This delicious and simple Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower with fresh herbs, lemon zest, and capers is the ultimate side dish. It's perfect if you follow a low-carb diet or are just looking for a healthy, low-glycemic side dish.
This Mediterranean roasted cauliflower side dish is probably one I make most frequently because it is not only healthy, delicious, vegan, and low-carb, gluten-free, keto-friendly (I could go on) but it is truly delicious and filling. It works perfectly with meat, fish, chicken, eggs, or anything else you'd like.
This is one of those side dishes that is especially good if you're someone who's trying to work on stabilizing their blood sugar. Since cauliflower is naturally low in starch, it is ideal. And of course, then there are all the wonderfully fresh and healthy herbs.
Pair this with coconut-crusted chicken tenders, one-pan Greek lemon chicken, tuna chickpea patties, salmon cakes, and more.
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Ingredients
- Cauliflower - fresh is best for this recipe
- Fresh Lemon zest and lemon juice
- Fresh herbs (I like dill, parsley, cilantro, basil)
- Capers - you can chop them or leave them whole
- Extra virgin olive oil - good olive oil for the dressing is key
- Salt and Pepper
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1: Chop cauliflower, drizzle with salt and pepper, and roast in 415-degree oven.
- Step 2: Combine the herbs with extra virgin olive oil, capers, lemon zest, and juice, and mix well.
- Step 3: Add salt and pepper (capers are salty so go easy on the salt, you can always add more)
- Step 4: Toss the roasted cauliflower with the herb mixture and serve right away.
Hint: Overcrowding the sheet pan will make the cauliflower steamy while giving it lots of space will allow it to get crispier. It's up to you how you like it.
Substitutions and Variations
The nice thing about this recipe is just how versatile it is. You can toss it with various herbs and add-ons and customize it to fit you.
- Fresh basil and tarragon - I didn't have basil so I just used, cilantro, parsley, and dill. Tarragon is another lovely herb you can add if the mood strikes you.
- Chickpeas - if you want to add a little extra something, toss this dish with creamy chickpeas.
- Olives - I often add olives to this as well but since I didn't have any handy, I made it without. If you add olives, go easy on the salt as the dish may be too salty. You can use green olives or kalamata.
- Dress it up - you can always add a herby Tahini sauce for an extra something special.
Equipment
- Roasting sheet
- Medium mixing bowl
Storage
You can store this roasted cauliflower in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheat it in the oven or microwave.
FAQ
Yes, this recipe is low-carb and keto-friendly, so it will not spike your blood sugar.
This is good for 3-4 days and can be reheated in the oven or microwave.
You can use any variation of herbs you like, but I would stick with leafy, tender herbs instead of heartier ones like thyme, basil, marjoram, etc. The leafy ones are milder and work well with the lemony cauliflower.
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📖 Recipe
Herby Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower
This delicious and simple Mediterranean Roasted Cauliflower with fresh herbs, lemon zest, and capers is the ultimate side dish. It's perfect if you follow a low-carb diet or are just looking for a healthy, low-glycemic side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 small head of cauliflower, broken into small florets
- zest of ½ lemon
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil (divided)
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon rinsed (optional chopped) capers
- 1 cup herbs of your choice (dill, parsley, cilatro, basil)
- ¾ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon pepper divided
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 415 degrees.
- On a large baking sheet mix the cauliflower florets, 1-2 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper, and toss all ingredients together until the cauliflower is covered with oil.
- Roast the cauliflower for 35-40 minutes tossing it once or twice while roasting.
- Meanwhile, combine capers, chopped herbs, lemon zest, lemon juice, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and remaining olive oil and mix well.
- When the cauliflower is cooked to your liking, add the herb mixture directly to the sheet pan and give everything a good toss. Serve right away.
Notes
1. Feel free to add any combination of tender herbs you'd like.
2. You can add sliced olives to the mixture if you'd like.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 158Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 12gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 461mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 3gSugar: 2gProtein: 3g
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