender.

  • Let rest 5 minutes before plating. Drizzle the cauliflower with some Chimichurri Sauce and serve some on-the-side.

  • Enjoy!

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 143kcal (7%) Carbohydrates: 5g (2%) Protein: 1g (2%) Fat: 13g (20%) Saturated Fat: 1g (6%) Sodium: 593mg (26%) Potassium: 132mg (4%) Fiber: 1g (4%) Sugar: 1g (1%) Vitamin A: 85IU (2%) Vitamin C: 17.5mg (21%) Calcium: 22mg (2%) Iron: 0.5mg (3%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (12)

Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (13)

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Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Chimichurri Sauce (2025)

FAQs

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

Why is my roasted cauliflower tough? ›

Have you roasted cauliflower before and it came out tough or mushy? A common problem is either roasting it at too low a temperature or stopping once the cauliflower is tender—both mean that the florets do not caramelize.

How healthy is roasted cauliflower? ›

When it comes to nutrition, cauliflower is a superstar. It's high in vitamins C and K, and is also a good source of folate, which supports cell growth and is essential during pregnancy. Cauliflower is fat-free and cholesterol-free. And it's low in sodium.

How do you keep cauliflower from getting soggy? ›

"Be sure to give each floret a bit of room so that the they have space for airflow. I'd also recommend baking them on a silicone baking mat," says Blay. The edges will get much crispier than they would if you baked them on parchment paper.

Should cauliflower be washed before roasting? ›

Preheat oven to 425°F. Wash cauliflower, cut it into medium-sized florets, and dry very thoroughly. Don't skip drying — it's important.

What happens if you don't wash cauliflower? ›

The natural nooks and crevices in broccoli and cauliflower are the perfect hiding spots for dirt, germs, and even little bugs. Get your cruciferous veggies squeaky clean by filling a sink with cold water and then soaking them for a few minutes.

How long does cauliflower take to cook? ›

Cooked cauliflower florets keep their shape best when steamed (5-10 mins) – remember to place them upright in the steamer. It can also be boiled (takes 5-10 mins for florets; around 10 mins for a whole cauliflower). For both cooking methods, test regularly with the tip of a knife to make sure they don't overcook.

Which is healthier, broccoli or cauliflower? ›

While they are both very nutritious vegetables, broccoli has a higher vitamin content, specifically in vitamin K and C, than cauliflower and is specifically known to be great for eye health. Broccoli florets also provide more minerals and fiber as well as contains vitamin A that isn't in cauliflower.

Is cauliflower a carb or protein? ›

Like all vegetables, cauliflower is a carbohydrate. But it's the non-starchy, complex kind with lots of fiber and low amounts of natural sugar.

What color cauliflower is healthiest? ›

Purple. Purple cauliflower is the healthiest option, with numerous advantages. The purple hue is due to the antioxidants called anthocyanins. These are the pigments present in various other plants and plant-based products, including red cabbage and red wine.

Why do you soak cauliflower in salt water? ›

Because cauliflower is so porous, soaking it in a brine — which is just a combination of water and salt with optional seasonings — imparts tons of flavor without a lot of work.

Can you overcook cauliflower? ›

Overcooking cauliflower is easy, so less is better! Overcooked cauliflower has a strong odor and yellowish color due to sulfur compounds that are released. Cook cauliflower rapidly to preserve color and flavor.

What do you soak cauliflower in to get bugs out? ›

Prep the cauliflower before you clean it

Once the tough-to-clean parts of the cauliflower have been removed and the vegetable is broken into smaller florets, you can get on to the cleaning part. Rinse the florets in running water to remove dirt, soak them in salt and vinegar water, and rinse them in fresh water again.

How much vinegar do you soak cauliflower in? ›

Produce with rough outer skin: Items such as broccoli, potatoes and cauliflower are a little harder to clean. Soak in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water for 1 minute. For heads of cabbage or lettuce, it's best to separate the leaves first.

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