Looking for a vegan alternative to a classic roast? Whether you’re craving a meat-free main dish or trying to spice up your collection of holiday side dishes, this roasted cauliflower recipe is just the ticket!

Cauliflower is naturally bursting with flavor—and gentle, slow roasting mellows its taste to perfection. We’ve roasted our cauliflower whole, on a bed of hearty plum tomatoes for a dish that’s crispy and golden on the outside, but tenderly soft on the inside. This recipe serves four, but can easily be doubled or tripled for larger gatherings.

For so many of us, Christmas is one of the only times the whole family gathers together, so we’re happy to share a recipe that won’t take a huge bite out of your precious family time.  Our easy roasted cauliflower recipe is mostly hands off, meaning the oven does most of the hard work. This leaves you free to enjoy a glass of wine or some vegg-nog with loved ones, and catch up on all that’s been happening over the past year.

Ingredients:

• 1 cauliflower (2 ¼ lb), large
• Flat-leaf parsley, fresh
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 lemon
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup flaked almonds
• 1 14-oz tin of quality plum tomatoes
• ½ tsp Sari Foods Organic Turmeric Powder
• 1 tsp Sari Foods Non-Fortified Nutritional Yeast Flakes

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Peel the garlic, add to a pestle and mortar along with the turmeric, and grind into a rough paste. Add olive oil and mix until well combined.
3. Juice the lemon and set aside. Trim the cauliflower leaves, and cut away and discard the stalk, allowing the cauliflower to sit flat.
4. Rub turmeric paste all over the cauliflower, and place in a medium pan. Drizzle with lemon juice, cover loosely with foil or a lid,  and bake for approximately 1 hour, 15 minutes, removing the foil for the final 20 minutes.
5. Remove from oven, pour in tomatoes, and return to the oven for 10 minutes or until the cauliflower is golden.
6. Meanwhile, toast almonds in a dry pan until golden, and set aside to cool.
7. When the cauliflower is ready, drizzle with a little olive oil, scatter parsley leaves and nutritional yeast flakes on top, carve, and serve while hot.

Serving Suggestion:

This dish tastes great served with steamed rice and veggies, or as part of a larger spread with all your usual roast goodies.

Enjoy!