Crispy-edged oven roasted Mediterranean cauliflower, briny fried capers, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, and creamy feta — all tossed together in one easy dish. Simple, healthy, and so flavorful and ready in about 35 minutes.
Oven roasted cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables. Because of its mild flavor, cauliflower lends itself to so many flavors and ways to prepare it. For example, check out Almond Parmesan Crusted Cauliflower Steaks.
This recipe came about as I was standing in my kitchen trying to come up with something different with a gorgeous head of cauliflower. Opening the refrigerator, I noticed a jar of capers and the rest came together–so delicious.
This is a popular recipe. It is just so good!
Learn more about easy oven roasted Mediterranean cauliflower.
- Why you’ll love this recipe.
- Oven roasting recipe tips for the most flavorful cauliflower.
- About fried capers
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy: Ready in about 35 minutes, no fuss.
- Healthy & Satisfying: Nutrient-packed, and rich in flavor.
- Versatile: Serve as a side dish, light lunch, or meal-prep base for grain bowls.
- Bold Mediterranean Flavors: The perfect balance of salty, sweet, tangy, and creamy.
Mediterranean Cauliflower Recipe tips
Oven roasting techniques for beautifully roasted cauliflower.
A hot oven. Start with a hot oven, 425 degrees F.
High heat intensifies the natural flavors, caramelizes the cauliflower, and creates a crispy, golden exterior while keeping the interior tender.
Convection roasting works best as it uses a fan to circulate heated air within the oven, ensuring more even cooking and faster roasting times. With traditional roasting, heat is distributed by the top and bottom heating elements.
For this recipe, I have used both types of roasting and the recipe turns out perfectly delicious every time.
Use the lower rack. When oven roasting vegetables, I prefer the lower rack of the oven for more caramelization on the cut side of the cauliflower (explained below).
Baking sheets for oven roasting.
Large metal, rimmed baking sheet. This type of baking sheet allow for you to spread out the cauliflower for best caramelization. They typically measure 13″ x 18″ and are often made of aluminized steel, which heats evenly and helps with browning.
A dark colored baking sheet. Darker pans absorb more heat, which can lead to faster and more even browning. Check your cauliflower often when using dark baking sheets.
Unlined baking sheets (meaning, no parchment paper) seem to work best for me to get the caramelization I want.
Preparing the cauliflower for oven roasting.
Cut the cauliflower florets in half or in thirds (depending on the size). Doing so, will ensure you have a “flat” side (or the cut side) which will be placed face down on the sheet pan.
When you place cauliflower florets cut side down on the baking sheet, the flat surface has direct contact with the hot pan, which encourages deep browning and caramelization.
This means you get those golden, crispy edges and rich, nutty flavor that make roasted cauliflower so delicious. It also helps the cauliflower cook more evenly, preventing it from steaming too much and turning mushy.
Allow ample space on the baking sheet between florets.
Ensure the florets are the same size as much as possible.
Fried Capers – super yum!
Capers are tiny, flavor-packed flower buds that come from the caper bush, native to the Mediterranean.
Pickled and brined, they deliver a bold burst of tangy, salty flavor that instantly wakes up a dish. Think chicken piccata.
When fried, capers take on a crispy texture that adds both crunch and a savory punch — kind of like little flavor bombs.
They pair especially well with roasted vegetables, fish, lemon, and herbs, and in this recipe, they balance the sweetness of sun-dried tomatoes and the creaminess of feta perfectly. If you’ve never cooked with capers before, this is a delicious place to start.
Easy Oven Roasted Cauliflower–Mediterranean Style
Crispy-edged oven roasted Mediterranean cauliflower, briny fried capers, sweet sun-dried tomatoes, and creamy feta — all tossed together in one easy dish.
4
servings10
minutes25
minutes35
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower, about 6-8 cups, cut in 2″ pieces, stems removed (see notes or post)
3-4 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
fresh pepper
- Topping
3 Tablespoon capers, drained and dried
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes in oil (see notes)
1 garlic clove, pressed or grated
2 Tablespoons finely chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
1/4-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Directions
- Roast the cauliflower
- Preheat oven to 425F. Prepare a large, rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or a light layer of olive oil.
- Remove florets from cauliflower and cut in half or quarters for about 2″ pieces (see recipe notes or post). Place on sheet pan and drizzle with 2-3 Tablespoons olive oil. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of salt and onion powder over the cauliflower, and a few cranks of fresh pepper. Toss to coat the cauliflower thoroughly.
- Place the cauliflower cut side down on sheet pan and roast on the bottom rack of the oven for about 22 minutes. The bottoms should be a beautiful golden brown. Flip over and bake another 7-10 minutes or until just tender. If your florets are smaller, check them before the 22 minute mark before flipping.
- Fried caper, garlic, and sun dried tomato topping
- About five minutes before cauliflower is done, add 1 Tablespoon olive oil to a small sauce pan and heat up over medium heat until oil starts to shimmer, about 3 minutes. Turn up the heat to medium high, add the capers and fry for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and add in the minced garlic, stirring for about a minute so garlic does not burn. Stir in chopped sun dried tomatoes for a minute to warm them and remove from heat.
- Remove cauliflower from the oven and add to serving dish. Top with the caper, garlic, and sun dried tomato mixture, fresh parsley, and feta cheese. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.
Notes
- Cauliflower roasting tips. For more caramelization (flavor) when roasting cauliflower, cut the florets in half or thirds and place the flat side down on the baking pan. For more details, see the recipe post for tips about roasting cauliflower for more flavor (caramelization). It is not mandatory for this recipe. If you prefer to chop into smaller pieces and roast, the roasting time will require less than 30 minutes.
- Vacuum packed sun dried tomatoes may be used. For more flavor and softer texture, I recommend reconstituting them prior to adding to fried capers. For a faster method, you can microwave the tomatoes in a microwave-safe bowl with water or broth for 2 minutes, then let them sit for 5-10 minutes before adding them to the fried capers.
- Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat in a skillet or toaster oven to maintain crispiness. The microwave is fine too.
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