Roasted Cauliflower with Chipotle and Lime – an incredibly tasty way to cook cauliflower with very little effort. With caramelised edges, smokey chipotle flavour and fresh lime, it’s a seriously good combination of flavours and a a terrific side dish that can really elevate an otherwise simple dinner.
(Or do as I do and eat this as a meal!)
Roasted Cauliflower
Cauliflower is just a great blank canvas to do all sorts of things with. It soaks up flavour well, it can be simmered in sauces (like curry), roasted (try this Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower next time), pan fried, blitzed to make Cauliflower Rice or pureed to make creamy low-carb Cauliflower Mash. It can also be lavished with a cheesy, creamy sauce for the ultimate Cauliflower Cheese!
Today, we’re roasting – with lime and chipotle. It is a seriously good flavour combination!
Health benefits of cauliflower
It’s naturally high in fibre and vitamin B, plus it’s got anti cancer fighting properties. Cauliflower is low in carbs and calories, and there’s research that indicates that it contains fibres that helps with weight loss and digestion.
What you need for Chipotle Lime Roasted Cauliflower
Chipotle, lime, cauliflower….and not much else. (Just garlic and olive oil!)
How to cut cauliflower – easily and virtually mess free
If you’re one of those people who are turned off by the thought of cooking with cauliflower because you can’t stand the tiny little grains of cauliflower flying all over your kitchen, you’ll love this method to cut florets because its virtually mess free:
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Cut the head of cauliflower into quarters
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Cut the core out on an angle – this will naturally form florets for most of the cauliflower
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Use your hands to break the larger pieces up so you have even size pieces
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Marvel at how little mess you’ve made!
How to roast cauliflower
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Toss cauliflower in oil (use your hands so you don’t need to use tons of oil);
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Then toss in seasonings (chipotle, garlic, salt and pepper in this case);
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Spread on tray (not jam packed, otherwise they will steam instead of caramelise);
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Roast at 200°C/390°F for 25 minutes, flipping halfway
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Drizzle with lime just before serving
And here’s what you end up with – a big fat tray of cauliflower that’s tender on the inside, caramelised on the outside, with that awesome smokey chipotle flavour perfectly complimented by the fresh lime and a teeny sprinkle of coriander / cilantro.
Look at the gorgeous colour you get on the cauliflower!
What meat goes well with cauliflower
Cauliflower will go with any protein – beef, chicken, pork, lamb, fish, prawns/shrimp and other seafood.
This particular cauliflower dish with the lime and chipotle flavour would be right at home alongside any Southern, South Western, Mexican or Tex Mex food.
Try it on the side of one of these:
Other ways to serve this Roasted Cauliflower
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Eat it as a meal in itself – as I have done on many occasions. Yep, it’s that good.
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Stuff it in tacos, drizzle with sriracha and add a dollop of sour cream = cauliflower tacos. SO GOOD.
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Stuff it inside on omelette
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Toss through plain white rice
It’s just a really, really tasty way to prepare cauliflower with very little effort. Make it once, and I bet you make it over and over again like me! – Nagi x
Watch how to make it
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Chipotle Lime Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
- 1 large head cauliflower , cut into florets
- 2 garlic cloves , minced
- 2.5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 tsp chipotle powder (more or less for spiciness!) (Note 1)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp lime juice (1 medium to large lime)
- 1 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves , finely chopped (optional, sub parsley or chives)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200°C/390°F.
- Place cauliflower in a large bowl. Drizzle over oil, sprinkle with garlic. Use hands to mix and rub oil over all cauliflower.
- Sprinkle over chipotle, salt and pepper. Toss to coat.
- Spread out on tray. Bake 25 minutes, tossing once, until the edges are caramlised and cauliflower is just tender.
- Remove from oven. Push cauliflower together, drizzle over lime juice.
- Sprinkle with coriander and serve hot.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
My hat looks better on him than it does me!!?
I am following your great recipes from Denmark, love everything you post 😋 My question is regarding the oven heat. Here we have regular oven heat or heat with hot air. What shall I use? I always use hot air to make food crisp. But maybe warm for your recipe?
Hi Anne, I generally use fan cooking for all my cooking 🙂 N x
Made this last night and it was so so good. Very easy too. Another delicious recipe Nagi!! Thank you so much for all the amazing recipes. I love to tell my family when they love a new recipe that it is from my friend , Nagi. They laugh but seriously you feel like you are a friend , sharing great recipes.
This cauliflower recipe is AMAZING. I used chipotle chili pepper powder by McCormick, jar minced garlic and dried cilantro because it is what I had. The lime juice at the end was a great touch. It was super simple to toss together and roast and it had a perfect kick, in my opinion. My new go to for veggie tacos!! Thanks for sharing and I love how you incorporate videos!
