This whole roasted stuffed cauliflower recipe will blow your mind.

If you don’t eat meat, this dish is a sight for sore eyes and a welcome source of plant-based nutrition that your gut is going to love, both for its digestion-enhancing as well as its filling and flavorful properties. Make it the centerpiece for your next vegetarian meal or enjoy it as a shared side dish for a larger crowd.

What You’ll Need

Be sure to pick out the largest and most beautiful cauliflower you can find at the market. The bigger it is, the more people who can enjoy it! The ingredients in this recipe are easy to come by and straightforward, although it is important to note the flaxseed “egg” component, which requires that you have ground flaxseeds (not whole flaxseeds) on hand.

Whole Roasted Stuffed Cauliflower Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients

For the cauliflower

• 1 large cauliflower
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 bunch fresh thyme
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup gluten-free or whole-grain bread crumbs

For the stuffing

• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/2 pound kale leaves, chopped
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Trim off the outer cauliflower leaves and discard the stalk so that the cauliflower sits flat across the base. Try to remove as much of the stalk as possible while still keep the cauliflower florets holding together, only now with a cavity in the center. Place the cauliflower on its base in a casserole dish.

Peel the garlic and add it to a mortar and pestle with the paprika, olive oil, and thyme. Muddle the ingredients until they form a thick paste. Rub the mixture all across the outer shell of the cauliflower. Zest the lemon and set the zest aside. Squeeze the lemon juice over the cauliflower.

For the stuffing, first prepare the flaxseed “egg” by combining the ground flaxseeds with the water, stirring, and then letting sit for five to 10 minutes, or until gluey. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, add the onion and olive oil. Cook and stir for one to two minutes, then add in the garlic. After another minute of cooking and stirring, add in the kale leaves and salt. Cook for another two minutes, or until the kale has substantially wilted. Remove the saucepan from the heat and transfer the mixture to a food processor. Add in the parsley, one-fourth cup water, and the flaxseed “egg”. Blend until thick and smooth.

Use a pipe to squeeze the stuffing mixture into every corner of the cavity of the cauliflower. Return the cauliflower to lie on its base in the casserole dish and pop the dish into the oven. Cook for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender, lightly brown, and giving off a heavenly aroma!

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The post Whole Roasted Stuffed Cauliflower (Because Brassica is the New Meat) appeared first on EcoSalon.

Who needs whole roasted meat when you have a healthier and just as delicious alternative in whole roasted cauliflower?

If the only step between you and a vegetable meal is the obligatory chopping, dicing, and slicing, then this whole roasted cauliflower recipe was made for you! All you need to do is busy yourself for an hour while a whole cauliflower cooks in the oven and then whip up a simple dressing that delicately coats it while it is still piping hot. When all is said an done, you’re left with a deliciously tender and flavorful dish that mimics the ritual of a roasted meat, only in an animal-friendly, lighter, and healthier way.

The beauty of this whole roasted cauliflower recipe is its simplicity and versatility. The cauliflower’s dressing is a basic mixture of olive oil, lemon, mustard, herbs, and capers. But don’t stop there. Let your imagination run wild and experiment with other spices – the sky is the limit! Instead of lemon juice, you can use vinegar, lime, or soy sauce. For a (vegan) cheesy overtone in each bite, stir nutritional yeast into the mix. Other dressing complements include grated parmesan cheese, tomato paste, or pesto. Or, you can simply pair the roasted cauliflower with a high-quality butter. No complaints there.

In this particular recipe, lemon, mustard, and capers come together to create a very interesting flavor profile that is both zesty and grounding. The cauliflower is dense and thick, which is why it is effective at not only standing in for regular meat or poultry but also withstanding otherwise strong, overwhelming flavors. The cauliflower holds its own and mellows out the dressing in the most satisfying of ways.

Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon and Mustard

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

For the dressing

• ¼ cup olive oil
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
• 1 tablespoon baby capers, drained and rinsed
• Handful of fresh parsley, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.

Lightly grease the bottom of a baking dish that the whole cauliflower can comfortably fit into. Snip off the cauliflower leaves and slice off the bulky base, making sure the cauliflower florets stay intact. The cauliflower should be able to sit flat on its base. Drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the salt evenly over the top and sides of the cauliflower. Bake for 1 hour, or until lightly brown and tender. Remove from the oven and set aside while you prepare the dressing.

In a bowl, whisk together the dressing mixture. While the cauliflower is still hot, drizzle the dressing over it and serve.

Related on EcoSalon

Cheesy Baked Farro Recipe with Cauliflower

Recipe: Cauliflower Casserole

Miso-Sesame Dressing

Whole Roasted Cauliflower Image from Shutterstock

The post Whole Roasted Cauliflower Recipe: The No-Fuss Way to a Roasted Vegetable Meal appeared first on EcoSalon.

Yet cooked, cauliflower is one of the more versatile vegetables I know. Great in soups, pureed as a side dish, baked into savory gratins, or my favorite – roasted.

Roasting brings out cauliflower’s natural sweetness and when it browns and caramelizes it becomes as addictive as potato chips. You can pretty much use any flavor profile you want: Italian with garlic, parsley, pepper flakes, and Parmesan; Indian with whole spices, ginger, and garlic; or sublimely simple with just salt and olive oil. You can’t really go wrong. Just use a very hot oven (400-450 F) and make sure the garlic is spread out in a single layer and not crowded (otherwise it will steam).

If you need recipes, here are two different versions of roasted cauliflower that sound like winners.

From Slashfood, the roasted cauliflower teams up with a little bit of bacon in this recipe.

And Food 52’s recent cauliflower recipe winner features gremolata breadcrumbs. I make a similar dish but I toss the cauliflower and garlicky crumbs with orecchiette pasta and top it with Parmesan cheese. The play of different textures in the dish is revelatory.

If you want to pair your cauliflower with protein into a one-dish meal, try this recipe for Curried Red Lentils and Cauliflower from Eating Well.

If it’s soup you’re craving, take my recipe for Curried Cauliflower Soup with Mustard Seed Oil for a spin.

Image: Linda N via Flickr

The post Don’t Hate the Cauliflower appeared first on EcoSalon.