Mexican roasted cauliflower is so flavorful and easy it might just become your new favorite veggie side dish! Cauliflower florets are tossed with flavorful spices and roasted until crispy and caramelized, served with a generous squeeze of lime juice, cilantro, red onion, and maybe even some avocado for good measure. Gluten free, paleo, vegan, AND whole30 friendly!
The best Mexican spiced roasted cauliflower
I don’t know about y’all, but if you’re anything like me, you go crazy for just about any roasted vegetable. And roasted cauliflower has always been on the top of my list.
There’s something about the way it gets crispy, tender, sweet, and salty all at the same time that makes it straight up IRRESISTIBLE.
When roasting cauliflower I usually go for the classic combo of avocado oil with salt and pepper, just because it’s easy and also totally freaking delicious. I have definitely been known to roast and devour a whole head of cauliflower solo!
But sometimes dinner deserves to be made a little more special by stepping the flavor up a notch (or two)!
This mexican roasted cauliflower does exactly that. By adding just a few extra spices and garnishes you can take a side dish that’s already pretty-much-the-best-thing-ever to next level DELICIOUS.
AKA –> craaaaazy delicious.
And seriously, it couldn’t be any easier to make.
And to top it off this recipe is gluten free, paleo, vegan, AND whole30 friendly. A win/win for anyone you’re feeding – yourself, your family, some friends, or a beautiful combination of all three.
If you love roasted veggies as much as us be sure to peek at our recipes for Turmeric Spiced Roasted Cauliflower, Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower, 15-Minute Oven Roasted Broccolini, Crispy 5-Ingredient Roasted Sweet Potatoes, and Lemon Garlic Oven Roasted Asparagus!
Why you’ll love this roasted cauliflower recipe
It is:
- Perfectly spiced
- Flavorful
- Cozy
- Crispy and caramelized
- Easy to make
- GF + DF + Whole30 compatible
- So delicious!
Ingredients and substitutions
You can find the full list of ingredients along with measurements in the recipe card below. These are my ingredient notes and recommendations for easy swaps.
All you need to make this roasted cauliflower recipe is cauliflower florets, a simple spice blend, and your cooking oil of choice. Avocado oil and olive oil are my two usual choices.
What spices do you need?
- Chili powder
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Ground cumin
- Kosher salt & pepper
And the garnishes… !!!
- Lime wedges
- Fresh cilantro
- Red onion
- Avocado
These simple flavor additions are the magic making ingredients to take your roasted cauliflower from good to CRAZY DELICIOUS.
Many of the spices for this recipe can be found on Thrive Market – a membership based natural products website that is like a Whole Foods or Costco but entirely based online and with the BEST wholesale prices.
I have been a Thrive Market member for 4 years and over that period of time I have saved an estimated $3,892.75! That is some serious savings.
How to make Mexican spiced roasted cauliflower
Essentially, Mexican roasted cauliflower is made the same way that you would make a more simple pan of this yummy veggie.
All I did here was add a few Mexican inspired spices that you most likely already have in your spice rack, and then prepped some fresh herbs, red onion, and lime wedges to finish off the dish once it comes out of the oven.
Because garnishes are a sure way to make any simple side dish extra special!
If you’re ready to start cooking you can find the whole recipe in the recipe card below.
How to make sure your cauliflower comes out of the oven crispy
There’s two essential tricks to getting super crispy roasted cauliflower:
- Make sure your oven is hot enough
- Don’t over crowd the pan
If your oven isn’t hot enough the cauliflower will get overly soft and mushy before it has a chance to crisp up and caramelize.
And then even if your oven is hot enough, if the sheet pan is over crowded the cauliflower will steam before it has a chance to crisp up.
Follow the recipe below and you will be enjoying CRISPY, tender, flavorful Mexican inspired roasted cauliflower in no time.
What temperature is best for roasting cauliflower?
I have roasted A LOT of cauliflower in our kitchen, and the temperature I consistently use is 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
It’s the perfect hot temp to perfectly caramelize each cauliflower floret, but not over cook so that it gets too soft and falls apart.
How long should you roast cauliflower?
How long your cauliflower takes to roast will depend on the temperature of your oven and the size of your florets. For medium sized cauliflower florets in a 425 degree oven it should take between 20-30 minutes for your cauliflower to reach peak crispiness.
Serving suggestions
This Mexican spiced cauliflower is the perfect easy side dish for any meal.
Also super delicious served on top of a salad, pasta, in tacos, or a grain bowl!
Storage and reheating
Storing: To store leftover cauliflower in the refrigerator, allow it to cool and then transfer to an air tight container. Will keep for to 3-4 days.
Reheating: You can easily reheat roasted cauliflower in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, warm in the oven at 350° F, or gently reheat in a skillet, tossing occasionally, until heated through.
Love this easy side dish? Try these other recipes!
- Buffalo Roasted Cauliflower
- Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower
- Cauliflower Mash
- Dairy Free Cauliflower Mac and “Cheese”
- Sautéed Spinach with Garlic
- Cilantro Lime Rice
- Simple Lemon Garlic Roasted Asparagus
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes
If you enjoyed this recipe, we’d love it if you would take 5 seconds to rate and review it below! It’s also super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe.
Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!
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Mexican Roasted Cauliflower – Dairy Free!
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Mexican roasted cauliflower is so flavorful and easy it might just become your new favorite veggie side dish! Cauliflower florets are tossed with flavorful spices and roasted until crispy and caramelized, served with a generous squeeze of lime juice, cilantro, red onion, and maybe even some avocado for good measure. Gluten free, paleo, vegan, AND whole30 friendly!