I used your chipotle spice mix alternative and this was soooo good. I’m not a fan of cauliflower but this is delicious and so easy!! Wishing I had more cauliflower. Will make again for sure! Thanks for a great recipe
You’re converted now Priscilla!! N x
I overcooked this because I read the recipe wrong and combined the roasting with red capsicum – it was still great! Glad to have added a side dish to the repertoire (& a bonus: hubby loves it – even though he doesn’t like cauliflower!)
You’ve totally converted him Stephanie, I’m so glad you still enjoyed it! N x
Hi Nagi. I saw this recipe and thought “I’ll make extra, we can use it in other dishes”. I roasted 1.5 heads of cauliflower. What can I say….it was sooooo delicious my husband and I polished the WHOLE lot off. In one sitting!!! He said it was the most delicious new dish he’d had in a long time!! It’s our new favourite! I would send you a photo but in our eagerness to tuck in I forgot to take one. I’ll just have to make it again! Thank you for sharing 😁 x
That’s great to hear! And it’s a vegetable so you don’t need to feel guilty at all! N x
I hate cauliflower (like, actually despise it) and was very skeptical about this recipe. I finally ended up making it tonight and HOLY COW!! I had seconds and everyone was raving about it. This recipe is definitely a keeper and I will be making it again (and again and again lol)!.
Wahoo – you’re converted April! N x
This recipe is next level. It’s so simple but SO tasty. Even my husband who doesn’t eat cauliflower wanted seconds and we are having it again tonight. Sensational.
This had good flavour, but was spicy (and we like spicy)! Perhaps Canadian chipotle powder is spicier than Australian. I’ll definitely try again, but with less chipotle powder next time. Thanks Nagi!
Hi Katie, sorry you found it too spicy – just reduce the amount to taste 🙂
This was great! Delicious flavour, and cauliflower was perfectly cooked. I ate this as my lunch just on it’s own with a spoonful of leftover sour cream I had in the fridge. I think I probably paid less than $4 for the ingredients. A winner!
I cant wait to try it but can i use
TABASCO Chipotle Pepper Sauce* instead of chipotle powder ?
*https://www.amazon.com/Tabasco-Chipotle-Pepper-5-Ounce/dp/B00061EPZO
Absolutely! But just a few dashes – otherwise it will be too spicy I imagine! N x
My chipotle is very spicy so I did a 50:50 split with smoked paprika instead of using the whole amount. Then I let the cauli cool to room temp, and made it a salad with mixed leaves, feta, and almonds and used the lime juice as a salad dressing. Made a fantastic lunch! Thanks for the recipe!
Sounds perfect Sandy!! N x
By far my favourite of your four sides! Barely eat potatoes, know how to cook rice every which way but love cauliflower ! Don’t bake it nearly often enough . . . love your spicing and could eat this on its own but shall probably grill a few lamb cutlets on the side – yum !! LOVE the photo of Dozer = at last some elegant headgear matching his fur . . . very masculine !!!
Baking really brings out a wonderful flavour in it Eha! Perfect along side some lamb cutlets!!
This will be the first one I try – tomorrow. Tonight is the Chilli CC/ Macca Cheese
YUM! Enjoy Sue!
Roasted Cauliflower is the only way I eat cauliflower. I like this nice spicy twist. Can’t wait to try. All sides look delicious..Tomato salad is one of my favorites with Mozzarella cheese..YUM
Yes!!! Roasting is the BEST way in my mind! N x
This looks yummy!! I will definitely be trying this recipe first!! Thanks Nagi!!
I hope you love it Nancy!
Nagi, this looks awesome, but my hubby can’t do “hot” spicy food. Do you think that smoked paprika would be a good substitute? Your timing for roasted cauliflower is perfect. Thank you.
I use smoked paprika when roasting cauliflower, works great. Looking forward to trying this recipe as a change.
I tried it with the smoked paprika and the family loved it. I served it with the Honey garlic chicken and there were no leftovers. Great dinner. Thank you.
What good timing. Cauliflower is on sale now and I love it.
I will try this one today and I’d love some Recipes that are Scoff Worthy. I love your cooking and recipe write ups. They are the best.
love Dozer in your hat!
Going to try this one first – always looking for new ways to make vegetables exciting!
Hi Nagi,I love all 4 recipes but might cook the Cauliflower for start. I was going to cook the Mediterranean Chicken but have a list for the whole week.Now I really don’t know what to cook first of my list????Haha,Love Dozer, he is such good looking guy,big woof from my Maverick 😀🥰