Golden Roasted Cauliflower with Pomegranate Molasses + Hazelnuts
I asked you guys on an IG poll what sort of Thanksgiving content you were looking for a few weeks ago and many of you requested savory side dishes that would satisfy vegetarians and meat-eaters so here’s the first of two vegetable-centric sides I developed for you! I really love how this came out. If you’re typically not a cauliflower fan, I urge you to give this one a chance. It’s so full of flavor and is comforting and warming while still feeling fresh and bright.
This is a wonderful side to add to your Thanksgiving table. It’s easy to make, can be prepped ahead of time, and has familiar Fall flavors but still feels fresh and new and interesting. The cauliflower is roasted at a high heat so it gets nice and caramelized and still maintains some texture. There’s nothing worse than mushy, bland cauliflower. The turmeric not only adds a delicious, earthy flavor but it also adds a beautiful golden hue to the whole dish, which is especially pretty in contrast with the magenta pomegranate arils and vibrant cilantro. The final drizzle of pomegranate seriously makes this dish addictive and it really needs the hit of acidity so don’t skip it! If you’ve never had pomegranate molasses before, you’re in for a treat! I recently had it for the first time and it’s delicious! It wasn’t as sweet as I was expecting it to be. It has a wonderful, tangy acidity to it and I think that has a lot to do with it lending itself well to both sweet and savory dishes. It’s traditionally used a lot in Lebanese cooking. You should be able to find it in most grocery stores now in the international aisle and of course, Amazon.
Golden Roasted Cauliflower with Pomegranate MOlasses + Hazelnuts
serves 8
2 large heads cauliflower, washed and end trimmed
avocado oil, for roasting (or olive or coconut oil)
2 t ground turmeric
Himalayan pink salt, to taste
black pepper, freshly ground, to taste
1/3 c pomegranate arils
1 T pomegranate molasses (I use this one)
1/4 c toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
handful fresh cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
roast the cauliflower
Preheat oven to 450 F. Trim the leaves and stalk off the cauliflower heads then with the head flipped upside down and the core facing upright, cut the heads into florets. Cutting it upside down helps make less of a mess! Add all the florets to a large bowl and drizzle with a good glug of avocado oil. Toss the florets to coat them evenly in the oil. Sprinkle on the turmeric, salt, and pepper and toss to evenly distribute the seasoning. Transfer the florets to an unlined, rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through. The florets should be caramelized around the edges.
assemble
Immediately transfer the roasted cauliflower to a serving platter. Scatter over the pomegranate arils and hazelnuts then drizzle over the pomegranate molasses and finish with a sprinkling with fresh cilantro. Serve immediately.