Ingredients
For the cauliflower
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets (mine was about 2 1/2 pounds – if you’re using a smaller cauliflower, reduce the amount of avocado oil, salt, and spices ever so slightly. You can always add more salt after it’s done cooking)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/2– 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For serving
- Cilantro
- Red or green onion
- Fresh lime wedges
- Avocado
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prep cauliflower. Add cauliflower florets to a large bowl and toss with oil, dried spices, salt, and pepper – making sure the spices are well distributed. Transfer to a baking sheet and spread out the cauliflower until evenly spaced.
-
Roast cauliflower. Transfer to the oven and bake, flipping halfway through, for about 20-26 minutes, or until cauliflower pieces are tender and nicely caramelized. You can always roast for a little bit longer for extra crispy florets!
- Serve and enjoy! Remove cauliflower from the oven and serve topped with fresh cilantro, red or green onion, lime wedges, and avocado if desired.
Notes
Storing: To store leftover cauliflower in the refrigerator, allow it to cool and then transfer to an air tight container. Will keep for to 3-4 days.
Reheating: You can easily reheat roasted cauliflower in the microwave for 1-2 minutes, warm in the oven at 350° F, or gently reheat in a skillet, tossing occasionally, until heated through.
Nutrition information is for roasted cauliflower without any garnishes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Oven roasted
- Cuisine: Mexican
Lucila Favors says
OMG a wonderful delicious dish. I will definitely keep this recipe in my collection of recipes.
Nyssa Tanner says
Yes! Love to hear that. Hope you continue to enjoy and happy cooking! – Nyssa
Bestsubstitutes says
I made this last night and everyone loved it. Even my little niece loved it and she is not usually a huge cauliflower fan.
Nyssa Tanner says
I’m so glad to hear that! Hooray for veggie victories at the dinner table 😉 Thank you for dropping a note, and happy cooking! – Nyssa
Kelly says
Made this last night to go with some low carb chicken enchilada rollups, it was the perfect side dish, thank you. I will definitely make this again soon.
Nyssa Tanner says
Yes! Such an easy and flavorful side dish that’s perfect for meals like that (low carb chicken enchilada roll ups?! YES PLEASE!) Thanks for your thoughtful note, and happy cooking! – Nyssa
Yolanda says
Everything looks delicious. Can I freeze spiced roasted cauliflower?
Thank you, Nyssa
Nyssa Tanner says
Hi Yolanda! Yes you can freeze the spiced cauliflower. It may soften slightly in the freezer but will still be delicious. It will keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. Hope you enjoy!! xo, Nyssa
carol clarkin says
Very tasty. I wasn’t xpecting it to be as tasty As it was.
I will be making it again.
We were looking for a healthy way to get some real flavor without the calories.
This was perfect.
Never would have thought of it! Thanks
Nyssa Tanner says
Amazing! So glad you loved the spices in this recipe 🙂
Tommy Hazleton says
Without a doubt the best cauliflower I’ve ever had in my life. I say that with no exaggeration whatsoever. Absolutely delicious and finally a healthy veggie to serve along side tacos on taco night. Thank you!
Nyssa Tanner says
Oh my gosh! Yes! What a compliment 🙂 So, SO happy you enjoyed!
Nancy Evans says
Recipe was wonderful, everyone enjoyed.
Nyssa Tanner says
Love to hear it! 🙂
Brynn Brown says
This Mexican Roasted Cauliflower recipe is AMAZING!! This was one of the first items I made for Whole30 and it will be something I make forever! Whole30 or not! It is really so tasty, especially with the lime, cilantro and avocado added! Though even without those additions, you are sure to just love it! Perfect side dish to pair with so many different meals.
Nyssa Tanner says
This side dish really is so delicious! I’m so happy you loved it. Dressed up or kept plain it’s a win every time at our house, too :))
Asha says
This looks great! Would we pair this with tortillas? or rice or tacos?
Nyssa Tanner says
You could definitely make these for taco night! I actually have a taco recipe on NK that uses this roasted cauliflower in the tacos – you can find it here! You could also serve it as a side for any Mexican themed dinner – enchiladas rice and beans, burrito bowls, etc. Hope you enjoy!! xx
Brianna says
This was a great recipe all the way. I loved the addition of red onion and cilantro. This is a new staple for us!
Nyssa Tanner says
Aww YAY! So happy you love it. Fresh garnishes always have a way of adding that extra *something* to a basic recipe 🙂
Veronica Lev @ Sharktank says
This roasted cauliflower is amazingly delicious a real explosion of flavor on your taste buds, thank you for sharing this healthy and scrumptious recipe!
Nyssa Tanner says
Yes absolutely!! So happy you enjoyed the super delicious veg recipe!
Janette Engelbrecht says
Can I sub a different oil? I have coconut, peanut, olive but not avocado. What do you think would taste the best? the no bake peanut butter cookies were awesome, I made them the other day. I just love your blog and I make recipes from it 2-3 times per month 🙂
Nyssa Tanner says
Hi Janette! I would substitute coconut oil or peanut oil since they’re both good for high heat. Olive oil would work, too, but it’s not as stable for high heat cooking. I think they all would taste just fine ☺️ If your coconut oil is virgin (or unrefined), it might impart a coconut taste, but refined coconut oil has a fairly neutral flavor.
Thank you so much for commenting and making recipes!! I hope you enjoy this cauliflower – it’s one of our favorite side dishes!!