Oven Roasted Cauliflower

roasted cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet.

Oven Roasted Cauliflower

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Roasted Cauliflower

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 25

Servings:

Calories: 90kcal

Author: Megan Gilmore

My kids ask for this side dish more than any other in my house. Roasted cauliflower cooks in 20 minutes and develops crispy, caramelized edges that are hard to resist. This is a recipe I've been tweaking for years, so I'll show you how much oil to use per pound of cauliflower, and how big your sheet pan should be to get delicious results on your first try.

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Ingredients

1 pound cauliflower
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive
¼ to ½ teaspoon fine sea salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400ºF and have a rimmed half-sheet pan nearby. (18-by-13-inches in size.) Cut the cauliflower into pieces that are roughly the same size, for even cooking. Unless the floret is tiny, cut each one in half, so that each piece has a flat side. You'll want this side to be in contact with the pan for maximum caramelization.
Place the cauliflower in a large bowl and drizzle with olive oil. Toss well, then sprinkle up to a ½ teaspoon of fine sea salt over the top. Toss again to distribute the salt. (Note: some of the salt will stick to the bowl, so all of it won't make it to the sheet pan. If you prefer less-salty cauliflower, start with only ¼ teaspoon. You can always add more later before serving.)
Spread the seasoned cauliflower into the sheet pan and spread it out evenly. No pieces should be touching, and you can't add more than 1 pound of cauliflower to this size pan... otherwise they will steam. Place the pan in the oven and cook at 400ºF for 18 to 20 minutes. Note: If you're cooking less than 1 pound of cauliflower, the cauliflower might cook faster, so start watching it after 15 minutes.
Stay near the oven around the 18-minute mark. You'll likely smell the cauliflower becoming fragrant, and the pieces toward the edges of the pan will be golden. I usually leave the cauliflower in my oven for a full 20 minutes, but your oven may vary, so don't be afraid to check on it or stir the cauliflower. (Just keep the cut-side facing down in the pan for those yummy caramelized bits.) I don't ever flip the cauliflower oven, like you would when roasting potatoes.
As soon as the timer goes off, remove the cauliflower from the oven and serve it warm for the best taste and texture. You can season with additional salt, if needed. (You shouldn't need it if you use ½ teaspoon in step 2.) Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Notes

Nutrition information is for a quarter of the batch. This is automatically calculated using an online ingredient database, so it's just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Floret Size: I tend to make my florets about 2 inches long, and always cut in half. I've noticed that other recipes don't cut the florets in half, leading to a longer cooking time. (Closer to 30-35 minutes.) Feel free to experiment with this, to see the texture you like best. My kids don't want the cauliflower to have much "crunch" so this works best for us.

Seasoning Note: We love roasted cauliflower plain, but we always add garlic powder when roasting broccoli. If you want garlic-roasted cauliflower, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder to the cauliflower when tossing it with olive oil. This is easier to distribute evenly when compared to fresh garlic cloves. This is also delicious when tossed with grated Parmesan cheese, but you'll need less salt in that case.

Update Note: This recipe was updated in 2026 to change the oven temperature and timing. I originally cooked this at 350ºF for 35 to 40 minutes, but recently I've sped up the cooking time to 20 minutes at 400ºF. It's good to be aware that either option will work, in case you need to cook something else at the same time.

Nutrition