The best part about roasted cauliflower is the caramelized golden bits. Adding a cup of water into the skillet halfway through cooking helps the cauliflower steam a bit in the center and skips a common step in roasted cauliflower recipes where you have to boil or steam the cauliflower before putting it in the oven. Skipping the boiling and steaming means that it won’t retain as much moisture and it can crisp up in the oven, which translates into extra crispiness on the outside.
Tip: Give your cauliflower plenty of time to roast for the most delicious result. At the end of roasting, the cauliflower should be just knife-tender with a little give when you insert a knife into the center, and the outside should be beautiful and golden.
Ingredients
Cauliflower1
- large head cauliflower (about 2 1/4 lb.), stem trimmed
- 1/4 c.extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce & Assembly
- 1 c.ketchup
- 1/2 c.packed dark brown sugar
- 1/2 c.apple cider vinegar
- 1 Tbsp.Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tsp.Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp.soy sauce
- 1 tsp.sweet paprika
- 1/2 tsp.garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp.onion powder
- 1/4 tsp.cayenne pepper
- 1/4 tsp.freshly ground black pepper
- 1scallion, chopped
- 1/4 c.chopped roasted peanuts
- Sriracha, for drizzling
Directions
Cauliflower
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- Step 1Preheat oven to 450°. Arrange cauliflower stem side down in the center of a large heatproof skillet. Brush all over with 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt and pepper.
- Step 2Bake cauliflower 30 minutes. Brush with remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Carefully pour 1 cup water into bottom of skillet. Continue to bake until cauliflower is knife-tender and water is absorbed, 40 to 55 minutes more.
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Brown Sugar BBQ Sauce & Assembly
- Step 1In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and black pepper to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
- Step 2Brush cauliflower all over with BBQ sauce. Continue to bake until slightly caramelized, about 5 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes.
- Step 3Transfer cauliflower to a platter. Top with scallions and peanuts. Drizzle with sriracha.
