Looking for a healthy roasted cauliflower recipe? Low-carb cauliflower bites get an upgrade—first with an earthy, spicy mustard and garlic seasoning, then with a light batter that is baked until the cauliflower is fork-tender and the coating is crisp and golden.
But we don’t stop there: We then bathe the cauliflower in a sweet, tangy honey-balsamic glaze to bring all the flavors together. Keep reading for expert tips, including shortcuts to reduce your time in the kitchen.
Roasted Cauliflower Recipe: Nutrition Notes
There’s more to cauliflower than just its low-carb status. The cruciferous vegetable is also packed with filling fiber that provides food for your beneficial gut bacteria, and antioxidants that help reduce inflammation and chronic disease.
While your body breaks down honey like it does any other simple sugar, honey has some health benefits that most other types of sweeteners lack. This includes vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. There is some evidence that honey may protect the immune system from intense exercise, and the compounds in honey appear to help speed wound healing.
The primary ingredients in balsamic glaze are grape must and balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegar has been linked to better digestion and improved blood pressure and blood sugar. Grape must is the freshly pressed juice from grapes that still contains the stems, seeds and flesh of the grapes. Grapes are loaded with antioxidants that help fight inflammation.
These tender cauliflower bites are seasoned with a blend of spices and then coated in batter to ensure the sweet and tangy honey-balsamic drizzle soaks into every bite. They make a perfect side dish for grilled chicken or steak, or you can serve them over rice or noodles for a delicious vegetarian main course.
Roasted Cauliflower Recipe: Roasted Honey-Balsamic Cauliflower
Ingredients
• 1 large head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 2-inch florets (8 cups)
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole milk
• 2 tablespoons balsamic glaze
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 450°F. Generously coat a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
2. Toss cauliflower, oil, mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper together in a large bowl until well combined. Whisk flour and milk together in a small bowl until a smooth batter forms.
3. Pour the batter over the cauliflower; toss until evenly coated. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake until the batter is lightly golden and the cauliflower is fork-tender, 20 to 25 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, whisk balsamic glaze and honey together in a small bowl.
6. Transfer the cauliflower to a large bowl; drizzle with the honey-balsamic glaze and toss to coat. Transfer to a platter and sprinkle with thyme.
Nutrition
129 Calories
4g Fat
21g Carbs
4g Protein
Tips
These are the key tips we learned while developing and testing this recipe in our Test Kitchen to make sure it works, tastes great and is good for you too!
• As a shortcut, use pre-cut cauliflower florets. Find them in the produce section of the grocery store.
• You can substitute the cauliflower with broccoli, if you wish.
• Adding a wet batter coating to the cauliflower florets helps give the glaze something to stick to. It also adds a nice breaded layer, giving it additional texture.
• Tossing the cauliflower with the honey-balsamic glaze instead of brushing it on helps maximize the small amount being used.
Click here for full roasted cauliflower recipe.
