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Our family has adopted this recipe for gatherings. The first time I tasted or saw this preparation was a year ago when my daughter-in-law made it and brought it for a family “break the fast” meal. I think she wanted something keto-friendly and vegetarian, and she made several heads of cauliflower, which disappeared rather quickly. This Thanksgiving, this was one of our side dishes and was loved by almost everyone.
The pesto coating can be made ahead and the roasting of the cauliflower heads is easy. For Thanksgiving, we sprinkled the final dish with pomegranate seeds. Red and green? SO festive. This would be an amazing Christmas dish, too.
The original recipe, which is a little changed here, came from the New York Times Cooking section and was written by Susan Spungen. I always read the comments for their recipes and agreed with the reviewers that you can swap out the kind of nuts, or the herbs if you are cilantro averse.
Whole Cauliflower with Pesto
Serves 4-6 (easily doubled or tripled for additional servings)
Cauliflower Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower (about 1½ pounds)
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 small yellow onions, sliced ¼ inch thick lengthwise
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Pesto Ingredients
- Zest of 1 lemon
- ½ cup lightly packed cilantro and flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- ¼ cup raw shelled pistachios
- 1 garlic clove, sliced
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch of black pepper
Garnish Ingredients (optional but recommended)
- Pomegranate seeds
- Fresh parsley and/or cilantro
Instructions
Make the cauliflower: Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat it to 400 degrees. Trim the cauliflower, ensuring the stem is cut flush with the head so it sits flat. Heat a 10-inch cast-iron or other heavy ovenproof skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add one tablespoon oil, the onions, and ¼ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until translucent and turning golden on the edges, 7 to 10 minutes. Stir in ¾ cup water and remove from the heat.
Rub the cauliflower with the remaining tablespoon oil, then with the pepper and remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Clear the center of the skillet and place the cauliflower in it. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place in the center of the oven. Bake until a paring knife meets no resistance when inserted into the cauliflower, 20 to 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the pesto: Reserve a bit of lemon zest for garnish. Place the rest in a food processor, along with the herbs, oil, pistachios, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pulse until well combined. (This can be done a day ahead of time.)
Turn the oven to up to 450 degrees on the regular setting or, if you have a convection option, 425 degrees. Uncover the cauliflower and baste with some of the pan juices. Cook, basting occasionally and adding ¼ cup of water to the pan if it threatens to dry out, until nicely browned, 20 to 30 minutes more. Spoon the pesto over top, sprinkle with reserved lemon zest and more herbs, and serve.
Note: for Thanksgiving, we made four heads of cauliflower and did all the roasting on a parchment lined, rimmed sheet pan.