Cauliflower: the controversial vegetable. For cruciferous lovers, it is a sweet and tender vegetable delicacy. For haters it is a pungent and pallid atrocity.
(To the haters: this recipe might make you change your minds).
I haven’t always been so fortunate as to appreciate the merits of cauliflower. But in adulthood, I have discovered what many already knew to be true: cauliflower is probably one of the best vegetables out there. It is hearty, healthy, and holds up well in a wide variety of preparations. For vegetarians it makes a filling vegetable substitute when one is sick of constantly imbibing eggplant and tofu.
And, in my opinion, no recipe highlights the cauliflower as magnificently as this Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Goat Cheese and Chili Oil recipe.
Our story begins one fine winter day in Chicago. We were in Michigan for Christmas and decided to go to Chicago to visit my brother. The restaurant was Bar Toma (a place that uniquely serves thin crust pizza in Chicago… which was really good, I might add!)
But what I’m going to talk about is not their pizza, but their fantastic cauliflower appetizer- a whole head of roasted cauliflower, hot and steaming from the oven, pierced with a steak knife, and served with a whipped goat cheese dip that was silky, creamy, tangy, and just slightly spicy.
So I’ve been thinking about this appetizer, like, all winter. And since cauliflower is basically one of the only “seasonal” winter vegetable (I guess because there’s a lack of sunlight that’s when all the white vegetables grow…?) I commenced with re-creating this dish.
I decided to put a little twist on my version by showering the entire cauliflower with bright red chili powder. I use Kashmiri Chili powder from the Indian store, which is why it is so brightly color, but just regular paprika or chili powder would work fine.
So, season the cauliflower, pop it in the oven in a cast iron skillet, and roast it for 45 minutes or an hour. 
And while it’s roasting, one can make the goat cheese spread; I combined cream cheese and goat cheese and beat them together to create a fluffy and creamy spread. And then I drizzled the entire thing with chili garlic oil.
So when winter beats you down and you feel like there’s no point to eating vegetables because that’s the food of summer, and summer might never come again… remember this recipe. And thank Bar Toma (or me) for the best vegetarian food of winter.
Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Goat Cheese and Chili Oil
Ingredients
_For the Roasted Cauliflower_
- 1 head Cauliflower
- 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon red chili powder or paprika
- Salt and pepper to taste
_For the Garlic Chili Oil_
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves peeled and sliced in half
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes
_For the Whipped Goat Cheese_
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- 4 oz goat cheese
- 2 teaspoons milk or cream
- 3 teaspoons garlic chili oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Prepare whole cauliflower by removing leaves and stem and drizzling with olive oil and rubbing all over with chili powder. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place seasoned cauliflower in a cast iron skillet or baking sheet.
- Bake for 45 minutes-1 hour or until cauliflower is easily pierced with a knife.
- Meanwhile prepare the condiments
- In a small saucepan combine olive oil, garlic cloves, and chili flakes. Heat on low for 10 minutes or until garlic is softened and fragrant. Remove from heat and discard garlic cloves.
- In a small mixing bowl combine cream cheese, goat cheese, milk, and 3 teaspoons of garlic chili oil.
- With a hand mixer, beat until ingredients are well-combined and mixture appears light and fluffy.
- Serve whipped goat cheese in a separate bowl or plate, drizzled with a few tablespoons of garlic chili oil.
- Serve whipped cheese alongside roasted cauliflower as a spread.
Wow. Wow. Wow.
Thanks Mimi!!! 🙂
I LOVE the photos of the cauliflower pierced with the knife! It says “this is a vegetarian meal for those who like to eat things with steak knives!” It sounds delicious, also. Cream cheese AND goat cheese, whipped together with chili oil? Yes please!
Baha exactly- it’s the vegetarian dish that a meat lover would still want to eat 🙂
That photo with the steam is amazing and I’m sure the cauliflower was as well ?
Thanks! It was piping hot from the 450 degree oven so I had ample time to get that coveted steam shot 😉
Beautiful! We love cauliflower and cook it often in many different ways. This a really great dish!
Thanks Nicoletta! Cauliflower is definitely something I can’t ever get enough of.. thanks for the compliments! 🙂
I don’t think I would have thought to order cauliflower as an appetizer in a pizza joint (although we recently ordered brussels sprouts at a brew pub now that I think of it, lol!) but what a stroke of luck that you did and shared it with us!
This looks incredible! And that whipped cheese…wow!
Mollie
Haha I know right..? Mostly my family is full of gluttons and so we got 3 pizzas and were like hmmm… what else sounds good that we can order?? 😛
The photos look stunning! And you could’ve have me fooled! I thought the whole head of cauliflower was either a big loaf with a nice cheese spread or in fact a turkey?! Hahaha maybe my imagination (or hunger) got the better of me. Either way this looks delicious, restaurant quality. Can’t wait to give this a try, I’ve never had cauliflower with a steak knife 😉
Haha thank you Cher!!!
I am a complete and total cauliflower enthusiast and I’m seriously DROOLING over this roasted beauty! I mean, as if that wasn’t amazing enough, then you threw whipped goat cheese into the party! And I’m officially drooling. 😉
Thanks Sarah! I love that so many people are into cauliflower these days.. it’s making a come-back just like brussels sprouts! Cruciferous lovers are getting their moment!!
I have always wanted to cook a whole cauliflower like this and just not gotten around to it yet. You’ve inspired me anew though, especially with whipped goat cheese!!
Yes!!! I know it has been somewhat trendy on the blogosphere for a while so I was like meh I dunno if I want to post it, but it is seriously SO darn good and really easy. Definitely recommended 🙂
Wow, what a great recipe Sarah! That cauliflower looks amazing and love the whipped goat cheese! Pinning!
Thank you so much!!
Cauliflower is one of my favorite vegetables… and for the record, I think all those people who hate it are nut jobs. I mean, it’s SO versatile and delicious! What’s not to love?! And umm can we talk about how gorgeous it is when it is roasted whole like this?! GIMME!! Loving this my dear! That whipped goat cheese and chili oil just sounds all sorts of fabulous! This screams dinner to me! Cheers! 🙂
Haha agreed!! Cauliflower is really one of the best vegetables in existence 🙂
Loving this recipe and those photos are just rocking. Steam!!!! I love cauliflower but my family not so much. Maybe I can change their mind with your delicious recipe.
Haha yeah… I feel like teenage boys and cauliflower might not mix that well (I know it never went over well in our house when me and my siblings were your kids ages lol). Maybe one day!!
Whole roasted cauliflower has been on the to-do list for so long – seeing this post has pushed me to try it out tomorrow night though! I had it for the first time at a restaurant in Melbourne last year and was blown away but how amazing the humble cauliflower can actually be. Yours looks just as gorgeous! Looove the sound of the whipped goats cheese too – so perfect. <3
I am not even kidding when I say this is one of the coolest recipes I have EVER seen!!! For real I’m pinning it and am going to make it in the next few weeks – it’s one of those things that is just SO creative and gorgeous that I’m drawn to it and won’t forget it until I try it. I’m legit insanely impressed and in love with this recipe!!!!