Spicy Roasted Cauliflower with Miso Chili Sauce

Spicy Roasted Cauliflower to the rescue!

We’ve been in a side dish slump over here but things are looking up with this beauty. The miso chili sauce makes a simple vegetable exciting again and you’ll be craving it with everything.

We also love these Honey Balsamic Brussels Sprouts and these Roasted Sweet Potatoes!

Roasting veggies is by far our favorite way to enjoy them and since cauliflower is still all the craze you’ll have to jump on the bandwagon and try out this great side dish!

They are off-the-charts delicious, easy to make and something new to try out in your kitchen. I can’t wait for you to try them.

Ingredient Notes

You can scroll down to the recipe card for the full list of ingredients and measurements.

• Fresh Cauliflower: choose a firm, white cauliflower with compact florets. The leaves should be crisp and green with no signs of yellowing. Cauliflower is one of our favorite cruciferous veggies, and it’s high in Vitamin C and contains a fair source of iron.
• White Miso: Miso is a fermented soybean paste and  white miso specifically is light colored and sweet. It’s quite nutritious, having rich amounts of B vitamins and protein and is used in sauces, soups, marinades, dips, salad dressings, etc.
• Chili Garlic Sauce: We buy the Huy Fong brand. It’s bright red and adds the perfect amount of spice to the roasted cauliflower.
• Sesame oil: Use toasted sesame oil if you have it, if not untoasted sesame oil is perfect!
• Other ingredients needed: garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, green onions

Step by Step Directions:

You’ll take the classical approach of tossing the cauliflower florets in olive oil, salt and black pepper and then roast them. The sauce will instantly turn everyone into cauliflower lovers! You’ll be able to easily whip these up in 30 minutes or less.

Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the full recipe instructions.

1. Wash and cut the cauliflower into florets.
2. Toss cauliflower with olive oil, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
3. Spread cauliflower into a single layer on a baking sheet and roast until slightly charred, golden brown and tender, ~20 minutes.
4. Make miso chili sauce while cauliflower is roasting. It’s perfect for a dipping sauce or you can toss all of the cauliflower in the sauce so they are completely coated.
5. Garnish with green onions and red pepper chili flakes. Boom, done! Easy roasted cauliflower for the win.

Tips and Variations

• This recipe is super adaptable: garnish with cilantro instead of green onions, use lime instead of lemon, hot pepper jelly instead of the chili sauce, or add seasonings like smoked paprika and onion powder. You have my blessing to make it however you’d like. ?
• If using frozen cauliflower, do not let the cauliflower thaw prior to roasting. It’s convenient using frozen for recipes like this. However, I do prefer using fresh!
• Double the batch to make some for meal prep, or just to have for leftovers to snack on.
• Preheat the baking sheet: while you chop up the cauliflower, stick the sheet pan in the oven while it’s preheating. This will create a hotter surface for the cauliflower and make them extra crispy and crunchy!
• Toss cauliflower about halfway through so they can roast evenly.
• Cut the florets into a uniform size so they can cook evenly.
• Pre-chop cauliflower a few days in advance, cover and refrigerate for easy side dish prep.
• Reheat: simply reheat cauliflower on the stovetop, oven, or air fryer just until heated through.
• Smaller florets will take ~15-20 minutes total to cook. If you cut them into larger florets, plan to cook for a few minutes longer, ~25 minutes total.

FAQ